Common Shiner Lakes in Michigan

Found in 62 Michigan lakes

Common Shiner is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 62 lakes carry documentation. Common Shiner is narrowly distributed — only 62 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 Common Shiner lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Common Shiner documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Michigan Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Common Shiner Lakes Map

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

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Best Common Shiner Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Farewell Lake West Basin; Hanover Township	Jackson	A	11.8 ft	-
2	Scram Lake East Basin; Oakfield Township	Kent	A	11.5 ft	-
3	Big Twin Lake Southeast Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	23 ft	-
4	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
5	Crystal Lake	Hillsdale	A	9.5 ft	-
6	Duck Lake North Basin; Watersmeet Township	Gogebic	A	9.5 ft	-
7	Little Platte Lake North Basin	Benzie	A	6.5 ft	-
8	Beaver Lake Central Basin; Ossineke Township	Alpena	A	16 ft	-
9	Lower Herring Lake East Basin; Blaire Township	Benzie	A	16 ft	-
10	Upper Woodcock Lake; Almira Twp	Benzie	A	11 ft	-
11	Lower Woodcock Lake; Almira Twp	Benzie	A	12.3 ft	-
12	Big Blue Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	-	-
13	Crystal Lake; East Central Basin; Watersmeet Township	Gogebic	B	11 ft	-
14	Stager Lake Central Basin	Iron	B	13 ft	-
15	Crooked Lake	Emmet	B	-	-
16	North Pond	Chippewa	B	-	-
17	Portage Lake Southwest Basin; Mendon Township	St. Joseph	C	5 ft	-
18	Round Lake	Shiawassee	D	6 ft	-
19	Sanford Lake	Benzie	NR	15.8 ft	-
20	Lake Ann	Benzie	NR	13.8 ft	-
21	Crystal Lake	Montcalm	NR	10 ft	-
22	Farewell Lake	Jackson	NR	11.5 ft	-
23	Cedar Lake	Alcona	NR	8 ft	-
24	Duck Lake	Muskegon	NR	10.5 ft	-
25	Duck Lake	Gogebic	NR	9.5 ft	-
26	Muskellunge Lake	Montcalm	NR	9.5 ft	-
27	Round Lake	Mecosta	NR	8.5 ft	-
28	Crystal Lake	Gogebic	NR	10 ft	-
29	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	NR	15 ft	-
30	Eagle Lake	Allegan	NR	14 ft	-
31	Union Lake	Branch	NR	3.5 ft	-
32	Round Lake	Shiawassee	NR	6.5 ft	-
33	Lake James	Roscommon	NR	6.8 ft	-
34	Lake Margrethe	Crawford	NR	16 ft	-
35	Round Lake	Oakland	NR	10 ft	-
36	Portage Lake	St. Joseph	NR	4.5 ft	-
37	Cranberry Lake	Oakland	NR	7.3 ft	-
38	Brown Lake	Jackson	NR	8 ft	-
39	Scram Lake	Kent	NR	10.5 ft	-
40	Opal Lake	Otsego	NR	18.5 ft	-
41	Crystal Lake	Hillsdale	NR	9.5 ft	-
42	Round Lake	Benzie	NR	15 ft	-
43	Crooked Lake	Barry	NR	10 ft	-
44	Burt Lake	Cheboygan	NR	15.5 ft	-
45	Deer Lake	Charlevoix	NR	11.5 ft	-
46	Lower Woodcock Lake	Benzie	NR	12.3 ft	-
47	Mullett Lake	Cheboygan	NR	13 ft	-
48	Lower Herring Lake	Benzie	NR	13.8 ft	-
49	Bass Lake North Basin; Forsyth Township	Marquette	NR	12.5 ft	-
50	Stager Lake	Iron	NR	12.5 ft	-

Showing top 50 of 62 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have common shiner?

Common Shiner are found in 62 lakes in Michigan. The average water quality grade of these lakes is A (Excellent).

What are the best common shiner lakes in Michigan?

The best common shiner lakes in Michigan by water quality are Farewell Lake West Basin; Hanover Township, Scram Lake East Basin; Oakfield Township, Big Twin Lake Southeast Basin; Blue Lake Township, Round Lake, Crystal Lake.

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