Brook stickleback Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin
Other SpeciesFound in 24 lakes
Rough fish like Brook stickleback are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 24 Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Brook stickleback is narrowly distributed — only 0 Minnesota lakes and 24 Wisconsin lakes 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 stickleback lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Brook stickleback documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.
Water Quality of Brook stickleback Lakes
Best Brook stickleback Lakes by Water Quality
Top 50 lakes with brook stickleback ranked by overall water quality grade.
| Rank | Lake | County | State | Grade | Depth | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Lake | Iron | MI | A | - | 3 |
| 2 | Blue Lake; Mastodon Township; Section 8 | Iron | MI | A | - | 3 |
| 3 | Round Lake | Benzie | MI | A | - | 37 |
| 4 | Round Lake | Benzie | MI | A | - | 37 |
| 5 | Beaver Lake | Alger | MI | A | - | 14 |
| 6 | Maceday Lake Central Basin; Waterford Township Section 7 | Oakland | MI | A | - | 26 |
| 7 | Duck Lake; Center of Deepest Basin; Fruitland Township | Muskegon | MI | A | - | 22 |
| 8 | Round Lake Central Basin | Lenawee | MI | A | - | 25 |
| 9 | Beaver Lake | Keweenaw | MI | B | - | 16 |
| 10 | Duck Lake | Muskegon | MI | B | - | 22 |
| 11 | Round Lake; Independence Township; Section 2 | Oakland | MI | B | - | 37 |
| 12 | Round Lake | Oakland | MI | B | - | 37 |
| 13 | Blue Lake | Mecosta | MI | B | - | 3 |
| 14 | Round Lake | Lenawee | MI | B | - | 23 |
| 15 | Bass Lake Central Basin; Forsyth Township | Marquette | MI | B | - | 10 |
| 16 | Tamarack Lake | Livingston | MI | C | - | 6 |
| 17 | Round Lake | Mecosta | MI | C | - | 37 |
| 18 | Green Lake Southwest Basin; Leighton Township | Allegan | MI | C | - | 22 |
| 19 | Round Lake | Kent | MI | C | - | 37 |
| 20 | Duck Lake | Muskegon | MI | C | - | 22 |
| 21 | Round Lake | Shiawassee | MI | C | - | 37 |
| 22 | Round Lake | Shiawassee | MI | D | - | 37 |
| 23 | Font Lake | Charlevoix | MI | D | - | 8 |
| 24 | Font Lake; Section 27 | Charlevoix | MI | D | - | 8 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lakes have brook stickleback?
Brook stickleback are found in 24 lakes across Minnesota and Wisconsin, 0 in Minnesota and 24 in Wisconsin. The average water quality grade of lakes with brook stickleback is B (Good).
What are the best lakes for brook stickleback?
The best brook stickleback lakes by water quality are Blue Lake, Blue Lake; Mastodon Township; Section 8, Round Lake, Round Lake, Beaver Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where brook stickleback have been documented by state DNR surveys.
What other fish are found with brook stickleback?
Brook stickleback are most commonly found alongside yellow perch, bluntnose minnow, central mudminnow, rock bass, iowa darter. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.