Blackchin Shiner Lakes in Michigan

Found in 71 Michigan lakes

Blackchin Shiner is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 71 lakes carry documentation. Blackchin Shiner is narrowly distributed — only 71 lakes in Michigan have a documented record. The constraint is usually habitat: cold water, specific depth profile, or river connection.

Rough-fish-dominant lakes are worth checking the grade on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Blackchin Shiner lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Blackchin Shiner documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Michigan Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Blackchin Shiner Lakes Map

Every Michigan lake with documented blackchin shiner, colored by water-quality grade.

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Best Blackchin Shiner Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Long Lake South Central Basin	Cass	A	10.5 ft	-
2	Farewell Lake West Basin; Hanover Township	Jackson	A	11.8 ft	-
3	Kimball Lake Central Basin; Garfield Township	Newaygo	A	4.5 ft	-
4	Gun Lake Central Basin; Freesoil Township	Mason	A	14 ft	-
5	Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township	Montcalm	A	16 ft	-
6	Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township	Kent	A	7.2 ft	-
7	Clear Lake East Basin; Waterloo Township	Jackson	A	10 ft	-
8	Scram Lake East Basin; Oakfield Township	Kent	A	11.5 ft	-
9	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
10	Eagle Lake East Basin; Paw Paw Township	Van Buren	A	17 ft	-
11	Wakeley Lake; Central Basin; Grayling Township	Crawford	A	6.5 ft	-
12	Pleasant Lake Northwest Basin; Freedom Township	Washtenaw	A	5.8 ft	-
13	Round Lake Central Basin	Lenawee	A	12 ft	-
14	Loon Lake; Lake Twp	Benzie	A	12 ft	-
15	Long Lake	Gogebic	A	12 ft	-
16	Big Blue Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	-	-
17	Loon Lake	Benzie	B	12.1 ft	-
18	Sargent Lake	Keweenaw	B	10.4 ft	-
19	Fox Lake	Charlevoix	B	5 ft	-
20	North Pond	Chippewa	B	-	-
21	Chickenbone Lake	Keweenaw	C	6.1 ft	-
22	Rose Lake	Shiawassee	D	5 ft	-
23	Round Lake	Shiawassee	D	6 ft	-
24	Fox Lake Central Basin; Dalton Township	Muskegon	D	1 ft	-
25	Kimball Lake	Newaygo	NR	4.5 ft	-
26	Shavehead Lake East Basin; Porter Township	Cass	NR	7 ft	-
27	White Lake	Muskegon	NR	6.8 ft	-
28	Chippewa Lake	Mecosta	NR	11.5 ft	-
29	Middle Lake	Lapeer	NR	9 ft	-
30	Corey Lake Southeastern Basin; Fabius Township	St. Joseph	NR	16 ft	-
31	Shavehead Lake	Cass	NR	7 ft	-
32	Farewell Lake	Jackson	NR	11.5 ft	-
33	Wall Lake	Barry	NR	9.5 ft	-
34	Clark Lake	Livingston	NR	12 ft	-
35	Eagle Lake	Cass	NR	6 ft	-
36	Rose Lake	Shiawassee	NR	5.5 ft	-
37	Whitefish Lake	Montcalm	NR	16.8 ft	-
38	Round Lake	Mecosta	NR	8.5 ft	-
39	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	NR	15 ft	-
40	Eagle Lake	Allegan	NR	14 ft	-
41	Harwood Lake	Cass	NR	8.3 ft	-
42	Long Lake	Gogebic	NR	11.5 ft	-
43	Union Lake	Branch	NR	3.5 ft	-
44	Lake of the Woods	Branch	NR	10 ft	-
45	Round Lake	Shiawassee	NR	6.5 ft	-
46	Round Lake	Oakland	NR	10 ft	-
47	Long Lake	Benzie	NR	11.5 ft	-
48	Cranberry Lake	Oakland	NR	7.3 ft	-
49	Pleasant Lake Central Basin; Freedom Township	Washtenaw	NR	7.2 ft	-
50	Clear Lake	Jackson	NR	10 ft	-

Showing top 50 of 71 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have blackchin shiner?

Blackchin Shiner are found in 71 lakes in Michigan. The average water quality grade of these lakes is B (Good).

What are the best blackchin shiner lakes in Michigan?

The best blackchin shiner lakes in Michigan by water quality are Long Lake South Central Basin, Farewell Lake West Basin; Hanover Township, Kimball Lake Central Basin; Garfield Township, Gun Lake Central Basin; Freesoil Township, Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township.

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.