Redear Sunfish Fishing Guide

Other SpeciesDocumented in 16 graded lakes across 1 state

Rough fish like Redear Sunfish are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 16 Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Redear Sunfish is narrowly distributed — only 16 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 grade 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 the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade 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 →

Avg. Grade

Water Quality of Redear Sunfish Lakes

31%

25%

31%

13%

Best Redear Sunfish Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with redear sunfish ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Round Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	37
2	Round Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	37
3	Stone Lake Central Basin; Jefferson Township	Cass	MI	A	-	2
4	North Lake North Central Basin; Dexter Township	Washtenaw	MI	A	-	2
5	Clear Lake East Basin; Waterloo Township	Jackson	MI	A	-	17
6	Long Lake South Central Basin	Cass	MI	B	-	25
7	Lake George	Keweenaw	MI	B	-	9
8	Lake of the Woods	Branch	MI	B	-	16
9	Round Lake	Oakland	MI	B	-	37
10	Round Lake	Mecosta	MI	C	-	37
11	Round Lake	Kent	MI	C	-	37
12	Baldwins Lake	Cass	MI	C	-	33
13	Lake Ovid North Basin; Ovid Township	Clinton	MI	C	-	1
14	Round Lake	Shiawassee	MI	C	-	37
15	Lake Ovid	Clinton	MI	D	-	1
16	Round Lake	Shiawassee	MI	D	-	37

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have redear sunfish?

Redear Sunfish are found in 16 graded lakes: 16 in Michigan. The average water quality grade of lakes with redear sunfish is B (Good).

What are the best lakes for redear sunfish?

The best redear sunfish lakes by water quality are Round Lake, Round Lake, Stone Lake Central Basin; Jefferson Township, North Lake North Central Basin; Dexter Township, Clear Lake East Basin; Waterloo Township. These lakes have the highest water quality grades 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 13 lakes · 1,692 total

Bluntnose Minnow Lakes

Found together in 12 lakes · 171 total

Iowa Darter Lakes

Found together in 12 lakes · 131 total

Pumpkinseed Lakes

Found together in 12 lakes · 1,391 total

Blackchin Shiner Lakes

Found together in 11 lakes · 73 total

Blacknose Shiner Lakes

Found together in 11 lakes · 91 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.