Common Shiner Lakes in Michigan, 68 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. 68 lakes carry documentation. Common Shiner is narrowly distributed — only 68 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 phosphorus and chlorophyll-a readings 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 each lake's clarity, phosphorus and algae readings: lakes with low nutrient readings and Common Shiner documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Michigan Lakes

Counties

Common Shiner Lakes Map

Every Michigan lake with documented common shiner.

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Best Common Shiner Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Clarity	Depth
1	Hanbury Lake	Dickinson	14 ft	-
2	Duck Lake	Muskegon	11 ft	-
3	Big Blue Lake	Kalkaska	24 ft	-
4	Crystal Lake	Washtenaw	12.5 ft	-
5	Big Twin Lake	Kalkaska	23 ft	-
6	Round Lake	Benzie	15 ft	-
7	Crystal Lake	Hillsdale	9.5 ft	-
8	Little Platte Lake	Benzie	6.5 ft	8 ft
9	Upper Woodcock Lake	Benzie	11 ft	45 ft
10	Lower Woodcock Lake	Benzie	12.3 ft	-
11	Crooked Lake	Emmet	-	50 ft
12	Cranberry Lake	Oakland	8.5 ft	25 ft
13	Walloon Lake	Emmet	-	-
14	Portage Lake	St. Joseph	5.5 ft	-
15	North Pond	Chippewa	1.3 ft	-
16	Round Lake	Shiawassee	6 ft	-
17	Sanford Lake	Benzie	17 ft	-
18	Lower Herring Lake	Benzie	13 ft	50 ft
19	Lake Bellaire	Antrim	12.5 ft	95 ft
20	Crooked Lake	Barry	12 ft	-
21	Lake Ann	Benzie	14.5 ft	75 ft
22	Hanbury Lake	Dickinson	14 ft	-
23	Opal Lake	Otsego	15.5 ft	40 ft
24	Brown Lake	Jackson	7.5 ft	-
25	Cranberry Lake	Oakland	8.5 ft	25 ft
26	Magician Lake	Cass	10 ft	-
27	Brevoort Lake	Mackinac	10.5 ft	-
28	Sanford Lake	Midland	5 ft	20 ft
29	Muskellunge Lake	Montcalm	11 ft	37 ft
30	Cedar Lake	Alcona	9 ft	10 ft
31	Duck Lake	Gogebic	9 ft	25 ft
32	Big Bradford Lake	Otsego	22 ft	-
33	Farewell Lake	Jackson	13.8 ft	43 ft
34	Lake Margrethe	Crawford	16 ft	65 ft
35	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	20 ft	72 ft
36	Stager Lake	Iron	13 ft	55 ft
37	Eagle Lake	Allegan	15 ft	-
38	Evans Lake	Lenawee	14 ft	42 ft
39	Cedar Lake	Iosco	12 ft	-
40	Resort Lake	Menominee	8.5 ft	41 ft
41	Crystal Lake	Gogebic	10 ft	25 ft
42	Viking Lake	Otsego	6.8 ft	25 ft
43	Scram Lake	Kent	12.5 ft	85 ft
44	Jordan Lake	Barry	7.5 ft	-
45	Cedar Lake	Oakland	11 ft	-
46	Portage Lake	Jackson	8.8 ft	40 ft
47	Crooked Lake	Oakland	11.5 ft	60 ft
48	Round Lake	Oakland	10.5 ft	15 ft
49	Round Lake	Oakland	10 ft	-
50	Green Lake	Grand Traverse	12.8 ft	102 ft

Showing top 50 of 68 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have common shiner?

Common Shiner are found in 68 lakes in Michigan.

What are the best common shiner lakes in Michigan?

The best common shiner lakes in Michigan by water quality are Hanbury Lake, Duck Lake, Big Blue Lake, Crystal Lake, Big Twin Lake.

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