Golden Redhorse Fishing Guide

Other SpeciesDocumented in 39 graded lakes across 2 states

Rough fish like Golden Redhorse are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 39 the 49 states and 2 Canadian provinces 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 15 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 Golden Redhorse lake list below against the letter grades: lakes with both an A or B grade and Golden Redhorse documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Minnesota lakes →

Michigan lakes →

Avg. Grade

44 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of Golden Redhorse Lakes

10%

13%

10%

15%

Best Golden Redhorse Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with golden redhorse ranked by overall water quality grade.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have golden redhorse?

Golden Redhorse are found in 39 graded lakes: 24 in Minnesota, 15 in Michigan. The average water quality grade of lakes with golden redhorse is C (Fair).

What are the best lakes for golden redhorse?

The best golden redhorse lakes by water quality are South Sturgeon Lake, Side Lake, Sturgeon Lake, Long Lake, Lake St Croix. These lakes have the highest water quality grades 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 · 1,428 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 24 lakes · 1,601 total

Northern Pike Lakes

Found together in 24 lakes · 2,487 total

Walleye Lakes

Found together in 23 lakes · 1,982 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 23 lakes · 1,631 total

White Sucker Lakes

Found together in 22 lakes · 1,256 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.