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

Blacknose Shiner Lakes Map

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

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Best Blacknose 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	Squaw Lake Central Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	16 ft	-
4	Kimball Lake Central Basin; Garfield Township	Newaygo	A	4.5 ft	-
5	Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township	Kent	A	7.2 ft	-
6	Clear Lake East Basin; Waterloo Township	Jackson	A	10 ft	-
7	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
8	Otter Lake	Benzie	A	12 ft	-
9	Long Lake North Central Basin; Long Lake Township	Grand Traverse	A	23.8 ft	-
10	Higgins Lake Northwest Basin	Roscommon	A	34.5 ft	-
11	Emerald Lake	Kent	A	12 ft	-
12	Fishers Lake North Central Basin; Park Township	St. Joseph	A	10.5 ft	-
13	Eagle Lake East Basin; Paw Paw Township	Van Buren	A	17 ft	-
14	Wakeley Lake; Central Basin; Grayling Township	Crawford	A	6.5 ft	-
15	Round Lake Central Basin	Lenawee	A	12 ft	-
16	Long Lake	Gogebic	A	12 ft	-
17	Big Blue Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	-	-
18	Lake Richie	Keweenaw	B	8.3 ft	-
19	Lake Harvey	Keweenaw	B	10.5 ft	-
20	Barneys Lake	Charlevoix	B	10 ft	-
21	Papoose Lake Central Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	B	21 ft	-
22	Rose Lake	Shiawassee	D	5 ft	-
23	Round Lake	Shiawassee	D	6 ft	-
24	Shavehead Lake East Basin; Porter Township	Cass	NR	7 ft	-
25	Squaw Lake	Kalkaska	NR	16 ft	-
26	Long Lake	Cass	NR	10.5 ft	-
27	Bear Lake	Manistee	NR	11 ft	-
28	Chippewa Lake	Mecosta	NR	11.5 ft	-
29	Shavehead Lake	Cass	NR	7 ft	-
30	Farewell Lake	Jackson	NR	11.5 ft	-
31	Clark Lake	Livingston	NR	12 ft	-
32	Tamarack Lake	Livingston	NR	8 ft	-
33	Eagle Lake	Cass	NR	6 ft	-
34	Sylvan Lake	Newaygo	NR	13.5 ft	-
35	Twin Lake	Kalkaska	NR	23 ft	-
36	Rose Lake	Shiawassee	NR	5.5 ft	-
37	Muskellunge Lake	Montcalm	NR	9.5 ft	-
38	Round Lake	Mecosta	NR	8.5 ft	-
39	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	NR	15 ft	-
40	Eagle Lake	Allegan	NR	14 ft	-
41	Long Lake	Gogebic	NR	11.5 ft	-
42	Sand Lake	Lenawee	NR	13.3 ft	-
43	Lake of the Woods	Branch	NR	10 ft	-
44	Round Lake	Shiawassee	NR	6.5 ft	-
45	Round Lake	Oakland	NR	10 ft	-
46	Long Lake	Benzie	NR	11.5 ft	-
47	Fishers Lake	St. Joseph	NR	10.5 ft	-
48	Sylvan Lake; Sylvan Lake Township	Oakland	NR	9.5 ft	-
49	Gun Lake	Mason	NR	14 ft	-
50	Clear Lake	Jackson	NR	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 A (Excellent).

What are the best blacknose shiner lakes in Michigan?

The best blacknose shiner lakes in Michigan by water quality are Long Lake South Central Basin, Farewell Lake West Basin; Hanover Township, Squaw Lake Central Basin; Blue Lake Township, Kimball Lake Central Basin; Garfield Township, Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township.

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