Blacknose Shiner Fishing Guide, 84 Best-Graded Lakes

Blacknose Shiner is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 84 lakes carry documentation. Blacknose Shiner is narrowly distributed — only 84 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 Blacknose Shiner lake list below against the letter grades: lakes with both an A or B grade and Blacknose Shiner documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Michigan lakes →

Avg. Grade

53 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of Blacknose Shiner Lakes

14%

Best Blacknose Shiner Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with blacknose shiner ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Emerald Lake	Kent	MI	A	-	15
2	Hanbury Lake	Dickinson	MI	A	-	17
3	Derby Lake	Montcalm	MI	A	87 ft	12
4	Big Blue Lake	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	17
5	Muskellunge Lake	Kent	MI	A	-	10
6	Murray Lake	Kent	MI	A	-	29
7	Clear Lake	Jackson	MI	A	34 ft	17
8	Round Lake	Lenawee	MI	A	67 ft	25
9	Sylvan Lake	Oakland	MI	A	-	14
10	Round Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	37
11	Otter Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	30
12	Spring Lake	Emmet	MI	A	-	15
13	Lake Richie	Keweenaw	MI	B	-	11
14	Lake Harvey	Keweenaw	MI	B	-	5
15	Pleasant Lake	Oakland	MI	B	-	11
16	Papoose Lake	Kalkaska	MI	B	17 ft	7
17	Walloon Lake	Emmet	MI	B	-	20
18	Round Lake	Shiawassee	MI	D	-	37
19	Lake Bellaire	Antrim	MI	NR	95 ft	22
20	Long Lake	Gogebic	MI	NR	60 ft	40
21	Hanbury Lake	Dickinson	MI	NR	-	17
22	Chippewa Lake	Mecosta	MI	NR	40 ft	21
23	Pleasant Lake	Wexford	MI	NR	10 ft	11
24	Shavehead Lake	Cass	MI	NR	70 ft	25
25	Fishers Lake	St. Joseph	MI	NR	42 ft	8
26	Clear Lake	Ogemaw	MI	NR	50 ft	16
27	Clark Lake	Jackson	MI	NR	50 ft	19
28	Shavehead Lake	Cass	MI	NR	70 ft	26
29	Lake Fenton	Genesee	MI	NR	90 ft	22
30	Twin Lake	Kalkaska	MI	NR	80 ft	13
31	Emerald Lake	Newaygo	MI	NR	49 ft	15
32	Eagle Lake	Cass	MI	NR	35 ft	22
33	Muskellunge Lake	Montcalm	MI	NR	37 ft	12
34	Bear Lake	Manistee	MI	NR	6 ft	14
35	Farewell Lake	Jackson	MI	NR	43 ft	18
36	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	MI	NR	72 ft	29
37	Eagle Lake	Allegan	MI	NR	-	30
38	Evans Lake	Lenawee	MI	NR	42 ft	19
39	Resort Lake	Menominee	MI	NR	41 ft	19
40	Sylvan Lake	Newaygo	MI	NR	63 ft	14
41	Tamarack Lake	Livingston	MI	NR	34 ft	6
42	Squaw Lake	Kalkaska	MI	NR	5 ft	8
43	Cool Lake	Lake	MI	NR	43 ft	10
44	Three Mile Lake North	Van Buren	MI	NR	-	8
45	Sand Lake	Lake	MI	NR	50 ft	7
46	Threemile Lake	Van Buren	MI	NR	35 ft	8
47	Font Lake	Charlevoix	MI	NR	7 ft	8
48	Barneys Lake	Charlevoix	MI	NR	12 ft	9
49	Otter Lake	Oakland	MI	NR	70 ft	30
50	Bloomfield Lake	Oakland	MI	NR	-	17

Showing top 50 of 84 lakes with blacknose shiner.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have blacknose shiner?

Blacknose Shiner are found in 84 graded lakes: 84 in Michigan. The average water quality grade of lakes with blacknose shiner is A (Excellent).

What are the best lakes for blacknose shiner?

The best blacknose shiner lakes by water quality are Emerald Lake, Hanbury Lake, Derby Lake, Big Blue Lake, Muskellunge Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where blacknose shiner have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with blacknose shiner?

Blacknose Shiner are most commonly found alongside blacknose shiner, yellow perch, bluntnose minnow, bluegill, iowa darter. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Blacknose Shiner Lakes

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 73 lakes · 1,577 total

Bluntnose Minnow Lakes

Found together in 69 lakes · 160 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 66 lakes · 1,550 total

Iowa Darter Lakes

Found together in 66 lakes · 126 total

Largemouth Bass Lakes

Found together in 65 lakes · 2,489 total

Rock Bass Lakes

Found together in 52 lakes · 786 total

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys. Species profiles are general reference; always check current state regulations before fishing.