Golden Redhorse Fishing Guide: 37 Lakes by Water Quality

Rough fish like Golden Redhorse are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 37 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. Golden Redhorse is narrowly distributed — only 24 lakes in Minnesota and 13 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 Golden Redhorse lake list below against each lake's clarity, phosphorus and algae readings: lakes with low nutrient readings and Golden Redhorse documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Minnesota lakes →

Michigan lakes →

47 ft

Avg. Depth

Best Golden Redhorse Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with golden redhorse, ranked on nutrient and algae readings.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Depth	Species
1	South Sturgeon Lake	St. Louis	MN	43 ft	10
2	Side Lake	St. Louis	MN	32 ft	15
3	Sturgeon Lake	St. Louis	MN	79.8 ft	15
4	Lake St Croix	Pierce	MN	78 ft	36
5	Pool	Washington	MN	78 ft	36
6	Tamarack Lake	Livingston	MI	34 ft	20
7	Koronis Lake	Stearns	MN	132 ft	22
8	Pool of Lake St Croix	Washington	MN	78 ft	36
9	Little Sturgeon Lake	St. Louis	MN	22 ft	12
10	Zumbro Lake	Olmsted	MN	43 ft	24
11	Lower Twin Lake	Wadena	MN	26 ft	21
12	Dixon Lake	Itasca	MN	29 ft	15
13	South Pond	Chippewa	MI	-	6
14	Horseshoe Lake	Stearns	MN	57 ft	25
15	Fish Lake	Wright	MN	38 ft	17
16	Rice Lake	Stearns	MN	41 ft	21
17	Pokegama Lake	Pine	MN	25 ft	23
18	Knife Lake	Kanabec	MN	15 ft	19
19	Byllesby Lake	Dakota	MN	50 ft	19
20	Unnamed Lake	Wright	MN	38 ft	17
21	Fish Lake	Kanabec	MN	8 ft	21
22	Silver Lake	Olmsted	MN	11 ft	13
23	Pepin Lake	Pepin	MN	60 ft	47
24	Spring Lake	Dakota	MN	17 ft	21
25	Orwell Lake	Otter Tail	MN	25 ft	17
26	Wright Lake	Otter Tail	MN	32 ft	14
27	Long Lake	Gogebic	MI	60 ft	40
28	Posey Lake	Lenawee	MI	45 ft	7
29	Eagle Lake	Allegan	MI	-	30
30	Long Lake	Grand Traverse	MI	88 ft	40
31	Long Lake	Benzie	MI	-	40
32	Baldwin Lake	Cass	MI	-	25
33	Long Lake	Cass	MI	42 ft	25
34	South Lake	Lenawee	MI	-	6
35	Baldwins Lake	Cass	MI	55 ft	33
36	Muskegon Lake	Muskegon	MI	66 ft	10
37	Long Lake	Cheboygan	MI	61 ft	40

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have golden redhorse?

Golden Redhorse are documented in 37 lakes: 24 in Minnesota, 13 in Michigan.

What are the best lakes for golden redhorse?

The best golden redhorse lakes by water quality are South Sturgeon Lake, Side Lake, Sturgeon Lake, Lake St Croix, Pool. These lakes carry the lowest nutrient and algae readings among all lakes where golden redhorse have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with golden redhorse?

Golden Redhorse are most commonly found alongside black crappie, bluegill, golden redhorse, northern pike, walleye. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Golden Redhorse Lakes

Black Crappie Lakes

Found together in 24 lakes · 1,386 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 24 lakes · 1,550 total

Northern Pike Lakes

Found together in 24 lakes · 2,386 total

Walleye Lakes

Found together in 23 lakes · 1,884 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 23 lakes · 1,577 total

White Sucker Lakes

Found together in 22 lakes · 1,211 total

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