The Ryerson Lake Association
The Lake Association members are residents who own properties around the lake, including Camp Echo. The Association maintains the boat launch, stocks fish, launches half of the July 4th fireworks (the other half of the cost is covered by Camp Echo), and registers this website.
Everyone on the lake benefits from what the association does, so please encourage your neighbors to join. If you would like to join the lake association, or have any comments, contact us HERE
Association members are encouraged to post photographs, lost and found, and calendar events in our Facebook group: Ryerson Lake Association.
The Ryerson Lake Improvement Board is a separate organization. Keep up to date with their news and reports about the health of the lake by visiting ryersonlakeboard.org
LAKE NEWS
4th of July
We look forward to our lake’s great traditions of the golf cart parade, boat parade, and fireworks.
The Golf Cart Parade is a great new tradition started over the last few years. It will be held on Friday, July 4. We will start at 4pm at Parsons. This year we will go all the way around.
The 2025 Ryerson Lake Boat Parade will be in honor of Chuck Yonker, longtime Grand Marshall of the boat parade. The parade will 
begin at 7:30 PM on Friday, July 4, 2025. Please meet at the north end of the lake by no later than 7:00 PM if you would like to participate. Boat numbers will be distributed to all participants at that time. The parade will conclude at the south end of the lake with presentation of watermelons for each boat entry and trophy awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place and honorable mentions.
This year we will be honoring Ryerson Lake’s and Point Pleasant’s Chuck Yonker with our annual 4th of July Boat Parade. As sure as spring follows winter, you can find Chuck on his boat fishing our fine lake. Chuck’s passion for and knowledge of our lake that he calls “our Diamond” sets him apart. Chuck has been the Grand Marshall of our 4th of July Boat Parade for many years. He has served our lake and our community as past Ryerson Lake Association Board Director, and with his work with the Ryerson Lake Improvement Board and various state and private water resource management agencies and experts, all with a commitment to improve our lake quality, fishery and community. The entire Ryerson Lake Association salutes you, thanks you, and wishes you Godspeed Chuck!
We want to hear from you which boats are your favorites! We have an online form set up to collect votes. Each lake address can submit one vote, so decide together which boats get your group's votes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mention. The votes will be tallied and awards passed out as soon as the parade ends, so be sure to vote promptly. We got 50 votes last year and we'd love to double that this year! Vote by using this link on either your phone or computer: https://forms.gle/qN63rwicVKe33RzdA
Fireworks will be on July 4th with a rain date of the 5th if needed. The fireworks location will be the same as last year. If you are on the North end you may want to get out on your boat to get a better view. Scott will have a sound system with music playing as the fireworks are going off. If you would like to download the app you can listen to the music on your phone or personal device synched up with the fireworks display. The app is called Pyrocast and it's available in Android or Apple devices. The show code is NLPD and log in as GUEST.
Ryerson Lake Association 1st Annual Poker Run will be held on Saturday, July 5. Take off and ending will be at Antonini’s, just west of the boat launch starting at 12:00PM and ending 3:00PM (We would like all boats in by 3). Buy-in: $10 Per boat. Each paying boat will receive a number. There will be 5 docks located around Ryerson Lake flagged and near the spots on the map where you will pick up 1 poker chip at each dock. When you are finished you must bring the chips back with you and you will be dealt 5 cards. You will have the option of buying 1 extra card for $1.00, to replace one in your hand. Best hand wins! In the event of a tie, the winner will be chosen by the draw of a card. Highest card wins. Cash prizes will be awarded after the last participant turns in its hand. PRIZES: 1ST PLACE = 50% Total 2ND PLACE= 30% Total 3RD PLACE= 20% Total.
Summer Picnic
We hold an annual picnic at Camp Echo for Association members. This year's event will be scheduled for August.
Ryerson Lake Treatment Information
Information is available on the Ryerson Lake Improvement Board website: www.ryersonlakeboard.org
Please be considerate of neighbors' property when launching boats. There is No Parking at the boat launch. Please do not block driveways with unattended vehicles and trailers.
Newaygo County Lake Patrol non-emergency number is 231-689-5288.
Ryerson Lake Loons
Please go no wake and stay 150' away, especially back away if loons vocalize by yodeling. Please read the following information to help protect them.
Common Loon FAQ
Loon Rules Handout
Lake History
The Summer Resort that Started on a Shoe String Budget
Written by Mrs. Fred (Bertha) Coburn
About the Lake
The bottom of Ryerson Lake was first mapped in the early 1940s by the Michigan Conservation Department. The lake has a surface area of 250 acres and a watershed area of 3,847 acres, a ratio of 1:15.4. The maximum recorded depth of the lake is 82 feet, and the average depth of Ryerson Lake is 27 feet. Despite having large areas of deep water, Ryerson Lake also contains shallow sand and marl areas. These shallow areas support aquatic plants and provide quality habitat for fish and wildlife. The shoreline of Ryerson Lake is over four miles long, and there are four small tributaries flow into Ryerson Lake.
Ryerson Lake’s outlet at the south end flows to Ludke Drain, through Kimball and Pickerel Lakes, and into Penoyer Creek which, in turn, flows into the Muskegon River and into Lake Michigan. There are approximately 230 feet of fall between Ryerson Lake and Lake Michigan.
Boating Rules
Operating Hours are 11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
No Wake All Other Hours
Travel in a Counter-Clockwise Direction
All Watercraft Must Obey These and all Other State Laws
Fishing
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Fishing regulations for 2018 through 2022. Ryerson Lake is still listed in the 5 Pike per day and only 1 over 24 inches. |
Please remember NOT to fish on spawning beds for any type of fish. This will help improve our lake for fishing if we adhere to this request. Please remind any guests that you have invited to fish with you.
Beach Sand Regulations
No permit is needed to bring in a “reasonable amount” of beach sand to your beach. It is no longer limited to a numerical amount per year. To put sand in the lake, you need to get a permit from the Michigan DEQ.
Information about blue-green algae
https://www.michigan.gov/
https://www.canr.msu.edu/
http://www.ces.fau.edu/usgs/
https://www.hrwc.org/wp-
https://www.uaex.edu/
https://www.youtube.com/