Smallmouth bass Lakes in Michigan

Found in 117 Michigan lakes

Rough fish like Smallmouth bass are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 117 Michigan lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Smallmouth bass is moderately distributed — 117 lakes 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 Smallmouth bass lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Smallmouth bass documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

117

Michigan Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Best Smallmouth bass Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Sanford Lake	Benzie	A	15.8 ft	-
2	Big Twin Lake Southeast Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	23 ft	-
3	Cub Lake Central Basin	Kalkaska	A	19 ft	-
4	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	A	15 ft	-
5	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
6	Bear Lake Southeast Basin	Kalkaska	A	36.5 ft	-
7	Lake Margrethe	Crawford	A	16 ft	-
8	Higgins Lake East Basin	Roscommon	A	35 ft	-
9	Higgins Lake Northwest Basin	Roscommon	A	34.5 ft	-
10	Indian Lake Northeast Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	15.5 ft	-
11	Long Lake	Grand Traverse	A	24 ft	-
12	Beaver Lake Central Basin; Ossineke Township	Alpena	A	16 ft	-
13	Opal Lake	Otsego	A	18.5 ft	-
14	Bear Lake	Kalkaska	A	33 ft	-
15	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
16	Diamond Lake	Osceola	A	16 ft	-
17	Monocle Lake	Chippewa	A	16 ft	-
18	Lower Herring Lake East Basin; Blaire Township	Benzie	A	16 ft	-
19	Burt Lake	Cheboygan	A	15.5 ft	-
20	Papoose Lake Central Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	21 ft	-
21	Papoose Lake	Kalkaska	A	20 ft	-
22	Silver Lake	Cheboygan	A	32 ft	-
23	Thumb Lake	Charlevoix	A	17 ft	-
24	Long Lake	Cheboygan	A	18 ft	-
25	Douglas Lake	Otsego	A	16.5 ft	-
26	Starvation Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	22.3 ft	-
27	Walloon Lake	Emmet	A	-	-
28	Crooked Lake	Emmet	A	-	-
29	Elk Lake	Antrim	A	-	-
30	Big Blue Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	-	-
31	Silver Lake	Washtenaw	A	11.5 ft	-
32	Bass Lake	Leelanau	A	11.2 ft	-
33	Otter Lake	Benzie	A	12 ft	-
34	Lower Hamlin Lake North Central Basin South of the Narrows	Mason	A	13.5 ft	-
35	North Crooked Lake South Central Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	13.5 ft	-
36	Duck Lake; Center of Deepest Basin; Fruitland Township	Muskegon	A	10.5 ft	-
37	Sand Lake Central Basin; Cambridge Township	Lenawee	A	13.5 ft	-
38	Devils Lake Central Basin North	Lenawee	A	10.8 ft	-
39	Round Lake Central Basin	Lenawee	A	12 ft	-
40	Long Lake	Cass	B	10.5 ft	-
41	Bear Lake	Manistee	B	11 ft	-
42	Chippewa Lake	Mecosta	B	11.5 ft	-
43	Silver Lake	Washtenaw	B	11.5 ft	-
44	Bass Lake	Montcalm	B	10.8 ft	-
45	Crystal Lake	Montcalm	B	10 ft	-
46	Long Lake South Central Basin	Cass	B	10.5 ft	-
47	Clark Lake	Livingston	B	12 ft	-
48	Lake George	Clare	B	11.5 ft	-
49	Lake George	Keweenaw	B	8 ft	-
50	Duck Lake	Muskegon	B	10.5 ft	-

Showing top 50 of 117 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have smallmouth bass?

Smallmouth bass are found in 117 lakes in Michigan. The average water quality grade of these lakes is B (Good).

What are the best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan?

The best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan by water quality are Sanford Lake, Big Twin Lake Southeast Basin; Blue Lake Township, Cub Lake Central Basin, Pickerel Lake, Round Lake.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.