Shorthead redhorse Lakes in Minnesota

Found in 185 Minnesota lakes · 7 in Michigan

Shorthead redhorse is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 7 lakes carry documentation. 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.

185

Minnesota Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Best Shorthead redhorse Lakes in Minnesota

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Ossawinnamakee Lake	Crow Wing	A	20 ft	63 ft
2	Alexander Lake	Morrison	A	16.5 ft	64 ft
3	Gull Lake	Cass	A	15 ft	80 ft
4	Lower Hay Lake	Crow Wing	A	18.5 ft	100 ft
5	Latoka Lake	Douglas	A	19 ft	108 ft
6	Cowdry Lake	Douglas	A	17.1 ft	52 ft
7	Andrusia Lake	Beltrami	A	15.1 ft	60 ft
8	Lizzie Lake	Otter Tail	A	16.4 ft	66 ft
9	Big Trout Lake	Crow Wing	A	16.9 ft	128 ft
10	Rush Lake	Crow Wing	A	18 ft	105 ft
11	Thunder Lake	Cass	A	16.5 ft	95 ft
12	Smith Lake	St. Louis	A	15 ft	51 ft
13	Pig Lake	Crow Wing	A	17.2 ft	56 ft
14	Burntside Lake	St. Louis	A	16 ft	126 ft
15	Bertha Lake	Crow Wing	A	17.1 ft	64 ft
16	Carlos Lake	Douglas	A	18 ft	163 ft
17	Thunder Lake	Cass	A	20 ft	95 ft
18	Lower Hay Lake	Crow Wing	A	19.5 ft	100 ft
19	Hen Lake	Crow Wing	A	17.1 ft	105 ft
20	Cass Lake Allens Bay	Beltrami	A	16.6 ft	120 ft
21	Cass Lake	Beltrami	A	18.5 ft	120 ft
22	Whitefish Lake	Crow Wing	A	14.4 ft	138 ft
23	Eagle Lake	Hubbard	A	11.2 ft	77 ft
24	Little Pine Lake	Crow Wing	A	10 ft	36 ft
25	Cedar Lake	Aitkin	A	11.1 ft	105 ft
26	Clearwater Lake	Clearwater	A	10 ft	65 ft
27	Washburn Lake	Cass	A	14.1 ft	111 ft
28	Darling Lake	Douglas	A	14 ft	62 ft
29	Island Lake	Hubbard	A	10.5 ft	65 ft
30	Inguadona Lake	Cass	A	12 ft	79 ft
31	Swan Lake	Itasca	A	13.5 ft	65 ft
32	Bemidji Lake	Beltrami	A	12.5 ft	76 ft
33	Broadwater Bay Lake	Cass	A	14.4 ft	54 ft
34	Potato Lake	Hubbard	A	11.5 ft	87 ft
35	Shamineau Lake	Morrison	A	12.5 ft	52 ft
36	Side Lake	St. Louis	A	11.5 ft	32 ft
37	Three Island Lake	Beltrami	A	11.8 ft	25 ft
38	Sturgeon Lake	St. Louis	A	13.8 ft	79.8 ft
39	Otter Tail Lake	Otter Tail	A	12.1 ft	120 ft
40	Whitewater Lake	St. Louis	A	14 ft	73 ft
41	Louise Lake	Douglas	A	14.5 ft	33 ft
42	Tamarack Bay Lake	Cass	A	11.5 ft	69.8 ft
43	Sugar Lake	Itasca	B	8.4 ft	22 ft
44	Mille Lacs Lake	Aitkin	B	10 ft	42 ft
45	Upper Gull Lake	Cass	B	9.5 ft	54 ft
46	Turtle Lake	Todd	B	12 ft	39 ft
47	Mitchell Lake	Crow Wing	B	7 ft	78 ft
48	Two Inlets Lake	Becker	B	9 ft	60 ft
49	Jay Gould Lake	Itasca	B	13 ft	33 ft
50	Le Homme Dieu Lake	Douglas	B	13.1 ft	85 ft

Showing top 50 of 185 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Minnesota lakes have shorthead redhorse?

Shorthead redhorse are found in 185 lakes in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of these lakes is C (Fair).

What are the best shorthead redhorse lakes in Minnesota?

The best shorthead redhorse lakes in Minnesota by water quality are Ossawinnamakee Lake, Alexander Lake, Gull Lake, Lower Hay Lake, Latoka Lake.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.