Bluntnose Minnow Fishing Guide, 160 Best-Graded Lakes

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. 160 lakes carry documentation. Bluntnose Minnow is moderately distributed — 160 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 letter grades: lakes with both an A or B grade and Bluntnose Minnow documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

160

Total Lakes

160

Michigan lakes →

Avg. Grade

47 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of Bluntnose Minnow Lakes

18%

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	Eagle Lake	Kalkaska	MI	A	20 ft	5
2	Rennie Lake	Grand Traverse	MI	A	27 ft	9
3	Emerald Lake	Kent	MI	A	-	15
4	Hanbury Lake	Dickinson	MI	A	-	17
5	Lake George	Clare	MI	A	25 ft	8
6	Derby Lake	Montcalm	MI	A	87 ft	12
7	Duck Lake	Muskegon	MI	A	-	22
8	Big Blue Lake	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	17
9	Muskellunge Lake	Kent	MI	A	-	10
10	Murray Lake	Kent	MI	A	-	29
11	Clear Lake	Jackson	MI	A	34 ft	17
12	Big Star Lake	Lake	MI	A	-	18
13	Round Lake	Lenawee	MI	A	67 ft	25
14	Big Twin Lake	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	9
15	Sylvan Lake	Oakland	MI	A	-	14
16	Whitefish Lake	Montcalm	MI	A	-	21
17	Gun Lake	Mason	MI	A	22 ft	6
18	Round Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	37
19	Otter Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	30
20	Little Platte Lake	Benzie	MI	A	8 ft	8
21	Upper Woodcock Lake	Benzie	MI	A	45 ft	9
22	Lower Woodcock Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	9
23	Loon Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	13
24	Au Sable Lake	Ogemaw	MI	A	52 ft	11
25	Lime Lake	Benzie	MI	A	25 ft	15
26	Crooked Lake	Emmet	MI	A	50 ft	26
27	Spring Lake	Emmet	MI	A	-	15
28	Cordley Lake	Livingston	MI	A	31 ft	7
29	Tamarack Lake	Livingston	MI	B	34 ft	20
30	Bass Lake	Leelanau	MI	B	-	13
31	Beaver Lake	Keweenaw	MI	B	-	16
32	Beaver Lake	Alger	MI	B	39 ft	14
33	Lake George	Keweenaw	MI	B	-	9
34	Pleasant Lake	Oakland	MI	B	-	11
35	Walloon Lake	Emmet	MI	B	-	20
36	Upper Hamlin Lake	Mason	MI	C	-	6
37	North Pond	Chippewa	MI	C	-	11
38	Round Lake	Shiawassee	MI	D	-	37
39	Sanford Lake	Benzie	MI	NR	-	17
40	Lower Herring Lake	Benzie	MI	NR	50 ft	25
41	Silver Lake	Cheboygan	MI	NR	-	15
42	Lake Bellaire	Antrim	MI	NR	95 ft	22
43	Crooked Lake	Barry	MI	NR	-	27
44	Lake Ann	Benzie	MI	NR	75 ft	10
45	Long Lake	Gogebic	MI	NR	60 ft	40
46	Hanbury Lake	Dickinson	MI	NR	-	17
47	Corey Lake	St. Joseph	MI	NR	-	13
48	Chippewa Lake	Mecosta	MI	NR	40 ft	21
49	Pleasant Lake	Wexford	MI	NR	10 ft	11
50	Opal Lake	Otsego	MI	NR	40 ft	11

Showing top 50 of 160 lakes with bluntnose minnow.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have bluntnose minnow?

Bluntnose Minnow are found in 160 graded lakes: 160 in Michigan. The average water quality grade of lakes with bluntnose minnow is A (Excellent).

What are the best lakes for bluntnose minnow?

The best bluntnose minnow lakes by water quality are Eagle Lake, Rennie Lake, Emerald Lake, Hanbury Lake, Lake George. 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, iowa darter. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Bluntnose Minnow Lakes

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 133 lakes · 1,577 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 127 lakes · 1,550 total

Largemouth Bass Lakes

Found together in 126 lakes · 2,489 total

Iowa Darter Lakes

Found together in 103 lakes · 126 total

Pumpkinseed Lakes

Found together in 98 lakes · 1,328 total

Rock Bass Lakes

Found together in 96 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.