White sucker Lakes in Michigan

Found in 121 Michigan lakes

Rough fish like White sucker are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 121 Michigan lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. White sucker is moderately distributed — 121 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 White sucker lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and White sucker documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

121

Michigan Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Best White sucker Lakes in Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Squaw Lake	Kalkaska	A	16 ft	-
2	Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township	Montcalm	A	16 ft	-
3	Whitefish Lake	Montcalm	A	16.8 ft	-
4	Eagle Lake	Kalkaska	A	17 ft	-
5	Big Twin Lake Southeast Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	23 ft	-
6	Cub Lake Central Basin	Kalkaska	A	19 ft	-
7	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	A	15 ft	-
8	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
9	Bear Lake Southeast Basin	Kalkaska	A	36.5 ft	-
10	Lake Margrethe	Crawford	A	16 ft	-
11	Higgins Lake East Basin	Roscommon	A	35 ft	-
12	Long Lake North Central Basin; Long Lake Township	Grand Traverse	A	23.8 ft	-
13	Avery Lake	Montmorency	A	27 ft	-
14	Higgins Lake Northwest Basin	Roscommon	A	34.5 ft	-
15	Eagle Lake Central Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	17 ft	-
16	Indian Lake Northeast Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	15.5 ft	-
17	Crystal Lake	Benzie	A	32 ft	-
18	Long Lake	Grand Traverse	A	24 ft	-
19	Opal Lake	Otsego	A	18.5 ft	-
20	Bear Lake	Kalkaska	A	33 ft	-
21	Round Lake	Benzie	A	15 ft	-
22	Diamond Lake	Osceola	A	16 ft	-
23	Monocle Lake	Chippewa	A	16 ft	-
24	Shag Lake	Marquette	A	15.3 ft	-
25	Lower Herring Lake East Basin; Blaire Township	Benzie	A	16 ft	-
26	Burt Lake	Cheboygan	A	15.5 ft	-
27	Silver Lake	Cheboygan	A	32 ft	-
28	Lake Geneserath	Charlevoix	A	16.5 ft	-
29	Long Lake	Cheboygan	A	18 ft	-
30	Douglas Lake	Otsego	A	16.5 ft	-
31	Starvation Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	22.3 ft	-
32	Lime Lake	Benzie	A	17.5 ft	-
33	Bass Lake Northeast Basin	Kalkaska	A	18.5 ft	-
34	Walloon Lake	Emmet	A	-	-
35	Crooked Lake	Emmet	A	-	-
36	Elk Lake	Antrim	A	-	-
37	Big Blue Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	-	-
38	Loon Lake	Benzie	A	12.1 ft	-
39	Silver Lake	Washtenaw	A	11.5 ft	-
40	Bass Lake	Leelanau	A	11.2 ft	-
41	Squaw Lake Central Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	16 ft	-
42	Beaver Lake	Alger	A	14.7 ft	-
43	Lake Harvey	Keweenaw	A	10.5 ft	-
44	Otter Lake	Benzie	A	12 ft	-
45	North Crooked Lake South Central Basin; Blue Lake Township	Kalkaska	A	13.5 ft	-
46	Duck Lake; Center of Deepest Basin; Fruitland Township	Muskegon	A	10.5 ft	-
47	Loon Lake; Lake Twp	Benzie	A	12 ft	-
48	Bear Lake	Manistee	B	11 ft	-
49	Chippewa Lake	Mecosta	B	11.5 ft	-
50	Silver Lake	Washtenaw	B	11.5 ft	-

Showing top 50 of 121 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Michigan lakes have white sucker?

White sucker are found in 121 lakes in Michigan. The average water quality grade of these lakes is B (Good).

What are the best white sucker lakes in Michigan?

The best white sucker lakes in Michigan by water quality are Squaw Lake, Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township, Whitefish Lake, Eagle Lake, Big Twin Lake Southeast Basin; Blue Lake Township.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.