Redear Sunfish Fishing Guide: 13 Lakes by Water Quality

Rough fish like Redear Sunfish are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 13 the United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs. LakeQuality covers lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Redear Sunfish is narrowly distributed — only 13 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 phosphorus and chlorophyll-a readings on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Redear Sunfish lake list below against each lake's clarity, phosphorus and algae readings: lakes with low nutrient readings and Redear Sunfish documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Redear Sunfish Seasonal Forecast & Techniques

Part of the LakeQuality Fishing Forecast. Spawn trigger: Colonial bedders — fan spawning beds in warm shallow bays at 67–80°F, late spring into summer. Forage: Insects, larvae, zooplankton, small invertebrates. For a forecast tuned to a specific lake's measured clarity and depth, open that lake's forecast.

Season	Where they hold	Structure & cover	Technique
Spring	shallow 1–6 ft	spawning beds in warm bays, near cover	small jigs, live worm/waxworm under a float
Summer	weed edges 5–15 ft	deeper weed edges by midsummer, docks, brush	ice-jigs tipped with plastics/live bait, small flies
Fall	mid 8–18 ft	deeper weedlines and basin edges	small jigs vertically, tiny spoons
Winter / Ice	8–20 ft	basin holes and deep weed edges	tungsten ice jigs with waxworms/plastics

Clear-water tactics:tiny natural jigs, light linesmall flies & plasticsStained-water tactics:brighter jigs & a little scentslower presentations

Total Lakes

Michigan lakes →

42 ft

Avg. Depth

Best Redear Sunfish Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with redear sunfish, ranked on nutrient and algae readings.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Depth	Species
1	North Lake	Washtenaw	MI	58 ft	2
2	Clear Lake	Jackson	MI	34 ft	17
3	Round Lake	Benzie	MI	-	37
4	Lake George	Keweenaw	MI	-	9
5	Round Lake	Shiawassee	MI	-	37
6	Lake Ovid	Clinton	MI	10 ft	1
7	Round Lake	Oakland	MI	15 ft	37
8	Round Lake	Oakland	MI	-	37
9	Lake of the Woods	Branch	MI	70 ft	16
10	Baldwins Lake	Cass	MI	55 ft	33
11	Round Lake	Shiawassee	MI	-	37
12	Round Lake	Kent	MI	-	37
13	Stone Lake	Cass	MI	50 ft	2

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have redear sunfish?

Redear Sunfish are documented in 13 lakes: 13 in Michigan.

What are the best lakes for redear sunfish?

The best redear sunfish lakes by water quality are North Lake, Clear Lake, Round Lake, Lake George, Round Lake. These lakes carry the lowest nutrient and algae readings among all lakes where redear sunfish have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with redear sunfish?

Redear Sunfish are most commonly found alongside redear sunfish, bluegill, bluntnose minnow, iowa darter, pumpkinseed. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Redear Sunfish Lakes

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 11 lakes · 1,550 total

Bluntnose Minnow Lakes

Found together in 10 lakes · 160 total

Iowa Darter Lakes

Found together in 10 lakes · 126 total

Pumpkinseed Lakes

Found together in 10 lakes · 1,328 total

Blackchin Shiner Lakes

Found together in 9 lakes · 72 total

Blacknose Shiner Lakes

Found together in 9 lakes · 84 total

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