Northern redbelly dace Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

Rough fish like Northern redbelly dace are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 11 Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Northern redbelly dace is narrowly distributed — only 0 Minnesota lakes and 11 Wisconsin lakes 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 Northern redbelly dace lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Northern redbelly dace documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.