Spottail Shiner Lakes in Michigan, 39 Lakes

Spottail Shiner is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 39 lakes carry documentation. 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 phosphorus and chlorophyll-a readings 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 each lake's clarity, phosphorus and algae readings: lakes with low nutrient readings and Spottail Shiner documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Michigan Lakes

Counties

Spottail Shiner Lakes Map

Every Michigan lake with documented spottail shiner.

Loading map…

Best Spottail Shiner Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Clarity	Depth
1	Clear Lake	Jackson	10.5 ft	34 ft
2	Round Lake	Lenawee	12.3 ft	67 ft
3	Round Lake	Benzie	15 ft	-
4	Otter Lake	Benzie	12 ft	-
5	Crooked Lake	Emmet	-	50 ft
6	Tamarack Lake	Livingston	7 ft	34 ft
7	Lake Richie	Keweenaw	9.2 ft	-
8	Beaver Lake	Keweenaw	8.9 ft	-
9	Beaver Lake	Alger	14.5 ft	39 ft
10	Lower Hamlin Lake	Mason	11.5 ft	-
11	Round Lake	Shiawassee	6 ft	-
12	Lower Herring Lake	Benzie	13 ft	50 ft
13	Crooked Lake	Barry	12 ft	-
14	East Twin Lake	Montmorency	8 ft	25 ft
15	Clear Lake	Ogemaw	15 ft	50 ft
16	Clark Lake	Jackson	10 ft	50 ft
17	Lake Margrethe	Crawford	16 ft	65 ft
18	Evans Lake	Lenawee	14 ft	42 ft
19	Upper Herring Lake	Benzie	8 ft	25 ft
20	Jordan Lake	Barry	7.5 ft	-
21	Round Lake	Lenawee	10 ft	-
22	Otter Lake	Oakland	10.3 ft	70 ft
23	Crooked Lake	Oakland	11.5 ft	60 ft
24	Clear Lake	Oakland	11 ft	-
25	Round Lake	Oakland	10.5 ft	15 ft
26	Round Lake	Oakland	10 ft	-
27	Clark Lake	Livingston	12 ft	40 ft
28	Diamond Lake	Newaygo	12.3 ft	25 ft
29	Green Lake	Grand Traverse	12.8 ft	102 ft
30	Union Lake	Branch	3.5 ft	-
31	Round Lake	Shiawassee	6.5 ft	-
32	Lake James	Roscommon	6.8 ft	-
33	Diamond Lake	Osceola	16 ft	60 ft
34	Monocle Lake	Chippewa	16 ft	55 ft
35	Burt Lake	Cheboygan	15.5 ft	73 ft
36	Round Lake	Kent	8 ft	-
37	Douglas Lake	Cheboygan	12 ft	80 ft
38	Douglas Lake	Otsego	16.5 ft	36 ft
39	Lake Whittlesey	Keweenaw	11.6 ft	-

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have spottail shiner?

Spottail Shiner are found in 39 lakes in Michigan.

What are the best spottail shiner lakes in Michigan?

The best spottail shiner lakes in Michigan by water quality are Clear Lake, Round Lake, Round Lake, Otter Lake, Crooked Lake.

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality readings from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.