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Torch Lake (Antrim County, Michigan)
Encyclopedia
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
and at approximately 18,770 acres (76 km²) is Michigan's second largest inland lake. National Geographic rated it the third most beautiful lake in the world. An average property on Torch Lake costs approximately two million dollars. Within it are several townships including Torch Lake Township
Torch Lake Township, Antrim County, Michigan
Torch Lake Township is a civil township of Antrim County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 1,159.-Communities:...
, Central Lake Township
Central Lake Township, Michigan
Central Lake Township is a civil township of Antrim County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,254 at the 2000 census. The Village of Central Lake is located within the township.-Geography:...
, Forest Home Township
Forest Home Township, Michigan
Forest Home Township is a civil township of Antrim County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,858 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, Helena Township
Helena Township, Michigan
Helena Township is a civil township of Antrim County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 878 at the 2000 census.- Communities :* Alden is an unincorporated community in the township on the southeast end of Torch Lake...
, and Milton Township
Milton Township, Antrim County, Michigan
Milton Township is a civil township of Antrim County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,072 at the 2000 census.- Communities :...
and Clearwater Township
Clearwater Township, Michigan
Clearwater Township is a civil township of Kalkaska County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 2,382...
in Kalkaska County. Several villages and hamlets lie along its shore, including Alden
Alden, Michigan
Alden is an unincorporated community located in Helena Township in Antrim County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated at the southeast end of Torch Lake, about 20 miles northeast of Traverse City....
, Eastport, Clam River, and Torch Lake. The lake is about 17 miles (27 km) northeast of Traverse City
Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
and is separated by narrow strips of land from both Grand Traverse Bay on the northwest and Elk Lake
Elk Lake (Michigan)
Elk Lake is located in Antrim and Grand Traverse counties in Northern Michigan. The lake is about a mile and a half wide and nine miles long, and is centered at near the town of Elk Rapids. It has maximum depth of , making it Michigan's second deepest after Torch Lake...
at the southwest end . The lake is about two miles (3.2 km) wide and is centered at 44°59′00"N 85°18′30"W. It has a maximum depth of 330 feet (100.6 m)just off the east end of Campbell Rd. (Milton Twp.) and an average depth of 111 feet (33.8 m), making it Michigan's deepest inland lake. It is a popular lake for fishing, featuring lake trout
Lake trout
Lake trout is a freshwater char living mainly in lakes in northern North America. Other names for it include mackinaw, lake char , touladi, togue, and grey trout. In Lake Superior, they can also be variously known as siscowet, paperbellies and leans...
, 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, muskellunge
Muskellunge
A muskellunge , also known as a muskelunge, muscallonge, milliganong, or maskinonge , is a large, relatively uncommon freshwater fish of North America. Muskellunge are the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae...
, ciscoes
Cisco (fish)
The ciscoes are salmonid fish of the genus Coregonus that differ from other members of the genus in having upper and lower jaws of approximately equal length and high gillraker counts...
, brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
, rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
, and whitefish
Freshwater whitefish
The freshwater whitefish are fish of the subfamily Coregoninae in the salmon family Salmonidae. Along with the freshwater whitefish, the Salmonidae includes the freshwater and anadromous trout and salmon species as well as graylings...
.
The name of the lake is not due to its shape, rather, is derived from translation from the Ojibwa
Ojibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
name Was-wa-gon-ong meaning "Place of the Torches", referring to the practice of the local native American population who once used torches at night to attract fish for harvesting with spears and nets. For a time it was referred to by local European settlers as "Torch Light Lake", which eventually was shortened to its current name.
The lake is known for nature activities including hiking, canoeing, fishing and diving. Due to the low amount of boat activity, it is a nature-lovers paradise. Torch Lake is much quieter than most Michigan lakes and is not friendly to "partying." Noted for its exceptional beauty; its waters are unusually clear and exhibit a bright turquoise hue, often resembling Caribbean waters. This quality has made the lake a popular spot for the development of resorts and second homes with notables including Michael Moore
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
owning vacation homes on the lake.
Torch Lake is part of a watershed that begins in northern Antrim County with Six Mile Lake, which is connected by the Intermediate River with Lake Bellaire. The Grass River
Grass River (Michigan)
The Grass River is a short river in Antrim County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of a watershed that begins in northern Antrim County with Intermediate Lake, which is connected by the Intermediate River with Lake Bellaire. The Grass River flows from Lake Bellaire into Clam Lake, which...
flows from Lake Bellaire into Clam Lake, which in turn drains into Torch Lake via the short Clam River
Clam River (Michigan)
-References:*...
. Torch Lake itself is drained by the Torch River, which flows into Lake Skegemog
Lake Skegemog
Lake Skegemog is a Northern Michigan lake located on the border of three counties, Antrim County, Michigan, Grand Traverse County, Michigan, and Kalkaska County, Michigan, with a surface area of . The Lake is attached to Elk Lake and is considered to be part of the Northwest Michigan Chain O'Lakes...
, which opens into Elk Lake. Elk Lake flows into the east arm of Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay is a bay of Lake Michigan formed by part of Northern Michigan. The bay is long, 10 miles wide, and up to deep in spots. It is divided into two arms by the Old Mission Peninsula...
at Elk Rapids
Elk Rapids, Michigan
Elk Rapids is a village in Antrim County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,700 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Elk Rapids Township, about north of Traverse City. It is physically split by the Elk River, which runs between nearby Elk Lake and Grand Traverse...
. This watershed is popularly known as the Chain of Lakes
Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed
The Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed is a seventy-five mile-long waterway consisting of fourteen lakes and connecting rivers in the northwestern section of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan....
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