Blacknose shiner Lakes in Michigan

Found in 91 Michigan lakes

Rough fish like Blacknose shiner are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 91 Michigan lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Blacknose shiner is narrowly distributed — only 91 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 LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Blacknose shiner documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Michigan Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Best Blacknose shiner Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Squaw Lake	Kalkaska	A	16 ft	-
2	Twin Lake	Kalkaska	A	23 ft	-
3	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	A	15 ft	-
4	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
5	Long Lake North Central Basin; Long Lake Township	Grand Traverse	A	23.8 ft	-
6	Higgins Lake Northwest Basin	Roscommon	A	34.5 ft	-
7	Indian Lake Northeast Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	15.5 ft	-
8	Long Lake	Grand Traverse	A	24 ft	-
9	Eagle Lake East Basin; Paw Paw Township	Van Buren	A	17 ft	-
10	Eagle Lake	Van Buren	A	15 ft	-
11	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
12	Diamond Lake	Osceola	A	16 ft	-
13	Shag Lake	Marquette	A	15.3 ft	-
14	Papoose Lake Central Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	21 ft	-
15	Papoose Lake	Kalkaska	A	20 ft	-
16	Thumb Lake	Charlevoix	A	17 ft	-
17	Long Lake	Cheboygan	A	18 ft	-
18	Douglas Lake	Otsego	A	16.5 ft	-
19	Bass Lake Northeast Basin	Kalkaska	A	18.5 ft	-
20	Susan Lake	Charlevoix	A	-	-
21	Walloon Lake	Emmet	A	-	-
22	Spring Lake	Emmet	A	-	-
23	Elk Lake	Antrim	A	-	-
24	Big Blue Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	-	-
25	Squaw Lake Central Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	16 ft	-
26	Farewell Lake West Basin; Hanover Township	Jackson	A	11.8 ft	-
27	Lake Harvey	Keweenaw	A	10.5 ft	-
28	Clear Lake East Basin; Waterloo Township	Jackson	A	10 ft	-
29	Otter Lake	Benzie	A	12 ft	-
30	Fishers Lake North Central Basin; Park Township	St. Joseph	A	10.5 ft	-
31	Round Lake Central Basin	Lenawee	A	12 ft	-
32	Long Lake	Cass	B	10.5 ft	-
33	Bear Lake	Manistee	B	11 ft	-
34	Chippewa Lake	Mecosta	B	11.5 ft	-
35	Lake Richie	Keweenaw	B	8.3 ft	-
36	Long Lake South Central Basin	Cass	B	10.5 ft	-
37	Farewell Lake	Jackson	B	11.5 ft	-
38	Clark Lake	Livingston	B	12 ft	-
39	Sylvan Lake	Newaygo	B	13.5 ft	-
40	Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township	Kent	B	7.2 ft	-
41	Long Lake	Gogebic	B	11.5 ft	-
42	Eagle Lake	Allegan	B	14 ft	-
43	Sand Lake	Lenawee	B	13.3 ft	-
44	Lake of the Woods	Branch	B	10 ft	-
45	Round Lake	Oakland	B	10 ft	-
46	Long Lake	Benzie	B	11.5 ft	-
47	Fishers Lake	St. Joseph	B	10.5 ft	-
48	Gun Lake	Mason	B	14 ft	-
49	Emerald Lake	Kent	B	12 ft	-
50	Clear Lake	Jackson	B	10 ft	-

Showing top 50 of 91 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have blacknose shiner?

Blacknose shiner are found in 91 lakes in Michigan. The average water quality grade of these lakes is B (Good).

What are the best blacknose shiner lakes in Michigan?

The best blacknose shiner lakes in Michigan by water quality are Squaw Lake, Twin Lake, Pickerel Lake, Round Lake, Long Lake North Central Basin; Long Lake Township.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.