Shorthead redhorse Lakes in Minnesota, Wisconsin & Michigan

Other SpeciesFound in 7 lakes

Rough fish like Shorthead redhorse are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 7 Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Shorthead redhorse is narrowly distributed — only 7 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 Shorthead redhorse lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Shorthead redhorse documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Michigan lakes →

Avg. Grade

50 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of Shorthead redhorse Lakes

23%

29%

16%

20%

12%

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	Ossawinnamakee Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	63 ft	18
2	Alexander Lake	Morrison	MN	A	64 ft	19
3	Gull Lake	Cass	MN	A	80 ft	22
4	Lower Hay Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	100 ft	21
5	Latoka Lake	Douglas	MN	A	108 ft	16
6	Cowdry Lake	Douglas	MN	A	52 ft	19
7	Andrusia Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	60 ft	21
8	Lizzie Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	66 ft	21
9	Big Trout Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	128 ft	20
10	Rush Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	105 ft	21
11	Thunder Lake	Cass	MN	A	95 ft	17
12	Smith Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	51 ft	12
13	Pig Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	56 ft	20
14	Burntside Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	126 ft	15
15	Bertha Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	64 ft	22
16	Carlos Lake	Douglas	MN	A	163 ft	21
17	Thunder Lake	Cass	MN	A	95 ft	17
18	Lower Hay Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	100 ft	21
19	Hen Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	105 ft	21
20	Cass Lake Allens Bay	Beltrami	MN	A	120 ft	21
21	Cass Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	120 ft	21
22	Indian Lake	Kalkaska	MI	A	-	2
23	Whitefish Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	138 ft	23
24	Eagle Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	77 ft	16
25	Little Pine Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	36 ft	18
26	Cedar Lake	Aitkin	MN	A	105 ft	22
27	Clearwater Lake	Clearwater	MN	A	65 ft	14
28	Washburn Lake	Cass	MN	A	111 ft	21
29	Darling Lake	Douglas	MN	A	62 ft	19
30	Island Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	65 ft	16
31	Inguadona Lake	Cass	MN	A	79 ft	20
32	Swan Lake	Itasca	MN	A	65 ft	17
33	Bemidji Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	76 ft	16
34	Broadwater Bay Lake	Cass	MN	A	54 ft	22
35	Potato Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	87 ft	15
36	Shamineau Lake	Morrison	MN	A	52 ft	18
37	Side Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	32 ft	15
38	Three Island Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	25 ft	17
39	Sturgeon Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	79.8 ft	15
40	Otter Tail Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	120 ft	17
41	Whitewater Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	73 ft	15
42	Louise Lake	Douglas	MN	A	33 ft	18
43	Tamarack Bay Lake	Cass	MN	A	69.8 ft	20
44	Ore Lake West Basin; Hamburg Township	Livingston	MI	A	-	14
45	Otter Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	30
46	Sugar Lake	Itasca	MN	B	22 ft	13
47	Mille Lacs Lake	Aitkin	MN	B	42 ft	21
48	Upper Gull Lake	Cass	MN	B	54 ft	20
49	Turtle Lake	Todd	MN	B	39 ft	18
50	Mitchell Lake	Crow Wing	MN	B	78 ft	18

Showing top 50 of 192 lakes with shorthead redhorse.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have shorthead redhorse?

Shorthead redhorse are found in 7 graded lakes: 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 Ossawinnamakee Lake, Alexander Lake, Gull Lake, Lower Hay Lake, Latoka 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 185 lakes · 41 total

Northern pike Lakes

Found together in 185 lakes · 99 total

Walleye Lakes

Found together in 184 lakes · 840 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 183 lakes · 113 total

White sucker Lakes

Found together in 182 lakes · 121 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 178 lakes · 240 total

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.