How deep is Lake Macatawa?

Lake Macatawa reaches a maximum depth of 40 feet in the Michigan DNR Inland Lake Contours survey. Most of it is far shallower: the survey charts 5 closed depth contours over about 1,822 acres, and half of that water sits inside the 30 ft line.

Where is the deepest part of Lake Macatawa?

The deepest charted water on Lake Macatawa lies inside the 40 ft contour, toward the southwestern corner of the lake. That contour encloses 17 acres, under 1% of the mapped water, so it is a small target on a big lake, the depth chart above gives the contour to line up on.

How much of Lake Macatawa is shallower than 30 feet?

About half. The 30 ft contour encloses 353 acres of the roughly 1,822 acres inside the outer 5 ft line, so the other half of the water is shallower than 30 feet. The sharpest drop is between 5 and 10 feet, where the mapped water sheds 505 acres.

How accurate is this Lake Macatawa depth map?

The contours come from the Michigan DNR Inland Lake Contours survey, retrieved August 2026 and last rebuilt on August 19, 2026. Depths change over time with water levels and sediment, so treat this map as a planning guide for fishing, and never use it for navigation. Acreages are computed from the published contour geometry, not from a separate area survey, so read them as close approximations.

Michigan lake depth maps

Lake Macatawa depth map

Lake Macatawa in Ottawa County, Michigan reaches a depth of 40 feet. Lake Macatawa is charted here across 5 closed depth contours, from the 5 ft line down to 40 ft, enclosing about 1,822 acres of water. Half of that water lies inside the 30 ft line, and only 17 acres lie inside the deepest one. Every contour is on the interactive map below, free and without an account.

Data: Michigan DNR Inland Lake Contours (public record). Contours closed, checked and area-computed by Jordan Carter, founder of GilledIt · page updated August 19, 2026

Lake Macatawa depth chart: 5 depth contours from 5 to 40 ft

Data: Michigan DNR Inland Lake Contours (public record), retrieved August 2026 · depths change over time · not for navigation

Lake Macatawa depth chart data: water enclosed by each contour
Depth contour	Water inside it	Share of mapped water
5 ft	1,822 acres	100%
10 ft	1,317 acres	72%
20 ft	1,051 acres	58%
30 ft	353 acres	19%
40 ft	17 acres	under 1%

Acreages are computed from the closed Michigan DNR Inland Lake Contours contour rings, with islands subtracted. Shares are of the 1,822 acres inside the outermost charted contour (the 5 ft line), which is the outer edge of the mapped water, several state files carry no 0 ft shoreline line, so this is not the same as a share of the lake's published surface area.

Fishing Lake Macatawa: steep sides for its size

Inside its outermost 5 ft contour the survey charts about 1,822 acres of Lake Macatawa, with the 30 ft line enclosing half of it, so the bottom holds its depth well out from the bank rather than tapering off a long shallow margin. The sharpest change on the chart is between 5 and 10 ft, where the mapped water loses 505 acres in 5 ft of depth, that band is the contour to work first, because it is where the bottom stops being flat. 17 acres, under 1% of the mapped water, lie inside the deepest 40 ft contour, toward the southwestern corner of the lake. With 40 ft at its deepest there is no true cold-water layer here, so structure does the work the thermocline does elsewhere: fish the points and inside turns where the 5 and 10 ft lines pinch together, hardest in early season and again as fish follow bait back down in autumn.

Ice fishing on Lake Macatawa

Lake Macatawa's 40 ft is a workable ice depth, enough water to hold fish all winter, without the slow freeze-up of a big basin. First light belongs on the 40 ft hole, all 17 acres of it; as the sun gets up, move onto the 5–10 ft break, and spend the middle of the day on the flats inside the 30 ft line. Check ice thickness locally before you walk out.

Lake Macatawa depth map FAQs

How deep is Lake Macatawa?: Lake Macatawa reaches a maximum depth of 40 feet in the Michigan DNR Inland Lake Contours survey. Most of it is far shallower: the survey charts 5 closed depth contours over about 1,822 acres, and half of that water sits inside the 30 ft line.
Where is the deepest part of Lake Macatawa?: The deepest charted water on Lake Macatawa lies inside the 40 ft contour, toward the southwestern corner of the lake. That contour encloses 17 acres, under 1% of the mapped water, so it is a small target on a big lake, the depth chart above gives the contour to line up on.
How much of Lake Macatawa is shallower than 30 feet?: About half. The 30 ft contour encloses 353 acres of the roughly 1,822 acres inside the outer 5 ft line, so the other half of the water is shallower than 30 feet. The sharpest drop is between 5 and 10 feet, where the mapped water sheds 505 acres.
How accurate is this Lake Macatawa depth map?: The contours come from the Michigan DNR Inland Lake Contours survey, retrieved August 2026 and last rebuilt on August 19, 2026. Depths change over time with water levels and sediment, so treat this map as a planning guide for fishing, and never use it for navigation. Acreages are computed from the published contour geometry, not from a separate area survey, so read them as close approximations.

Depth maps for lakes near Lake Macatawa

Osterhout Lake depth map · 30+ ft max · 25 mi away
Mona Lake depth map · 42 ft max · 28 mi away
Green Lake depth map · 60+ ft max · 29 mi away
Lake Sixteen depth map · 80+ ft max · 32 mi away
Muskegon Lake depth map · 66+ ft max · 32 mi away

Mapped fishing venues near Lake Macatawa

Lake Macatawa in the venue directory covers access and fishing details for this water.

Little Dipper · 19 mi away
Frog pond · 19 mi away
Big Dipper · 19 mi away

Fishing in Michigan needs a state license: Michigan fishing license guide · all Michigan venues