Grand Lake (Presque Isle, Michigan)
Encyclopedia
Grand Lake is a 5660 acres (22.9 km²) lake in Presque Isle County
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. Grand Lake is a substantial lake of approximately 7 miles (11 km) in length and up to 1.5 miles (2.5 km) in width. The lake is on the boundary between Presque Isle Township
to the east and Krakow Township
to the west, approximately 15 miles (25 km) north of Alpena
on US 23, which passes to the south and west of the lake.
Fishing species include: bluegill
, bullhead catfish
, northern pike
, Gar pike, dogfish
, pumpkinseed sunfish
, rock bass
, smallmouth bass
, white sucker
, yellow perch
, and walleye
.
The lake lies on the landward side of a prominent promontory in the county that juts out into Lake Huron
, thereby making the promontory almost an island and indirectly giving the promontory and county their name of "Presque Isle." The lake contains many islands, such as Brown Island, Grand Island, and Macombers Island.
The two Presque Isle, Michigan lighthouses are nearby to the east: the New Presque Isle Lighthouse at 4500 E. Grand Lake Road and the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse at 5295 Grand Lake Road.
Deposits of Rock salt were discovered at a depth of 1284 feet in the vicinity of Grand Lake. On the west shore of the lake are ledges, which rise to a height of 40 feet above lake level, and include Cerepatora fossils along with chrinoid stems.
Presque Isle County, Michigan
Presque Isle County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 14,411. The county seat is Rogers City....
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Grand Lake is a substantial lake of approximately 7 miles (11 km) in length and up to 1.5 miles (2.5 km) in width. The lake is on the boundary between Presque Isle Township
Presque Isle Township, Michigan
Presque Isle Township is a civil township of Presque Isle County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,376 at the 2010 census.-Communities:...
to the east and Krakow Township
Krakow Township, Michigan
Krakow Township is a civil township of Presque Isle County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 622 at the 2000 census. It was named after the Polish city of Kraków, a historical capital of Poland and seat of Polish monarchs.-Geography:...
to the west, approximately 15 miles (25 km) north of Alpena
Alpena, Michigan
Alpena is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Alpena County. It is considered to be part of Northern Michigan. The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is located in the city. The population was 10,483 at the 2010 census...
on US 23, which passes to the south and west of the lake.
Fishing species include: bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
, bullhead catfish
Bullhead catfish
Ameiurus is a genus of catfishes in the family Ictaluridae. It contains the three common types of bullhead catfish found in waters of the United States, the black bullhead , the brown bullhead , and the yellow bullhead , as well as other species, such as the white catfish Ameiurus is a genus of...
, northern pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
, Gar pike, dogfish
Squaliformes
Squaliformes is an order of sharks that includes about 97 species in seven families.Members of the order have two dorsal fins, which usually possess spines, no anal fin or nictitating membrane, and five gill slits. In most other respects, however, they are quite variable in form and size...
, pumpkinseed sunfish
Lepomis
Lepomis is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The most recognizable species of the sixteen in this genus is the Bluegill....
, rock bass
Rock bass
The rock bass , also known as the rock perch, goggle-eye, or red eye is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. They are similar in appearance to smallmouth bass but are usually quite a bit smaller...
, smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
, white sucker
White Sucker
The White Sucker is a bottom-feeding freshwater fish inhabiting North America from Labrador in the north to Georgia and New Mexico in the south. It is a long, round-bodied fish with a dark green, grey, copper, brown, or black back and sides and a light underbelly. When fullgrown, it is between 12...
, yellow perch
Yellow perch
The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides...
, and walleye
Walleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
.
The lake lies on the landward side of a prominent promontory in the county that juts out into Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
, thereby making the promontory almost an island and indirectly giving the promontory and county their name of "Presque Isle." The lake contains many islands, such as Brown Island, Grand Island, and Macombers Island.
The two Presque Isle, Michigan lighthouses are nearby to the east: the New Presque Isle Lighthouse at 4500 E. Grand Lake Road and the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse at 5295 Grand Lake Road.
Deposits of Rock salt were discovered at a depth of 1284 feet in the vicinity of Grand Lake. On the west shore of the lake are ledges, which rise to a height of 40 feet above lake level, and include Cerepatora fossils along with chrinoid stems.
Further reading
- Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Presque Isle County
- Kauffman, George H. "My Recollections of Early Grand Lake." n.p., 1973.