In one of my previous columns, I reviewed some interesting fun facts about our great Lake Superior that certainly is a significant part of our great Upper Peninsula.

Of course, Lake Michigan is also is very great part of our wonderful Upper Peninsula. We are certainly blessed to be here in the Upper Peninsula where we are surrounded by the five Great Lakes, which include Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Let us now also take a look at some of the very interesting fun facts about Lake Michigan.

Lake Michigan is the second largest of the Great Lakes, following Lake Superior, based on the total volume of water it contains, which is 1.3 million billion (known as a quadrillion) gallons, and a depth of 925 feet. It is the third largest of the Great Lakes by surface area, with 22,405 square miles, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron.

Lake Michigan is joined with Lake Huron under the Mackinac Bridge going over the wide and deep Straits of Mackinac. Lake Michigan is the only Great Lakes located fully in the United States, because the other four Great Lakes are shared between the United States and Canada.

Lake Michigan is shared, from west to east, by the following other USA States of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana. Ports along the shores of Lakes Michigan are located in Chicago, Illinois, Gary, Indiana, Milwaukee and Green Bay, Wisconsin, and in Muskegon, Michigan.

To the north, the lake is flanked by large bays, including Green Bay in the northwest, and Grand Traverse and Little Traverse bays in the northeast. Further, it is reported that the word Michigan is believed to have come from the Ojibwa Native American language, meaning “great water”.

Along with all the other Great Lakes, Lake Michigan also has multiple islands. It is reported that all of the Lake Michigan islands are located in the northern portion of the lake. There are no islands in the southern half of Lake Michigan.

The largest and most populated island in Lake Michigan is Beaver Island. Beaver Island is about 56 square miles in size, and it is further reported to have approximately 550 residents on this island.

There are many fish species that inhabit Lake Michigan, and it is reported some of the most common and popular include yellow perch, walleye, coho salmon, and lake trout. Following is a more detailed look at some of the fish reported to be found in Lake Michigan. 

The yellow perch is a popular and abundant species, known for being a good table fish. The walleye is another popular game fish, known for their delicious taste.

The coho salmon is abundant in Lake Michigan during the Spring and Fall seasons, and they are also known for being good table fare. The lake trout is a very popular cold water fish, and is often sought after by many anglers.

The chinook salmon is another popular game fish, known for being large in size. Additional fish species in Lake Michigan include the smallmouth bass, lake whitefish, brown trout, rainbow trout, steelhead, and the northern pike.

Again, we are truly blessed to have our great Upper Peninsula surrounded by these five wonderful Great Lakes.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Jim Surrell is the author of “The ABC’s For Success In All We Do” and the “SOS (Stop Only Sugar) Diet” books. Contact Dr. Surrell by email at sosdietdoc@gmail.com.