Sand Shiner Lakes in Michigan

Found in 74 Michigan lakes

Rough fish like Sand Shiner are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 74 Michigan lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Sand Shiner is narrowly distributed — only 74 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 Sand Shiner lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Sand Shiner documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Michigan Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Sand Shiner Lakes Map

Every Michigan lake with documented sand shiner, colored by water-quality grade.

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Best Sand Shiner Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Big Star Lake Central Basin; Lake Township	Lake	A	8 ft	-
2	Ore Lake West Basin; Hamburg Township	Livingston	A	10 ft	-
3	Rennie Lake; Central Basin; East Bay Township	Grand Traverse	A	13 ft	-
4	Long Lake South Central Basin	Cass	A	10.5 ft	-
5	Kimball Lake Central Basin; Garfield Township	Newaygo	A	4.5 ft	-
6	Upper Herring Lake; Central Basin; Blaine Township	Benzie	A	8 ft	-
7	Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township	Kent	A	7.2 ft	-
8	Scram Lake East Basin; Oakfield Township	Kent	A	11.5 ft	-
9	Otter Lake	Benzie	A	12 ft	-
10	Higgins Lake East Basin	Roscommon	A	35 ft	-
11	Higgins Lake Northwest Basin	Roscommon	A	34.5 ft	-
12	Fishers Lake North Central Basin; Park Township	St. Joseph	A	10.5 ft	-
13	Lower Herring Lake East Basin; Blaire Township	Benzie	A	16 ft	-
14	Upper Woodcock Lake; Almira Twp	Benzie	A	11 ft	-
15	Lower Woodcock Lake; Almira Twp	Benzie	A	12.3 ft	-
16	Long Lake	Gogebic	A	12 ft	-
17	Beaver Lake	Alger	B	14.7 ft	-
18	Beaver Lake	Keweenaw	B	8 ft	-
19	Tamarack Lake North Basin; Hamburg Township	Livingston	B	7 ft	-
20	Base Line Lake Northeast Basin; Hamburg Township	Livingston	B	10.5 ft	-
21	Crooked Lake	Emmet	B	-	-
22	Rose Lake	Shiawassee	D	5 ft	-
23	Kimball Lake	Newaygo	NR	4.5 ft	-
24	Shavehead Lake East Basin; Porter Township	Cass	NR	7 ft	-
25	Bear Lake East Basin; Pleasanton Township	Manistee	NR	11 ft	-
26	Long Lake	Cass	NR	10.5 ft	-
27	White Lake	Muskegon	NR	6.8 ft	-
28	Lake Ann	Benzie	NR	13.8 ft	-
29	Big Star Lake	Lake	NR	8 ft	-
30	Shavehead Lake	Cass	NR	7 ft	-
31	Rennie Lake	Grand Traverse	NR	13 ft	-
32	Cedar Lake	Alcona	NR	8 ft	-
33	Eagle Lake	Cass	NR	6 ft	-
34	Sylvan Lake	Newaygo	NR	13.5 ft	-
35	Rose Lake	Shiawassee	NR	5.5 ft	-
36	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	NR	15 ft	-
37	Eagle Lake	Allegan	NR	14 ft	-
38	Long Lake	Gogebic	NR	11.5 ft	-
39	Union Lake	Branch	NR	3.5 ft	-
40	Lake James	Roscommon	NR	6.8 ft	-
41	Upper Herring Lake	Benzie	NR	7.5 ft	-
42	Lake Margrethe	Crawford	NR	16 ft	-
43	Long Lake	Benzie	NR	11.5 ft	-
44	Fishers Lake	St. Joseph	NR	10.5 ft	-
45	Sylvan Lake; Sylvan Lake Township	Oakland	NR	9.5 ft	-
46	Scram Lake	Kent	NR	10.5 ft	-
47	Sylvan Lake	Oakland	NR	9.5 ft	-
48	Long Lake	Grand Traverse	NR	24 ft	-
49	Pleasant Lake	Wexford	NR	9.3 ft	-
50	Otter Lake	Oakland	NR	10 ft	-

Showing top 50 of 74 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have sand shiner?

Sand Shiner are found in 74 lakes in Michigan. The average water quality grade of these lakes is A (Excellent).

What are the best sand shiner lakes in Michigan?

The best sand shiner lakes in Michigan by water quality are Big Star Lake Central Basin; Lake Township, Ore Lake West Basin; Hamburg Township, Rennie Lake; Central Basin; East Bay Township, Long Lake South Central Basin, Kimball Lake Central Basin; Garfield Township.

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