How big is a small lake?

[JohnK]

Just wondering what everyone considers a small lake, or how big your 'small' lakes are? Out here they call any puddle that has water year round a lake, there's one in town "Lake Rasmussen" that is maybe 5 acres at best. There are a very few 30-40 acre lakes within an hours drive, all are electric only, sadly the so-called boat launch at the closest one is too shallow for my 17' Crestliner.

So, just curious but how big is your average small lake? And (maybe this should be another thread) how many lakes are there within 30 min from home you can put your boat in?

[Eskimoman]

Small= 100 acres and under

lakes within 30 miles= around 15? ananndale area

[Sandmannd]

I would agree that 100 or less is small. I have a lot of lakes around me I can put in. I'm in St. Paul so I can go up to the Forest Lake/Chisago area and hit all kinds of lakes. Don't even have to drive that far to put in. I'm four blocks from phalen if I really wanna stay close.

[IFallsRon]

Small lake = rowboat, no motor

[Ryan_Johnson]

If you feel comfortable paddling anywhere on it in a canoe, it's a small lake.

[fishinJohn]

I would say if bullhead are the only fish that survive winter than it is not a lake; more of a pond or marsh. However we have Devil's Lake (WI not ND) and that is electric motor only and it is 40-50 feet deep so I think it is too much lake to consider small.

[Nick Kuhn]

0-10 is a pond

10-25 is a tiny lake/big pond

25-100 is a small lake

100-500 is a medium lake

500-5000 is a large lake

5000-20000 is a huge lake

20000+ is it's own entity.

[JohnK]

I would say if bullhead are the only fish that survive winter than it is not a lake; more of a pond or marsh. However we have Devil's Lake (WI not ND) and that is electric motor only and it is 40-50 feet deep so I think it is too much lake to consider small.

That's an interesting take on it, considering depth on whether it's a lake or a pond. Out here with all the mountains and foothills even small lakes can be very deep, one about 30 min from home is only 35 acres, but is over 100 feet deep.