Iowa Darter Fishing Guide: 126 Lakes by Water Quality

Rough fish like Iowa Darter are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 126 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. Iowa Darter is moderately distributed — 126 lakes in Michigan. Some counties have it, others do not, so checking the per-lake pages matters.

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 Iowa Darter lake list below against each lake's clarity, phosphorus and algae readings: lakes with low nutrient readings and Iowa Darter documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

126

Total Lakes

126

Michigan lakes →

49 ft

Avg. Depth

Best Iowa Darter Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with iowa darter, ranked on nutrient and algae readings.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Depth	Species
1	Ore Lake	Livingston	MI	81 ft	14
2	Rennie Lake	Grand Traverse	MI	27 ft	9
3	Emerald Lake	Kent	MI	-	15
4	Sawyer Lake	Dickinson	MI	20 ft	8
5	Hanbury Lake	Dickinson	MI	-	17
6	Lake George	Clare	MI	25 ft	8
7	Derby Lake	Montcalm	MI	87 ft	12
8	Big Blue Lake	Kalkaska	MI	-	17
9	Murray Lake	Kent	MI	-	29
10	Clear Lake	Jackson	MI	34 ft	17
11	Round Lake	Lenawee	MI	67 ft	25
12	Sylvan Lake	Oakland	MI	-	14
13	Whitefish Lake	Montcalm	MI	-	21
14	Round Lake	Benzie	MI	-	37
15	Otter Lake	Benzie	MI	-	30
16	Au Sable Lake	Ogemaw	MI	52 ft	11
17	Manistee Lake South	Manistee	MI	-	7
18	Crooked Lake	Emmet	MI	50 ft	26
19	Spring Lake	Emmet	MI	-	15
20	Cranberry Lake	Oakland	MI	25 ft	14
21	Tamarack Lake	Livingston	MI	34 ft	20
22	Bass Lake	Leelanau	MI	-	13
23	Lake George	Keweenaw	MI	-	9
24	Papoose Lake	Kalkaska	MI	17 ft	7
25	Walloon Lake	Emmet	MI	-	20
26	North Pond	Chippewa	MI	-	11
27	Round Lake	Shiawassee	MI	-	37
28	Lower Herring Lake	Benzie	MI	50 ft	25
29	Silver Lake	Cheboygan	MI	-	15
30	Lake Bellaire	Antrim	MI	95 ft	22
31	Crooked Lake	Barry	MI	-	27
32	Clifford Lake	Montcalm	MI	-	10
33	Long Lake	Gogebic	MI	60 ft	40
34	Hanbury Lake	Dickinson	MI	-	17
35	Corey Lake	St. Joseph	MI	-	13
36	Chippewa Lake	Mecosta	MI	40 ft	21
37	Silver Lake	Van Buren	MI	-	15
38	Shavehead Lake	Cass	MI	70 ft	25
39	Avery Lake	Montmorency	MI	-	9
40	Clear Lake	Ogemaw	MI	50 ft	16
41	North Crooked Lake	Kalkaska	MI	-	6
42	Cranberry Lake	Oakland	MI	25 ft	14
43	Shavehead Lake	Cass	MI	70 ft	26
44	Brevoort Lake	Mackinac	MI	-	15
45	Lake Fenton	Genesee	MI	90 ft	22
46	North Blue Lake	Kalkaska	MI	78 ft	8
47	Emerald Lake	Newaygo	MI	49 ft	15
48	Eagle Lake	Cass	MI	35 ft	22
49	Wall Lake	Barry	MI	36 ft	18
50	Muskellunge Lake	Montcalm	MI	37 ft	12

Showing top 50 of 126 lakes with iowa darter.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have iowa darter?

Iowa Darter are documented in 126 lakes: 126 in Michigan.

What are the best lakes for iowa darter?

The best iowa darter lakes by water quality are Ore Lake, Rennie Lake, Emerald Lake, Sawyer Lake, Hanbury Lake. These lakes carry the lowest nutrient and algae readings among all lakes where iowa darter have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with iowa darter?

Iowa Darter are most commonly found alongside iowa darter, yellow perch, largemouth bass, bluegill, bluntnose minnow. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Iowa Darter Lakes

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 112 lakes · 1,577 total

Largemouth Bass Lakes

Found together in 104 lakes · 2,489 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 103 lakes · 1,550 total

Bluntnose Minnow Lakes

Found together in 103 lakes · 160 total

Pumpkinseed Lakes

Found together in 81 lakes · 1,328 total

Rock Bass Lakes

Found together in 72 lakes · 786 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.