Brook silverside Lakes in Michigan

Found in 45 Michigan lakes

Rough fish like Brook silverside are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 45 Michigan lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Brook silverside is narrowly distributed — only 45 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 Brook silverside lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Brook silverside documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Michigan Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Best Brook silverside Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Windover Lake South Basin; Freeman Township	Clare	A	15 ft	-
2	Windover Lake	Clare	A	15 ft	-
3	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
4	Long Lake	Grand Traverse	A	24 ft	-
5	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
6	Diamond Lake	Osceola	A	16 ft	-
7	Long Lake	Cheboygan	A	18 ft	-
8	Cordley Lake Central Basin; Hamburg Township	Livingston	A	-	-
9	Ore Lake West Basin; Hamburg Township	Livingston	A	10 ft	-
10	Farewell Lake West Basin; Hanover Township	Jackson	A	11.8 ft	-
11	Sand Lake Central Basin; Cambridge Township	Lenawee	A	13.5 ft	-
12	Round Lake Central Basin	Lenawee	A	12 ft	-
13	Long Lake	Cass	B	10.5 ft	-
14	Portage Lake South Basin; Dexter Township	Washtenaw	B	13 ft	-
15	Long Lake South Central Basin	Cass	B	10.5 ft	-
16	Farewell Lake	Jackson	B	11.5 ft	-
17	Clark Lake	Livingston	B	12 ft	-
18	Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township	Kent	B	7.2 ft	-
19	Long Lake	Gogebic	B	11.5 ft	-
20	Eagle Lake	Allegan	B	14 ft	-
21	Round Lake	Oakland	B	10 ft	-
22	Long Lake	Benzie	B	11.5 ft	-
23	Base Line Lake Northeast Basin; Hamburg Township	Livingston	B	10.5 ft	-
24	Devils Lake	Lenawee	B	10.8 ft	-
25	Round Lake	Lenawee	B	12.5 ft	-
26	Long Lake	Gogebic	B	12 ft	-
27	Shavehead Lake East Basin; Porter Township	Cass	C	7 ft	-
28	Middle Lake	Lapeer	C	9 ft	-
29	Shavehead Lake	Cass	C	7 ft	-
30	Paw Paw Lake	Hillsdale	C	8 ft	-
31	Round Lake	Mecosta	C	8.5 ft	-
32	Tamarack Lake North Basin; Hamburg Township	Livingston	C	7 ft	-
33	Paw Paw Lake	Kalamazoo	C	9 ft	-
34	Paw Paw Lake	Hillsdale	C	8 ft	-
35	Baldwin Lake Northwest Basin	Cass	C	8 ft	-
36	Round Lake	Kent	C	8 ft	-
37	Baldwins Lake	Cass	C	8 ft	-
38	Maston Lake	Kent	C	9 ft	-
39	Rose Lake	Shiawassee	C	5 ft	-
40	Round Lake	Shiawassee	C	6 ft	-
41	Eagle Lake	Cass	D	6 ft	-
42	Rose Lake	Shiawassee	D	5.5 ft	-
43	Union Lake	Branch	D	3.5 ft	-
44	Round Lake	Shiawassee	D	6.5 ft	-
45	Font Lake	Charlevoix	D	5 ft	-

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have brook silverside?

Brook silverside are found in 45 lakes in Michigan. The average water quality grade of these lakes is B (Good).

What are the best brook silverside lakes in Michigan?

The best brook silverside lakes in Michigan by water quality are Windover Lake South Basin; Freeman Township, Windover Lake, Round Lake, Long Lake, Round Lake.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.