Mimic shiner Lakes in Michigan

Found in 68 Michigan lakes

Rough fish like Mimic shiner are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 68 Michigan lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Mimic shiner is narrowly distributed — only 68 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 grade on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Mimic shiner lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Mimic shiner documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Michigan Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Best Mimic shiner Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township	Montcalm	A	16 ft	-
2	Whitefish Lake	Montcalm	A	16.8 ft	-
3	Cub Lake Central Basin	Kalkaska	A	19 ft	-
4	Lake Margrethe	Crawford	A	16 ft	-
5	Long Lake North Central Basin; Long Lake Township	Grand Traverse	A	23.8 ft	-
6	Higgins Lake Northwest Basin	Roscommon	A	34.5 ft	-
7	Long Lake	Grand Traverse	A	24 ft	-
8	Diamond Lake	Osceola	A	16 ft	-
9	Monocle Lake	Chippewa	A	16 ft	-
10	Shag Lake	Marquette	A	15.3 ft	-
11	Lower Herring Lake East Basin; Blaire Township	Benzie	A	16 ft	-
12	Burt Lake	Cheboygan	A	15.5 ft	-
13	Long Lake	Cheboygan	A	18 ft	-
14	Walloon Lake	Emmet	A	-	-
15	Crooked Lake	Emmet	A	-	-
16	Big Blue Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	-	-
17	Bass Lake	Leelanau	A	11.2 ft	-
18	Ore Lake West Basin; Hamburg Township	Livingston	A	10 ft	-
19	Farewell Lake West Basin; Hanover Township	Jackson	A	11.8 ft	-
20	Otter Lake	Benzie	A	12 ft	-
21	Lower Hamlin Lake North Central Basin South of the Narrows	Mason	A	13.5 ft	-
22	Fishers Lake North Central Basin; Park Township	St. Joseph	A	10.5 ft	-
23	Sand Lake Central Basin; Cambridge Township	Lenawee	A	13.5 ft	-
24	Upper Woodcock Lake; Almira Twp	Benzie	A	11 ft	-
25	Long Lake	Cass	B	10.5 ft	-
26	Bass Lake	Lake	B	14 ft	-
27	Lake Ann	Benzie	B	13.8 ft	-
28	Bear Lake	Manistee	B	11 ft	-
29	Lake Richie	Keweenaw	B	8.3 ft	-
30	Bass Lake	Montcalm	B	10.8 ft	-
31	Portage Lake South Basin; Dexter Township	Washtenaw	B	13 ft	-
32	Farewell Lake	Jackson	B	11.5 ft	-
33	Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township	Kent	B	7.2 ft	-
34	Scram Lake East Basin; Oakfield Township	Kent	B	11.5 ft	-
35	Long Lake	Gogebic	B	11.5 ft	-
36	Long Lake	Benzie	B	11.5 ft	-
37	Fishers Lake	St. Joseph	B	10.5 ft	-
38	Gun Lake	Mason	B	14 ft	-
39	Base Line Lake Northeast Basin; Hamburg Township	Livingston	B	10.5 ft	-
40	Scram Lake	Kent	B	10.5 ft	-
41	Otter Lake	Oakland	B	10 ft	-
42	Crooked Lake	Barry	B	10 ft	-
43	Otter Lake	Benzie	B	12 ft	-
44	Deer Lake	Charlevoix	B	11.5 ft	-
45	Mullett Lake	Cheboygan	B	13 ft	-
46	Lower Herring Lake	Benzie	B	13.8 ft	-
47	Lower Woodcock Lake	Benzie	B	12.3 ft	-
48	Lower Woodcock Lake; Almira Twp	Benzie	B	12.3 ft	-
49	Shag Lake Northeast Basin	Marquette	B	14.3 ft	-
50	Bass Lake	Marquette	B	12 ft	-

Showing top 50 of 68 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have mimic shiner?

Mimic shiner are found in 68 lakes in Michigan. The average water quality grade of these lakes is B (Good).

What are the best mimic shiner lakes in Michigan?

The best mimic shiner lakes in Michigan by water quality are Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township, Whitefish Lake, Cub Lake Central Basin, Lake Margrethe, Long Lake North Central Basin; Long Lake Township.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.