Shorthead Redhorse Fishing Guide

Other SpeciesDocumented in 191 graded lakes across 2 states

Rough fish like Shorthead Redhorse are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 191 the 49 states and 2 Canadian provinces LakeQuality covers lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Shorthead Redhorse is moderately distributed — 184 lakes in Minnesota and 7 in Michigan. Some counties have it, others do not, so checking the per-lake pages matters.

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 Shorthead Redhorse lake list below against the letter grades: lakes with both an A or B grade and Shorthead Redhorse documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

191

Total Lakes

184

Minnesota lakes →

Michigan lakes →

Avg. Grade

50 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of Shorthead Redhorse Lakes

32%

21%

10%

Best Shorthead Redhorse Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with shorthead redhorse ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Clearwater Lake	Clearwater	MN	A	65 ft	14
2	Lower Hay Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	100 ft	21
3	Latoka Lake	Douglas	MN	A	108 ft	16
4	Whitefish Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	138 ft	23
5	Washburn Lake	Cass	MN	A	111 ft	21
6	South Sturgeon Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	43 ft	10
7	Cowdry Lake	Douglas	MN	A	52 ft	19
8	Ossawinnamakee Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	63 ft	18
9	Eagle Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	77 ft	16
10	Darling Lake	Douglas	MN	A	62 ft	19
11	Colby Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	30 ft	15
12	Little Pine Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	36 ft	18
13	Andrusia Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	60 ft	21
14	Upper Gull Lake	Cass	MN	A	54 ft	20
15	Island Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	65 ft	16
16	Cedar Lake	Aitkin	MN	A	105 ft	22
17	Lizzie Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	66 ft	21
18	Alexander Lake	Morrison	MN	A	64 ft	19
19	Gull Lake	Cass	MN	A	80 ft	22
20	Two Inlets Lake	Becker	MN	A	60 ft	15
21	Inguadona Lake	Cass	MN	A	79 ft	20
22	Jay Gould Lake	Itasca	MN	A	33 ft	16
23	Swan Lake	Itasca	MN	A	65 ft	17
24	Big Trout Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	128 ft	20
25	Bemidji Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	76 ft	16
26	Broadwater Bay Lake	Cass	MN	A	54 ft	22
27	Wall Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	34 ft	19
28	Rush Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	105 ft	21
29	Wolf Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	57 ft	18
30	Potato Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	87 ft	15
31	Fall Lake	Lake	MN	A	32 ft	12
32	Le Homme Dieu Lake	Douglas	MN	A	85 ft	20
33	Shamineau Lake	Morrison	MN	A	52 ft	18
34	Thunder Lake	Cass	MN	A	95 ft	17
35	Plantagenet Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	65 ft	20
36	Side Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	32 ft	15
37	Three Island Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	25 ft	17
38	Pig Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	56 ft	20
39	Ten Mile Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	51 ft	19
40	Sturgeon Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	79.8 ft	15
41	Otter Tail Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	120 ft	17
42	Burntside Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	126 ft	15
43	West Leaf Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	55 ft	18
44	Boy Lake	Cass	MN	A	45 ft	20
45	Sabin Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	52 ft	10
46	Bertha Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	64 ft	22
47	Fourth Crow Wing Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	10 ft	16
48	Carlos Lake	Douglas	MN	A	163 ft	21
49	Wynne Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	52 ft	10
50	Whitewater Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	73 ft	15

Showing top 50 of 191 lakes with shorthead redhorse.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have shorthead redhorse?

Shorthead Redhorse are found in 191 graded lakes: 184 in Minnesota, 7 in Michigan. The average water quality grade of lakes with shorthead redhorse is B (Good).

What are the best lakes for shorthead redhorse?

The best shorthead redhorse lakes by water quality are Clearwater Lake, Lower Hay Lake, Latoka Lake, Whitefish Lake, Washburn Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where shorthead redhorse have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with shorthead redhorse?

Shorthead Redhorse are most commonly found alongside black crappie, northern pike, shorthead redhorse, walleye, yellow perch. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Shorthead Redhorse Lakes

Black Crappie Lakes

Found together in 184 lakes · 1,428 total

Northern Pike Lakes

Found together in 184 lakes · 2,487 total

Walleye Lakes

Found together in 183 lakes · 1,982 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 182 lakes · 1,631 total

White Sucker Lakes

Found together in 181 lakes · 1,256 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 177 lakes · 1,601 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.