Bluntnose Minnow Fishing Guide

Other SpeciesDocumented in 171 graded lakes across 1 state

Bluntnose Minnow is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 171 lakes carry documentation. Bluntnose Minnow is moderately distributed — 171 lakes in Michigan. Some counties have it, others do not, so checking the per-lake pages matters.

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 Bluntnose Minnow lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Bluntnose Minnow documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

171

Total Lakes

171

Michigan lakes →

Avg. Grade

Water Quality of Bluntnose Minnow Lakes

35%

39%

20%

Best Bluntnose Minnow Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with bluntnose minnow ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Windover Lake South Basin; Freeman Township	Clare	MI	A	-	8
2	Sanford Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	17
3	Squaw Lake	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	8
4	Corey Lake	St. Joseph	MI	A	-	13
5	Windover Lake	Clare	MI	A	-	8
6	Twin Lake	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	13
7	Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township	Montcalm	MI	A	-	21
8	Whitefish Lake	Montcalm	MI	A	-	21
9	Eagle Lake	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	5
10	Big Twin Lake Southeast Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	9
11	Cub Lake Central Basin	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	14
12	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	29
13	Round Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	37
14	Bear Lake Southeast Basin	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	9
15	Lake Margrethe	Crawford	MI	A	-	21
16	Long Lake North Central Basin; Long Lake Township	Grand Traverse	MI	A	-	10
17	Avery Lake	Montmorency	MI	A	-	9
18	Higgins Lake Northwest Basin	Roscommon	MI	A	-	12
19	Eagle Lake Central Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	5
20	Indian Lake Northeast Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	11
21	Long Lake	Grand Traverse	MI	A	-	40
22	Beaver Lake Central Basin; Ossineke Township	Alpena	MI	A	-	15
23	Eagle Lake East Basin; Paw Paw Township	Van Buren	MI	A	-	12
24	Cub Lake	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	5
25	Opal Lake	Otsego	MI	A	-	11
26	Eagle Lake	Van Buren	MI	A	-	12
27	Round Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	37
28	Diamond Lake	Osceola	MI	A	-	25
29	Lower Herring Lake East Basin; Blaire Township	Benzie	MI	A	-	25
30	Burt Lake	Cheboygan	MI	A	-	33
31	Silver Lake	Cheboygan	MI	A	-	15
32	Lake Geneserath	Charlevoix	MI	A	-	12
33	Long Lake	Cheboygan	MI	A	-	40
34	Big Bear Lake	Otsego	MI	A	-	3
35	Lime Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	15
36	Bass Lake Northeast Basin	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	12
37	Susan Lake	Charlevoix	MI	A	-	12
38	Walloon Lake	Emmet	MI	A	-	20
39	Crooked Lake	Emmet	MI	A	-	26
40	Spring Lake	Emmet	MI	A	-	15
41	Elk Lake	Antrim	MI	A	-	27
42	Big Blue Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	17
43	Cordley Lake Central Basin; Hamburg Township	Livingston	MI	A	-	7
44	Loon Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	13
45	Silver Lake	Washtenaw	MI	A	-	15
46	Bass Lake	Leelanau	MI	A	-	13
47	Rennie Lake; Central Basin; East Bay Township	Grand Traverse	MI	A	-	9
48	Squaw Lake Central Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	8
49	Farewell Lake West Basin; Hanover Township	Jackson	MI	A	-	18
50	Beaver Lake	Alger	MI	A	-	14

Showing top 50 of 171 lakes with bluntnose minnow.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have bluntnose minnow?

Bluntnose Minnow are found in 171 graded lakes: 171 in Michigan. The average water quality grade of lakes with bluntnose minnow is B (Good).

What are the best lakes for bluntnose minnow?

The best bluntnose minnow lakes by water quality are Windover Lake South Basin; Freeman Township, Sanford Lake, Squaw Lake, Corey Lake, Windover Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where bluntnose minnow have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with bluntnose minnow?

Bluntnose Minnow are most commonly found alongside bluntnose minnow, yellow perch, bluegill, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Bluntnose Minnow Lakes

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 143 lakes · 1,769 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 137 lakes · 1,692 total

Largemouth Bass Lakes

Found together in 133 lakes · 2,637 total

Pumpkinseed Lakes

Found together in 107 lakes · 1,391 total

Iowa Darter Lakes

Found together in 106 lakes · 131 total

Western Banded Killifish Lakes

Found together in 105 lakes · 116 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.