Rock Bass Lakes in Michigan

Found in 113 Michigan lakes · 711 in Minnesota

Panfish like Rock Bass are the workhorses of Michigan recreational fishing — abundant, accessible, present in 824 surveyed lakes. Rock Bass is widely distributed: 711 lakes in Minnesota and 113 in Michigan. That breadth means anglers across most of the coverage area can find a documented Rock Bass lake within a reasonable drive.

Panfish species like Rock Bass 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 Rock Bass lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Rock Bass documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

113

Michigan Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Rock Bass Lakes Map

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

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Best Rock Bass Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Long Lake South Central Basin	Cass	A	10.5 ft	-
2	Kimball Lake Central Basin; Garfield Township	Newaygo	A	4.5 ft	-
3	Upper Herring Lake; Central Basin; Blaine Township	Benzie	A	8 ft	-
4	Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township	Montcalm	A	16 ft	-
5	Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township	Kent	A	7.2 ft	-
6	Clear Lake East Basin; Waterloo Township	Jackson	A	10 ft	-
7	Big Twin Lake Southeast Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	23 ft	-
8	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
9	Bear Lake Southeast Basin	Kalkaska	A	36.5 ft	-
10	Cub Lake Central Basin	Kalkaska	A	19 ft	-
11	Otter Lake	Benzie	A	12 ft	-
12	Duck Lake North Basin; Watersmeet Township	Gogebic	A	9.5 ft	-
13	Higgins Lake East Basin	Roscommon	A	35 ft	-
14	Long Lake North Central Basin; Long Lake Township	Grand Traverse	A	23.8 ft	-
15	Emerald Lake	Kent	A	12 ft	-
16	Beaver Lake Central Basin; Ossineke Township	Alpena	A	16 ft	-
17	Lower Herring Lake East Basin; Blaire Township	Benzie	A	16 ft	-
18	Pleasant Lake Northwest Basin; Freedom Township	Washtenaw	A	5.8 ft	-
19	Round Lake Central Basin	Lenawee	A	12 ft	-
20	Upper Woodcock Lake; Almira Twp	Benzie	A	11 ft	-
21	Lower Woodcock Lake; Almira Twp	Benzie	A	12.3 ft	-
22	Loon Lake; Lake Twp	Benzie	A	12 ft	-
23	Long Lake	Gogebic	A	12 ft	-
24	Manistee Lake South	Manistee	A	-	-
25	Shingle Lake South Basin; Lincoln Township	Clare	A	-	-
26	Lake George; Central Deep Basin; Lincoln Township	Clare	A	-	-
27	Big Blue Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	-	-
28	Loon Lake	Benzie	B	12.1 ft	-
29	Portage Lake South Basin; Dexter Township	Washtenaw	B	13 ft	-
30	Beaver Lake	Alger	B	14.7 ft	-
31	Beaver Lake	Keweenaw	B	8 ft	-
32	Lake George	Keweenaw	B	8 ft	-
33	Tamarack Lake North Basin; Hamburg Township	Livingston	B	7 ft	-
34	Barneys Lake	Charlevoix	B	10 ft	-
35	Crooked Lake	Emmet	B	-	-
36	Round Lake	Shiawassee	D	6 ft	-
37	Kimball Lake	Newaygo	NR	4.5 ft	-
38	Shavehead Lake East Basin; Porter Township	Cass	NR	7 ft	-
39	Sanford Lake	Benzie	NR	15.8 ft	-
40	Bear Lake	Manistee	NR	11 ft	-
41	White Lake	Muskegon	NR	6.8 ft	-
42	Chippewa Lake	Mecosta	NR	11.5 ft	-
43	Lake Ann	Benzie	NR	13.8 ft	-
44	Shavehead Lake	Cass	NR	7 ft	-
45	Clark Lake	Livingston	NR	12 ft	-
46	Lake George	Clare	NR	11.5 ft	-
47	Cedar Lake	Alcona	NR	8 ft	-
48	Duck Lake	Muskegon	NR	10.5 ft	-
49	Eagle Lake	Cass	NR	6 ft	-
50	Sylvan Lake	Newaygo	NR	13.5 ft	-

Showing top 50 of 113 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have rock bass?

Rock Bass are found in 113 lakes in Michigan. The average water quality grade of these lakes is A (Excellent).

What are the best rock bass lakes in Michigan?

The best rock bass lakes in Michigan by water quality are Long Lake South Central Basin, Kimball Lake Central Basin; Garfield Township, Upper Herring Lake; Central Basin; Blaine Township, Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township, Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township.

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