Lake Herring Lakes in Michigan

Found in 115 Michigan lakes

Lake Herring is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 115 lakes carry documentation. Lake Herring is moderately distributed — 115 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 grade on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Lake Herring lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Lake Herring documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

115

Michigan Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Lake Herring Lakes Map

Every Michigan lake with documented lake herring, colored by water-quality grade.

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Best Lake Herring Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Indian Lake Central Basin; Brady Township	Kalamazoo	A	9.5 ft	-
2	Big Bass Lake North Basin; Elk Township	Lake	A	14 ft	-
3	Ore Lake West Basin; Hamburg Township	Livingston	A	10 ft	-
4	Long Lake South Central Basin	Cass	A	10.5 ft	-
5	Little Bass Lake	Lake	A	18.3 ft	-
6	Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township	Kent	A	7.2 ft	-
7	Big Twin Lake Southeast Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	23 ft	-
8	Crystal Lake	Hillsdale	A	9.5 ft	-
9	Otter Lake	Benzie	A	12 ft	-
10	Coldwater Lake Southeast Basin; Nottawa Township	Isabella	A	10.5 ft	-
11	Beaver Lake Central Basin; Ossineke Township	Alpena	A	16 ft	-
12	Twin Lakes	Oakland	A	5 ft	-
13	Twin Lakes; Grayling Twp	Crawford	A	19 ft	-
14	Loon Lake; Lake Twp	Benzie	A	12 ft	-
15	Lime Lake	Benzie	A	17.5 ft	-
16	Long Lake	Gogebic	A	12 ft	-
17	Big Blue Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	-	-
18	Loon Lake	Benzie	B	12.1 ft	-
19	Lake Richie	Keweenaw	B	8.3 ft	-
20	Bass Lake	Leelanau	B	11.2 ft	-
21	Portage Lake South Basin; Dexter Township	Washtenaw	B	13 ft	-
22	Smoky Lake	Iron	B	24 ft	-
23	Beaver Lake	Keweenaw	B	8 ft	-
24	Siskiwit Lake	Keweenaw	B	19.3 ft	-
25	Base Line Lake Northeast Basin; Hamburg Township	Livingston	B	10.5 ft	-
26	Crystal Lake; East Central Basin; Watersmeet Township	Gogebic	B	11 ft	-
27	South Pond	Chippewa	C	1.3 ft	-
28	Indian Lake	Kalamazoo	C	7.2 ft	-
29	Portage Lake	Livingston	NR	13 ft	-
30	Shavehead Lake East Basin; Porter Township	Cass	NR	7 ft	-
31	Glen Lake	Leelanau	NR	15.5 ft	-
32	Long Lake	Cass	NR	10.5 ft	-
33	Bear Lake	Manistee	NR	11 ft	-
34	Corey Lake	St. Joseph	NR	16 ft	-
35	Lake Ann	Benzie	NR	13.8 ft	-
36	Pickerel Lake	Newaygo	NR	10 ft	-
37	Bass Lake	Livingston	NR	9.5 ft	-
38	Bass Lake	Montcalm	NR	10.8 ft	-
39	Crystal Lake	Montcalm	NR	10 ft	-
40	Indian Lake	Kalamazoo	NR	9.5 ft	-
41	Corey Lake Southeastern Basin; Fabius Township	St. Joseph	NR	16 ft	-
42	Shavehead Lake	Cass	NR	7 ft	-
43	Clark Lake	Livingston	NR	12 ft	-
44	Duck Lake	Muskegon	NR	10.5 ft	-
45	Murray Lake	Kent	NR	7 ft	-
46	Louis Lake East Central Basin; Waucedah Township	Dickinson	NR	12.5 ft	-
47	Indian Lake	Kalkaska	NR	16.5 ft	-
48	Muskellunge Lake	Montcalm	NR	9.5 ft	-
49	Twin Lakes	Oakland	NR	5 ft	-
50	Dollar Lake	Oakland	NR	9 ft	-

Showing top 50 of 115 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have lake herring?

Lake Herring are found in 115 lakes in Michigan. The average water quality grade of these lakes is A (Excellent).

What are the best lake herring lakes in Michigan?

The best lake herring lakes in Michigan by water quality are Indian Lake Central Basin; Brady Township, Big Bass Lake North Basin; Elk Township, Ore Lake West Basin; Hamburg Township, Long Lake South Central Basin, Little Bass Lake.

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