Spottail Shiner Fishing Guide, 39 Best-Graded Lakes

Rough fish like Spottail Shiner are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 39 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. Spottail Shiner is narrowly distributed — only 39 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 Spottail Shiner lake list below against the letter grades: lakes with both an A or B grade and Spottail Shiner documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Michigan lakes →

Avg. Grade

50 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of Spottail Shiner Lakes

13%

10%

Best Spottail Shiner Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with spottail shiner ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Clear Lake	Jackson	MI	A	34 ft	17
2	Round Lake	Lenawee	MI	A	67 ft	25
3	Round Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	37
4	Otter Lake	Benzie	MI	A	-	30
5	Crooked Lake	Emmet	MI	A	50 ft	26
6	Tamarack Lake	Livingston	MI	B	34 ft	20
7	Lake Richie	Keweenaw	MI	B	-	11
8	Beaver Lake	Keweenaw	MI	B	-	16
9	Beaver Lake	Alger	MI	B	39 ft	14
10	Lower Hamlin Lake	Mason	MI	C	-	11
11	Round Lake	Shiawassee	MI	D	-	37
12	Lower Herring Lake	Benzie	MI	NR	50 ft	25
13	Crooked Lake	Barry	MI	NR	-	27
14	East Twin Lake	Montmorency	MI	NR	25 ft	7
15	Clear Lake	Ogemaw	MI	NR	50 ft	16
16	Clark Lake	Jackson	MI	NR	50 ft	19
17	Lake Margrethe	Crawford	MI	NR	65 ft	21
18	Evans Lake	Lenawee	MI	NR	42 ft	19
19	Upper Herring Lake	Benzie	MI	NR	25 ft	18
20	Jordan Lake	Barry	MI	NR	-	23
21	Round Lake	Lenawee	MI	NR	-	5
22	Otter Lake	Oakland	MI	NR	70 ft	30
23	Crooked Lake	Oakland	MI	NR	60 ft	27
24	Clear Lake	Oakland	MI	NR	-	16
25	Round Lake	Oakland	MI	NR	15 ft	37
26	Round Lake	Oakland	MI	NR	-	37
27	Clark Lake	Livingston	MI	NR	40 ft	20
28	Diamond Lake	Newaygo	MI	NR	25 ft	25
29	Green Lake	Grand Traverse	MI	NR	102 ft	11
30	Union Lake	Branch	MI	NR	-	22
31	Round Lake	Shiawassee	MI	NR	-	37
32	Lake James	Roscommon	MI	NR	-	12
33	Diamond Lake	Osceola	MI	NR	60 ft	25
34	Monocle Lake	Chippewa	MI	NR	55 ft	13
35	Burt Lake	Cheboygan	MI	NR	73 ft	33
36	Round Lake	Kent	MI	NR	-	37
37	Douglas Lake	Cheboygan	MI	NR	80 ft	22
38	Douglas Lake	Otsego	MI	NR	36 ft	22
39	Lake Whittlesey	Keweenaw	MI	NR	-	8

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have spottail shiner?

Spottail Shiner are found in 39 graded lakes: 39 in Michigan. The average water quality grade of lakes with spottail shiner is B (Good).

What are the best lakes for spottail shiner?

The best spottail shiner lakes by water quality are Clear Lake, Round Lake, Round Lake, Otter Lake, Crooked Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where spottail shiner have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with spottail shiner?

Spottail Shiner are most commonly found alongside spottail shiner, rock bass, yellow perch, bluntnose minnow, northern pike. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Spottail Shiner Lakes

Rock Bass Lakes

Found together in 34 lakes · 786 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 34 lakes · 1,577 total

Bluntnose Minnow Lakes

Found together in 31 lakes · 160 total

Northern Pike Lakes

Found together in 30 lakes · 2,386 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 29 lakes · 1,550 total

Johnny Darter Lakes

Found together in 28 lakes · 98 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.