Emerald Shiner Fishing Guide, 16 Best-Graded Lakes

Emerald Shiner is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 16 lakes carry documentation. Emerald Shiner is narrowly distributed — only 16 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 Emerald Shiner lake list below against the letter grades: lakes with both an A or B grade and Emerald Shiner documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Michigan lakes →

Avg. Grade

40 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of Emerald Shiner Lakes

25%

Best Emerald Shiner Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with emerald shiner ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Crystal Lake	Washtenaw	MI	A	-	16
2	Crystal Lake	Oceana	MI	A	34 ft	2
3	Crystal Lake	Hillsdale	MI	A	-	16
4	Crooked Lake	Emmet	MI	A	50 ft	26
5	Lower Hamlin Lake	Mason	MI	C	-	11
6	Lower Herring Lake	Benzie	MI	NR	50 ft	25
7	Little Island Lake	Iosco	MI	NR	9 ft	1
8	Crooked Lake	Barry	MI	NR	-	27
9	Clark Lake	Jackson	MI	NR	50 ft	19
10	Cedar Lake	Alcona	MI	NR	10 ft	22
11	Cedar Lake	Iosco	MI	NR	-	20
12	Crystal Lake	Gogebic	MI	NR	25 ft	16
13	Cedar Lake	Oakland	MI	NR	-	22
14	Crooked Lake	Oakland	MI	NR	60 ft	27
15	Clark Lake	Livingston	MI	NR	40 ft	20
16	Burt Lake	Cheboygan	MI	NR	73 ft	33

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have emerald shiner?

Emerald Shiner are found in 16 graded lakes: 16 in Michigan. The average water quality grade of lakes with emerald shiner is A (Excellent).

What are the best lakes for emerald shiner?

The best emerald shiner lakes by water quality are Crystal Lake, Crystal Lake, Crystal Lake, Crooked Lake, Lower Hamlin Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where emerald shiner have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with emerald shiner?

Emerald Shiner are most commonly found alongside emerald shiner, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, largemouth bass. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Emerald Shiner Lakes

Smallmouth Bass Lakes

Found together in 15 lakes · 871 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 14 lakes · 1,577 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 13 lakes · 1,550 total

Largemouth Bass Lakes

Found together in 12 lakes · 2,489 total

Common Shiner Lakes

Found together in 11 lakes · 68 total

Johnny Darter Lakes

Found together in 11 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.