Shorthead Redhorse Fishing Guide: 172 Lakes by Water Quality

Rough fish like Shorthead Redhorse are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 172 the United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs. LakeQuality covers lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Shorthead Redhorse is moderately distributed — 163 lakes in Minnesota and 9 in Michigan. Some counties have it, others do not, so checking the per-lake pages matters.

Rough-fish-dominant lakes are worth checking the phosphorus and chlorophyll-a readings 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 each lake's clarity, phosphorus and algae readings: lakes with low nutrient readings and Shorthead Redhorse documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

172

Total Lakes

163

Minnesota lakes →

Michigan lakes →

51 ft

Avg. Depth

Best Shorthead Redhorse Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with shorthead redhorse, ranked on nutrient and algae readings.

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

Showing top 50 of 172 lakes with shorthead redhorse.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have shorthead redhorse?

Shorthead Redhorse are documented in 172 lakes: 163 in Minnesota, 9 in Michigan.

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 carry the lowest nutrient and algae readings 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 163 lakes · 1,386 total

Northern Pike Lakes

Found together in 163 lakes · 2,386 total

Walleye Lakes

Found together in 162 lakes · 1,884 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 161 lakes · 1,577 total

White Sucker Lakes

Found together in 160 lakes · 1,211 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 156 lakes · 1,550 total

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality readings from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys. Species profiles are general reference; always check current state regulations before fishing.