Northern Pike Lakes in Michigan

Found in 95 Michigan lakes · 1,466 in Minnesota · 926 in Wisconsin

Northern Pike is one of the headline game-fish species in Michigan — the kind of catch that anchors fishing trips, cabin weekends, and the regional fishing economy. 2,487 lakes in our dataset have documented Northern Pike. Northern Pike is widely distributed: 1,466 lakes in Minnesota, 926 in Wisconsin, and 95 in Michigan. That breadth means anglers across most of the coverage area can find a documented Northern Pike lake within a reasonable drive.

Game-fish presence on a Michigan lake also signals enough water-quality stability to support the prey species the game fish depend on — perch, alewife, ciscoes — which themselves require reasonably oxygenated, clear water. On the LakeGrade rubric, the cleanest Northern Pike lakes tend to also be the highest-graded — the same water-clarity and nutrient conditions that support the species also produce the higher grades.

Michigan Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Northern Pike Lakes Map

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

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Best Northern Pike Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Big Star Lake Central Basin; Lake Township	Lake	A	8 ft	-
2	Kimball Lake Central Basin; Garfield Township	Newaygo	A	4.5 ft	-
3	Upper Herring Lake; Central Basin; Blaine Township	Benzie	A	8 ft	-
4	Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township	Montcalm	A	16 ft	-
5	Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township	Kent	A	7.2 ft	-
6	Clear Lake East Basin; Waterloo Township	Jackson	A	10 ft	-
7	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
8	Otter Lake	Benzie	A	12 ft	-
9	Duck Lake North Basin; Watersmeet Township	Gogebic	A	9.5 ft	-
10	Higgins Lake East Basin	Roscommon	A	35 ft	-
11	Emerald Lake	Kent	A	12 ft	-
12	Wakeley Lake; Central Basin; Grayling Township	Crawford	A	6.5 ft	-
13	Lower Herring Lake East Basin; Blaire Township	Benzie	A	16 ft	-
14	Sugarloaf Lake; Lyndon Twp	Washtenaw	A	9.5 ft	-
15	Lime Lake	Benzie	A	17.5 ft	-
16	Long Lake	Gogebic	A	12 ft	-
17	Shingle Lake South Basin; Lincoln Township	Clare	A	-	-
18	Lake Richie	Keweenaw	B	8.3 ft	-
19	Portage Lake South Basin; Dexter Township	Washtenaw	B	13 ft	-
20	Beaver Lake	Alger	B	14.7 ft	-
21	Beaver Lake	Keweenaw	B	8 ft	-
22	Feldtmann Lake	Keweenaw	B	7.3 ft	-
23	Lake Ahmik	Keweenaw	B	7 ft	-
24	Tamarack Lake North Basin; Hamburg Township	Livingston	B	7 ft	-
25	Whitewood Lake	Livingston	B	10.5 ft	-
26	Crooked Lake	Emmet	B	-	-
27	Rose Lake	Shiawassee	D	5 ft	-
28	Round Lake	Shiawassee	D	6 ft	-
29	Kimball Lake	Newaygo	NR	4.5 ft	-
30	White Lake	Muskegon	NR	6.8 ft	-
31	Middle Lake	Lapeer	NR	9 ft	-
32	Big Star Lake	Lake	NR	8 ft	-
33	Cedar Lake	Alcona	NR	8 ft	-
34	Duck Lake	Muskegon	NR	10.5 ft	-
35	Eagle Lake	Cass	NR	6 ft	-
36	Rose Lake	Osceola	NR	10.8 ft	-
37	Sylvan Lake	Newaygo	NR	13.5 ft	-
38	Hamlin Lake	Mason	NR	10 ft	-
39	Twin Lake	Kalkaska	NR	23 ft	-
40	Rose Lake	Shiawassee	NR	5.5 ft	-
41	Whitefish Lake	Montcalm	NR	16.8 ft	-
42	Duck Lake	Gogebic	NR	9.5 ft	-
43	Round Lake	Mecosta	NR	8.5 ft	-
44	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	NR	15 ft	-
45	Eagle Lake	Allegan	NR	14 ft	-
46	Long Lake	Gogebic	NR	11.5 ft	-
47	Lake of the Woods	Branch	NR	10 ft	-
48	Round Lake	Shiawassee	NR	6.5 ft	-
49	Upper Herring Lake	Benzie	NR	7.5 ft	-
50	Lake Margrethe	Crawford	NR	16 ft	-

Showing top 50 of 95 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have northern pike?

Northern Pike are found in 95 lakes in Michigan. The average water quality grade of these lakes is B (Good).

What are the best northern pike lakes in Michigan?

The best northern pike lakes in Michigan by water quality are Big Star Lake Central Basin; Lake Township, Kimball Lake Central Basin; Garfield Township, Upper Herring Lake; Central Basin; Blaine Township, Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township, Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township.

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