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Jay Lake

Watersmeet, Michigan — Gogebic County.

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6.2Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 123397557).

Getting there

Flying here

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Jay Lake, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Driving here

Pick up a rental car at the airport you fly into and drive to Jay Lake.

Car rental links go to our partner Discover Cars; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Staying here

Look for hotels in and around Watersmeet, MI.

Search hotels near Watersmeet, MI on Klook

Hotel links go to our partner Klook; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and availability are set by Klook. Affiliate disclosure.

Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Things to do near Jay Lake

Look up tours, activities and attraction tickets around Watersmeet, MI on Klook.

Browse things to do near Watersmeet, MI on Klook

Activity links go to our partner Klook; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Boat rentals near Jay Lake

Browse boat, pontoon and kayak rentals and charters listed on GetMyBoat.

Boat rentals in Watersmeet, MI on GetMyBoat

Listings, prices and availability are set by GetMyBoat and its hosts. Check the lake's own boating rules before you go.

Location & fast facts

Where Jay Lake is in Michigan

The red circle marks Jay Lake.

Fast facts

About Jay Lake

  • County: Gogebic
  • Town: Watersmeet
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 409 mi from Detroit and 287 mi from Grand Rapids and 92 mi from Marquette, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.

Fishing in Michigan

Official Michigan DNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Camping. 10 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Cold water. Water stays cold well into late spring and turns cold again in fall. Wear a life jacket when paddling in the shoulder seasons.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Official lake data (Michigan DNR)

44 ftMaximum depth

Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Institute for Fisheries Research inland lake deepest-point data (lake 27-177). Lake depth maps are on the DNR inland lake maps page.

Fishing gear for Jay Lake

Basic freshwater tackle for a day on Jay Lake. These open Amazon search results; check your state's fishing rules for the water before you buy bait or tackle.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.

Lake map

Jay Lake shoreline

0.05 mileN

No public access sites are listed for this water in the Michigan DNR boating access sites data.

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 123397557), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Michigan DNR boating access sites. Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Campgrounds near Jay Lake

We found 10 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Jay Lake, 1 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

4 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in Michigan

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (46.2344, -89.2817). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Jay Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Jay Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in CT (America/Menominee), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Jay Lake

    How big is Jay Lake?

    Jay Lake covers about 6 acres in Watersmeet, Michigan (Gogebic County).

    How deep is Jay Lake?

    The maximum recorded depth is 44 feet, according to the Michigan DNR stocking and lake depth records.

    Are there campgrounds near Jay Lake?

    Yes. We list 10 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 1 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Jay Lake?

    Jay Lake touches Watersmeet in Gogebic County, Michigan.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Jay Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Michigan lakes & ponds · All waters in Watersmeet