Common shiner Lakes in Michigan

Found in 64 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. 64 lakes carry documentation. Common shiner is narrowly distributed — only 64 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

Best Common shiner Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Sanford Lake	Benzie	A	15.8 ft	-
2	Big Twin Lake Southeast Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	23 ft	-
3	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	A	15 ft	-
4	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
5	Lake Margrethe	Crawford	A	16 ft	-
6	Beaver Lake Central Basin; Ossineke Township	Alpena	A	16 ft	-
7	Opal Lake	Otsego	A	18.5 ft	-
8	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
9	Lower Herring Lake East Basin; Blaire Township	Benzie	A	16 ft	-
10	Burt Lake	Cheboygan	A	15.5 ft	-
11	Douglas Lake	Otsego	A	16.5 ft	-
12	Susan Lake	Charlevoix	A	-	-
13	Walloon Lake	Emmet	A	-	-
14	Crooked Lake	Emmet	A	-	-
15	Elk Lake	Antrim	A	-	-
16	Big Blue Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	-	-
17	Farewell Lake West Basin; Hanover Township	Jackson	A	11.8 ft	-
18	Duck Lake; Center of Deepest Basin; Fruitland Township	Muskegon	A	10.5 ft	-
19	Upper Woodcock Lake; Almira Twp	Benzie	A	11 ft	-
20	Lake Ann	Benzie	B	13.8 ft	-
21	Crystal Lake	Montcalm	B	10 ft	-
22	Farewell Lake	Jackson	B	11.5 ft	-
23	Duck Lake	Muskegon	B	10.5 ft	-
24	Scram Lake East Basin; Oakfield Township	Kent	B	11.5 ft	-
25	Crystal Lake	Gogebic	B	10 ft	-
26	Crystal Lake	Hillsdale	B	9.5 ft	-
27	Eagle Lake	Allegan	B	14 ft	-
28	Round Lake	Oakland	B	10 ft	-
29	Scram Lake	Kent	B	10.5 ft	-
30	Crooked Lake	Barry	B	10 ft	-
31	Crystal Lake; East Central Basin; Watersmeet Township	Gogebic	B	11 ft	-
32	Stager Lake Central Basin	Iron	B	13 ft	-
33	Deer Lake	Charlevoix	B	11.5 ft	-
34	Mullett Lake	Cheboygan	B	13 ft	-
35	Lower Herring Lake	Benzie	B	13.8 ft	-
36	Lower Woodcock Lake	Benzie	B	12.3 ft	-
37	Lower Woodcock Lake; Almira Twp	Benzie	B	12.3 ft	-
38	Bass Lake North Basin; Forsyth Township	Marquette	B	12.5 ft	-
39	Stager Lake	Iron	B	12.5 ft	-
40	Elk Lake	Antrim	B	14.5 ft	-
41	Sanford Lake	Benzie	B	14.5 ft	-
42	Douglas Lake	Cheboygan	B	12 ft	-
43	Upper Woodcock Lake	Benzie	B	11 ft	-
44	Duck Lake North Basin; Watersmeet Township	Gogebic	B	9.5 ft	-
45	Little Platte Lake North Basin	Benzie	B	6.5 ft	-
46	Cedar Lake	Alcona	C	8 ft	-
47	Duck Lake	Gogebic	C	9.5 ft	-
48	Cranberry Lake; Center of Deepest Basin; Independence Township	Oakland	C	8 ft	-
49	Muskellunge Lake	Montcalm	C	9.5 ft	-
50	Round Lake	Mecosta	C	8.5 ft	-

Showing top 50 of 64 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have common shiner?

Common shiner are found in 64 lakes in Michigan. The average water quality grade of these lakes is B (Good).

What are the best common shiner lakes in Michigan?

The best common shiner lakes in Michigan by water quality are Sanford Lake, Big Twin Lake Southeast Basin; Blue Lake Township, Pickerel Lake, Round Lake, Lake Margrethe.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.