Rainbow Smelt Fishing Guide

Other SpeciesDocumented in 32 graded lakes across 2 states

Rough fish like Rainbow Smelt are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 32 the 49 states and 2 Canadian provinces LakeQuality covers lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Rainbow Smelt is narrowly distributed — only 18 lakes in Minnesota and 14 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 Rainbow Smelt lake list below against the letter grades: lakes with both an A or B grade and Rainbow Smelt documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Minnesota lakes →

Michigan lakes →

Avg. Grade

147 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of Rainbow Smelt Lakes

25%

Best Rainbow Smelt Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with rainbow smelt ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Trout Lake	Cook	MN	A	77 ft	6
2	Pokegama Lake	Itasca	MN	A	112 ft	19
3	Hungry Jack Lake	Cook	MN	A	71 ft	9
4	Burntside Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	126 ft	15
5	Gunflint Lake	Cook	MN	A	200 ft	12
6	Bearskin Lake	Cook	MN	A	78 ft	9
7	Little Long Lake Central Basin; Prairieville Township	Barry	MI	A	-	1
8	Crystal Lake	Hillsdale	MI	A	-	16
9	Crystal Lake; East Central Basin; Watersmeet Township	Gogebic	MI	B	-	16
10	Upper Estuary Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	55 ft	33
11	Lake Charlevoix	Charlevoix	MI	C	-	3
12	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	NR	161 ft	17
13	Rainy Lake	St. Louis	MN	NR	161 ft	17
14	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	NR	150 ft	18
15	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	MN	NR	184 ft	21
16	Little Long Lake	St. Louis	MN	NR	45 ft	11
17	Lac la Croix Lake	St. Louis	MN	NR	168 ft	12
18	Pokegama Lake	Itasca	MN	NR	112 ft	19
19	Chester Lake	Cook	MN	NR	35 ft	3
20	Little Gunflint Lake	Cook	MN	NR	200 ft	12
21	Iron Chief Complex Lake	St. Louis	MN	NR	262.1 ft	3
22	Gilbert Pit Lake	St. Louis	MN	NR	443 ft	10
23	Crystal Lake	Montcalm	MI	NR	-	16
24	Duck Lake	Muskegon	MI	NR	-	22
25	Crystal Lake	Gogebic	MI	NR	-	16
26	Gun Lake	Mason	MI	NR	-	17
27	Crystal Lake	Benzie	MI	NR	-	9
28	Crystal Lake	Hillsdale	MI	NR	-	16
29	Lake Bellaire	Antrim	MI	NR	-	22
30	Lake Charlevoix	Charlevoix	MI	NR	-	3
31	Duck Lake	Muskegon	MI	NR	-	22
32	Walloon Lake	Emmet	MI	NR	-	20

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have rainbow smelt?

Rainbow Smelt are found in 32 graded lakes: 18 in Minnesota, 14 in Michigan. The average water quality grade of lakes with rainbow smelt is A (Excellent).

What are the best lakes for rainbow smelt?

The best rainbow smelt lakes by water quality are Trout Lake, Pokegama Lake, Hungry Jack Lake, Burntside Lake, Gunflint Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where rainbow smelt have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with rainbow smelt?

Rainbow Smelt are most commonly found alongside rainbow smelt, yellow perch, white sucker, northern pike, smallmouth bass. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Rainbow Smelt Lakes

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 16 lakes · 1,631 total

White Sucker Lakes

Found together in 15 lakes · 1,256 total

Northern Pike Lakes

Found together in 15 lakes · 2,487 total

Smallmouth Bass Lakes

Found together in 15 lakes · 953 total

Walleye Lakes

Found together in 15 lakes · 1,982 total

Rock Bass Lakes

Found together in 13 lakes · 824 total

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys. Species profiles are general reference; always check current state regulations before fishing.