Hornyhead Chub Lakes in Michigan, 31 Lakes

Rough fish like Hornyhead Chub are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 31 Michigan lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Hornyhead Chub is narrowly distributed — only 31 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 Hornyhead Chub lake list below against each lake's clarity, phosphorus and algae readings: lakes with low nutrient readings and Hornyhead Chub documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Michigan Lakes

Counties

Hornyhead Chub Lakes Map

Every Michigan lake with documented hornyhead chub.

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Best Hornyhead Chub Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Clarity	Depth
1	Upper Woodcock Lake	Benzie	11 ft	45 ft
2	Lower Woodcock Lake	Benzie	12.3 ft	-
3	Sanford Lake	Benzie	17 ft	-
4	Silver Lake	Cheboygan	12.5 ft	-
5	Lake Ann	Benzie	14.5 ft	75 ft
6	Long Lake	Gogebic	12 ft	60 ft
7	Corey Lake	St. Joseph	14.5 ft	-
8	Silver Lake	Van Buren	9.5 ft	-
9	Avery Lake	Montmorency	27 ft	-
10	Brown Lake	Jackson	7.5 ft	-
11	Sanford Lake	Midland	5 ft	20 ft
12	Big Bradford Lake	Otsego	22 ft	-
13	Silver Lake	Cheboygan	12.5 ft	-
14	Eagle Lake	Allegan	15 ft	-
15	Viking Lake	Otsego	6.8 ft	25 ft
16	Jordan Lake	Barry	7.5 ft	-
17	Long Lake	Grand Traverse	24.3 ft	88 ft
18	Long Lake	Benzie	9 ft	-
19	Baldwin Lake	Cass	9 ft	-
20	Silver Lake	Genesee	12 ft	-
21	Long Lake	Cass	10.5 ft	42 ft
22	Baldwins Lake	Cass	8 ft	55 ft
23	Green Lake	Grand Traverse	12.8 ft	102 ft
24	Silver Lake	Lenawee	11 ft	26 ft
25	Silver Lake	Washtenaw	11.5 ft	-
26	Lake James	Roscommon	6.8 ft	-
27	Green Lake	Allegan	8 ft	60 ft
28	Lower Woodcock Lake	Benzie	12.3 ft	-
29	Silver Lake	Cheboygan	32 ft	91 ft
30	Long Lake	Cheboygan	18 ft	61 ft
31	Upper Woodcock Lake	Benzie	11 ft	45 ft

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have hornyhead chub?

Hornyhead Chub are found in 31 lakes in Michigan.

What are the best hornyhead chub lakes in Michigan?

The best hornyhead chub lakes in Michigan by water quality are Upper Woodcock Lake, Lower Woodcock Lake, Sanford Lake, Silver Lake, Lake Ann.

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