Golden Shiner Lakes in Michigan, 77 Lakes

Golden Shiner is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 77 lakes carry documentation. Golden Shiner is narrowly distributed — only 77 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 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 Shiner lake list below against each lake's clarity, phosphorus and algae readings: lakes with low nutrient readings and Golden Shiner documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Michigan Lakes

Counties

Golden Shiner Lakes Map

Every Michigan lake with documented golden shiner.

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Best Golden Shiner Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Clarity	Depth
1	Sawyer Lake	Dickinson	7 ft	20 ft
2	Hanbury Lake	Dickinson	14 ft	-
3	Duck Lake	Muskegon	11 ft	-
4	Big Blue Lake	Kalkaska	24 ft	-
5	Murray Lake	Kent	9 ft	-
6	Round Lake	Lenawee	12.3 ft	67 ft
7	Round Lake	Benzie	15 ft	-
8	Otter Lake	Benzie	12 ft	-
9	Twin Lakes	Oakland	5 ft	-
10	Twin Lakes	Crawford	19 ft	-
11	Manistee Lake South	Manistee	-	-
12	Spring Lake	Emmet	-	-
13	Cranberry Lake	Oakland	8.5 ft	25 ft
14	Lake Richie	Keweenaw	9.2 ft	-
15	Papoose Lake	Kalkaska	22 ft	17 ft
16	South Pond	Chippewa	1.4 ft	-
17	Round Lake	Shiawassee	6 ft	-
18	Sanford Lake	Benzie	17 ft	-
19	Long Lake	Gogebic	12 ft	60 ft
20	Hanbury Lake	Dickinson	14 ft	-
21	Chippewa Lake	Mecosta	11 ft	40 ft
22	Shavehead Lake	Cass	8 ft	70 ft
23	North Crooked Lake	Kalkaska	14 ft	-
24	Cranberry Lake	Oakland	8.5 ft	25 ft
25	Shavehead Lake	Cass	8.5 ft	70 ft
26	Brevoort Lake	Mackinac	10.5 ft	-
27	Twin Lake	Kalkaska	23 ft	80 ft
28	Sanford Lake	Midland	5 ft	20 ft
29	Wall Lake	Barry	10 ft	36 ft
30	Cedar Lake	Alcona	9 ft	10 ft
31	Duck Lake	Gogebic	9 ft	25 ft
32	Big Bradford Lake	Otsego	22 ft	-
33	Bear Lake	Manistee	11 ft	6 ft
34	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	20 ft	72 ft
35	Eagle Lake	Allegan	15 ft	-
36	Evans Lake	Lenawee	14 ft	42 ft
37	Cedar Lake	Iosco	12 ft	-
38	Tamarack Lake	Livingston	7 ft	34 ft
39	Hamburg Lake	Livingston	14 ft	-
40	Scram Lake	Kent	12.5 ft	85 ft
41	Fox Lake	Charlevoix	4.9 ft	17 ft
42	Otter Lake	Oakland	10.3 ft	70 ft
43	Cedar Lake	Oakland	11 ft	-
44	Mud Lake	Oakland	11 ft	-
45	Rainbow Pond	Oakland	3.5 ft	-
46	Middle Lake	Lapeer	9 ft	-
47	Long Lake	Grand Traverse	24.3 ft	88 ft
48	Highbank Lake	Newaygo	14.5 ft	35 ft
49	Twin Lakes	Oakland	6.5 ft	-
50	Round Lake	Oakland	10.5 ft	15 ft

Showing top 50 of 77 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have golden shiner?

Golden Shiner are found in 77 lakes in Michigan.

What are the best golden shiner lakes in Michigan?

The best golden shiner lakes in Michigan by water quality are Sawyer Lake, Hanbury Lake, Duck Lake, Big Blue Lake, Murray Lake.

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality readings from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.