Pumpkinseed Lakes in Michigan

Found in 141 Michigan lakes · 1,229 in Minnesota

Pumpkinseed is panfish — the family of smaller, abundant species that anchor kid-friendly fishing and ice-fishing in Michigan. Documented in 1,370 lakes across our dataset. With 1,229 lakes in Minnesota and 141 in Michigan carrying a documented record, Pumpkinseed is one of the more accessible targets in the dataset.

Panfish species like Pumpkinseed tolerate a wide range of water quality, so their presence in a lake says less about the lake than the absence of a game-fish would. Cross-reference the Pumpkinseed lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Pumpkinseed documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

141

Michigan Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Pumpkinseed Lakes Map

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

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Best Pumpkinseed Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Big Star Lake Central Basin; Lake Township	Lake	A	8 ft	-
2	Silver Lake	Washtenaw	A	11.5 ft	-
3	Long Lake South Central Basin	Cass	A	10.5 ft	-
4	Kimball Lake Central Basin; Garfield Township	Newaygo	A	4.5 ft	-
5	Upper Herring Lake; Central Basin; Blaine Township	Benzie	A	8 ft	-
6	Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township	Montcalm	A	16 ft	-
7	Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township	Kent	A	7.2 ft	-
8	Clear Lake East Basin; Waterloo Township	Jackson	A	10 ft	-
9	Scram Lake East Basin; Oakfield Township	Kent	A	11.5 ft	-
10	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
11	Crystal Lake	Hillsdale	A	9.5 ft	-
12	Arbutus Lake South Central Basin	Grand Traverse	A	19 ft	-
13	Cub Lake Central Basin	Kalkaska	A	19 ft	-
14	Duck Lake North Basin; Watersmeet Township	Gogebic	A	9.5 ft	-
15	Higgins Lake East Basin	Roscommon	A	35 ft	-
16	Long Lake North Central Basin; Long Lake Township	Grand Traverse	A	23.8 ft	-
17	Emerald Lake	Kent	A	12 ft	-
18	Eagle Lake Central Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	17 ft	-
19	Little Platte Lake North Basin	Benzie	A	6.5 ft	-
20	Beaver Lake Central Basin; Ossineke Township	Alpena	A	16 ft	-
21	Sand Lake Central Basin; Cambridge Township	Lenawee	A	13.5 ft	-
22	Eagle Lake East Basin; Paw Paw Township	Van Buren	A	17 ft	-
23	Twin Lakes	Oakland	A	5 ft	-
24	Wakeley Lake; Central Basin; Grayling Township	Crawford	A	6.5 ft	-
25	Lower Herring Lake East Basin; Blaire Township	Benzie	A	16 ft	-
26	Twin Lakes; Grayling Twp	Crawford	A	19 ft	-
27	Round Lake Central Basin	Lenawee	A	12 ft	-
28	Loon Lake; Lake Twp	Benzie	A	12 ft	-
29	Lime Lake	Benzie	A	17.5 ft	-
30	Long Lake	Gogebic	A	12 ft	-
31	Shingle Lake South Basin; Lincoln Township	Clare	A	-	-
32	Lake George; Central Deep Basin; Lincoln Township	Clare	A	-	-
33	Big Blue Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	-	-
34	Loon Lake	Benzie	B	12.1 ft	-
35	Lake Richie	Keweenaw	B	8.3 ft	-
36	Portage Lake South Basin; Dexter Township	Washtenaw	B	13 ft	-
37	Lake George	Keweenaw	B	8 ft	-
38	Fox Lake	Charlevoix	B	5 ft	-
39	Posey Lake Central Basin; Hudson Township	Lenawee	B	5 ft	-
40	Crystal Lake; East Central Basin; Watersmeet Township	Gogebic	B	11 ft	-
41	Stager Lake Central Basin	Iron	B	13 ft	-
42	Crooked Lake	Emmet	B	-	-
43	North Pond	Chippewa	B	-	-
44	South Pond	Chippewa	C	1.3 ft	-
45	Rose Lake	Shiawassee	D	5 ft	-
46	Round Lake	Shiawassee	D	6 ft	-
47	Kimball Lake	Newaygo	NR	4.5 ft	-
48	Shavehead Lake East Basin; Porter Township	Cass	NR	7 ft	-
49	Sanford Lake	Benzie	NR	15.8 ft	-
50	Corey Lake	St. Joseph	NR	16 ft	-

Showing top 50 of 141 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have pumpkinseed?

Pumpkinseed are found in 141 lakes in Michigan. The average water quality grade of these lakes is A (Excellent).

What are the best pumpkinseed lakes in Michigan?

The best pumpkinseed lakes in Michigan by water quality are Big Star Lake Central Basin; Lake Township, Silver Lake, Long Lake South Central Basin, Kimball Lake Central Basin; Garfield Township, Upper Herring Lake; Central Basin; Blaine Township.

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