Every Lake
Fish Lake
Two miles of shoreline circle 136 acres, forty-some miles northwest of Ann Arbor.
- 7 ft · first step
- 14 ft
- 21 ft
- 28 ft
- 35 ft
- 42 ft · bottom
About Fish Lake
Fish Lake sits in the glaciated country of southeastern Michigan, one of thousands of small kettle lakes left behind when the last ice sheet retreated roughly 12,000 years ago. At about 136 acres with roughly two miles of shoreline, it is modest in size compared to nearby Base Line, Whitewood, and Portage lakes, part of the same chain of glacial lakes northwest of Ann Arbor. Sonar and bathymetric modeling put its maximum depth near 42 feet, a basin shape typical of the region's kettle lakes, where a buried ice block once melted in place and left a rounded depression.
The lake's name points to its main draw: it has long been fished by locals for bass and panfish rather than known for large-scale recreation. Shoreline development is residential, a mix of year-round homes and older cottages built up gradually through the 20th century as Ann Arbor and its suburbs grew outward. Its size keeps boat traffic light compared to the larger lakes in the chain, and access is mostly through private lakefront property rather than a public launch. It functions less as a destination lake and more as a neighborhood one, tied into the small-lakes geography that spreads across Livingston and Washtenaw counties.
- 18 roads engraved around the shore, 8 of them labeled
- 6 depth layers, each step engraved with its depth in feet
- Compass rose, title block with coordinates, max depth and area; keyhole hanger on the back
Turn it in your hands
Live 3D of the actual cut files — drag to orbit, pinch to zoom. Every road you see is engraved on the real thing.
Viewer not showing? Open it full screen.
Fish Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Fish Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 7 ft, 14 ft, 21 ft, 28 ft, 35 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 42 ft. The lake covers about 0.2 square miles, and 18 shore roads are engraved around it. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Fish Lake map for the wall — or a gift
Most of these go to a cabin wall, a lake house entry, or a home office; a lot are gifts — the family that has been on Fish Lake for three generations, the retirement move, the first boat. The 12-inch is the desk-and-shelf size; the 24- and 30-inch boards read across a room. Add a line under the title and star your place on the shore, and it becomes the map of your Fish Lake.
Fish Lake map — the details
How big is the map?
Four sizes: 12, 17, 24 and 30 inches on the long side, from $149. Every size is cut from the same depth data of Fish Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Fish Lake is cut layer by layer from published bathymetric soundings — each layer of birch is a depth contour, so the shape of the bottom is the real one, not decorative.
Can I add my own place on it?
Yes. At checkout you can add a line under the title (a family name, a cabin name, a year) and star the spot on the shore that matters to you.
How long does it take?
Made to order in Waterford, Pennsylvania and shipped in 7–10 days; shipping is free in the lower 48.
Can you make a lake that isn't listed?
Any lake in the United States — we hold depth data for 104,419 of them. Search for yours; if it isn't built yet we build it when you order.
- 6 depth layers down to 42 ft
- 0.2 square miles of water
- 18 shore roads engraved, 8 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
