Creek Chub Fishing Guide, 41 Best-Graded Lakes

Rough fish like Creek Chub are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 41 the United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs. LakeQuality covers lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Creek Chub is narrowly distributed — only 41 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 Creek Chub lake list below against the letter grades: lakes with both an A or B grade and Creek Chub documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Michigan lakes →

Avg. Grade

58 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of Creek Chub Lakes

17%

Best Creek Chub Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with creek chub ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Derby Lake	Montcalm	MI	A	87 ft	12
2	Duck Lake	Muskegon	MI	A	-	22
3	Big Star Lake	Lake	MI	A	-	18
4	Round Lake	Lenawee	MI	A	67 ft	25
5	Gun Lake	Mason	MI	A	22 ft	6
6	Upper Woodcock Lake	Benzie	MI	A	45 ft	9
7	Lower Woodcock Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	9
8	Sanford Lake	Benzie	MI	NR	-	17
9	Lower Herring Lake	Benzie	MI	NR	50 ft	25
10	Lake Ann	Benzie	MI	NR	75 ft	10
11	Clifford Lake	Montcalm	MI	NR	-	10
12	Long Lake	Gogebic	MI	NR	60 ft	40
13	Avery Lake	Montmorency	MI	NR	-	9
14	Brown Lake	Jackson	MI	NR	-	6
15	Sanford Lake	Midland	MI	NR	20 ft	17
16	Duck Lake	Gogebic	MI	NR	25 ft	16
17	Lake Margrethe	Crawford	MI	NR	65 ft	21
18	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	MI	NR	72 ft	29
19	Eagle Lake	Allegan	MI	NR	-	30
20	Resort Lake	Menominee	MI	NR	41 ft	19
21	Viking Lake	Otsego	MI	NR	25 ft	18
22	Long Lake	Grand Traverse	MI	NR	88 ft	40
23	Long Lake	Benzie	MI	NR	-	40
24	Baldwin Lake	Cass	MI	NR	-	25
25	Long Lake	Cass	MI	NR	42 ft	25
26	Baldwins Lake	Cass	MI	NR	55 ft	33
27	Kimball Lake	Newaygo	MI	NR	40 ft	20
28	Rose Lake	Osceola	MI	NR	30 ft	8
29	Rose Lake	Shiawassee	MI	NR	-	17
30	Burt Lake	Cheboygan	MI	NR	73 ft	33
31	Deer Lake	Charlevoix	MI	NR	20 ft	14
32	Lower Woodcock Lake	Benzie	MI	NR	-	9
33	Mullett Lake	Cheboygan	MI	NR	120 ft	23
34	Long Lake	Cheboygan	MI	NR	61 ft	40
35	Elk Lake	Antrim	MI	NR	150 ft	27
36	Douglas Lake	Cheboygan	MI	NR	80 ft	22
37	Upper Woodcock Lake	Benzie	MI	NR	45 ft	9
38	Douglas Lake	Otsego	MI	NR	36 ft	22
39	Bass Lake	Marquette	MI	NR	78 ft	10
40	Bass Lake	Kalkaska	MI	NR	-	12
41	Duck Lake	Muskegon	MI	NR	-	22

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have creek chub?

Creek Chub are found in 41 graded lakes: 41 in Michigan. The average water quality grade of lakes with creek chub is A (Excellent).

What are the best lakes for creek chub?

The best creek chub lakes by water quality are Derby Lake, Duck Lake, Big Star Lake, Round Lake, Gun Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where creek chub have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with creek chub?

Creek Chub are most commonly found alongside creek chub, bluntnose minnow, yellow perch, rock bass, bluegill. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Creek Chub Lakes

Bluntnose Minnow Lakes

Found together in 37 lakes · 160 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 32 lakes · 1,577 total

Rock Bass Lakes

Found together in 31 lakes · 786 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 30 lakes · 1,550 total

Largemouth Bass Lakes

Found together in 30 lakes · 2,489 total

Johnny Darter Lakes

Found together in 27 lakes · 98 total

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys. Species profiles are general reference; always check current state regulations before fishing.