Redear sunfish Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

Other SpeciesFound in 17 lakes

Rough fish like Redear sunfish are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 17 Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Redear sunfish is narrowly distributed — only 0 Minnesota lakes and 17 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 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.

Total Lakes

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Avg. Grade

Water Quality of Redear sunfish Lakes

29%

12%

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	Round Lake; Independence Township; Section 2	Oakland	MI	B	-	37
9	Lake of the Woods	Branch	MI	B	-	16
10	Round Lake	Oakland	MI	B	-	37
11	Round Lake	Mecosta	MI	C	-	37
12	Round Lake	Kent	MI	C	-	37
13	Baldwins Lake	Cass	MI	C	-	33
14	Lake Ovid North Basin; Ovid Township	Clinton	MI	C	-	1
15	Round Lake	Shiawassee	MI	C	-	37
16	Lake Ovid	Clinton	MI	D	-	1
17	Round Lake	Shiawassee	MI	D	-	37

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have redear sunfish?

Redear sunfish are found in 17 lakes across Minnesota and Wisconsin, 0 in Minnesota and 17 in Wisconsin. 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 bluegill, bluntnose minnow, iowa darter, pumpkinseed, blackchin shiner. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.