HomeMichiganOakland County

Union Lake

Oakland County, Michigan Inland Lake Connected Water
2 launchesFree launch availableRec Passport requiredIce fishing
Union Lake Access Map 2 launches
🎣 Fishing Guide → Click markers for details
Boat Launches on Union Lake
Union Lake Boat Launch
Commerce Township · Carry-in only ramp, 0 lane
Open Kayak Free
View ramp details →
Union Lake South Boat Launch
Proud Lake State Recreation Area · Paved ramp, 2 lanes, 21 trailer spots
Open Motorboat Kayak Large Boat Rec Passport
View ramp details →
Connected Waterways

The lake's exact inflow and outflow connections aren't well documented, though it sits within Oakland County's interconnected lake and drain system. Nearby marinas and recreation areas along the Huron River watershed are accessible to the west.

Winter & Ice Safety

Union Lake freezes reliably enough to support a steady ice fishing crowd. Reviewers describe regular winter use, though always check local ice conditions before heading out — Oakland County lakes can have variable ice thickness, especially near inflows and outflows.

Frequently Asked Questions
Is Union Lake really over 100 feet deep?
The deep basin runs beyond the 100-foot mark — exceptional for southeast Michigan — which gives Union a cold lower layer and a fishery with vertical dimension the region's bowl lakes lack. It's the reason serious metro anglers keep it on the winter list: the deep water concentrates life when everything shallow goes quiet.
Scout's Notes
Lake Vibe & Fishing Intel

Union Lake is one of Oakland County's marquee all-sports waters: 460-odd acres in Commerce Township with genuine depth — the deep basin runs beyond 100 feet, rare for southeast Michigan — supporting a two-story fishery the shallow metro lakes can't match. The public launches keep it democratic in a county where lake access is currency, and the search traffic to those launch pages says the demand is real.

The depth is the story for anglers: bass and pike work the classic edges, but the deep, cold layer historically supports coldwater species, and the winter ice community fishes suspended baitfish schools the shallow lakes never see. Summer runs full metro all-sports — dawn and the shoulder seasons are the angling treaty, as everywhere in Oakland's lake belt.

Sources: PRDBAS (access facilities), Oakland County context