Best Lakes for Fishing Near Grand Rapids
Michigan
30 fishing lakes within driving distance of Grand Rapids, Michigan, ranked by water quality and fishing-specific filters. Filtered for documented fish species (3+) and public access. Ranked by water quality and species diversity.
Grand Rapids sits in a lake-rich part of the upper Midwest: 30 graded lakes within reach, average grade B. Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township (A) leads the cluster.
Filtered for fishing, the nearby-lake list narrows further. fishing-specific signals — fish species, public access, depth profile, motor-boat congestion — interact with the LakeGrade rubric in different ways depending on the use case.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township | Montcalm | A | 25.8 mi | 16 ft | - |
| 2 | Whitefish Lake | Montcalm | A | 26.2 mi | 16.8 ft | - |
| 3 | Duck Lake; Center of Deepest Basin; Fruitland Township | Muskegon | A | 45 mi | 10.5 ft | - |
| 4 | Emerald Lake | Kent | B | 4.6 mi | 12 ft | - |
| 5 | Emerald Lake | Kent | B | 4.6 mi | 12.3 ft | - |
| 6 | Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township | Kent | B | 15.6 mi | 7.2 ft | - |
| 7 | Scram Lake | Kent | B | 19 mi | 10.5 ft | - |
| 8 | Scram Lake East Basin; Oakfield Township | Kent | B | 19.1 mi | 11.5 ft | - |
| 9 | Barlow Lake | Barry | B | 21.6 mi | 11 ft | - |
| 10 | Bass Lake | Montcalm | B | 27.7 mi | 10.8 ft | - |
| 11 | Emerald Lake | Newaygo | B | 34.7 mi | 10.5 ft | - |
| 12 | Crooked Lake | Barry | B | 34.8 mi | 10 ft | - |
| 13 | Sylvan Lake | Newaygo | B | 35 mi | 13.5 ft | - |
| 14 | Muskegon Lake | Muskegon | B | 36.6 mi | 10.8 ft | - |
| 15 | Eagle Lake | Allegan | B | 39.6 mi | 14 ft | - |
| 16 | Crystal Lake | Montcalm | B | 42.4 mi | 10 ft | - |
| 17 | Duck Lake | Muskegon | B | 44.8 mi | 10.5 ft | - |
| 18 | Blue Lake | Mecosta | B | 49.3 mi | 10 ft | - |
| 19 | Green Lake | Allegan | C | 15.1 mi | 8 ft | - |
| 20 | Murray Lake | Kent | C | 15.2 mi | 7 ft | - |
| 21 | Green Lake Southwest Basin; Leighton Township | Allegan | C | 15.2 mi | 8 ft | - |
| 22 | Round Lake | Kent | C | 16.2 mi | 8 ft | - |
| 23 | Maston Lake | Kent | C | 26.8 mi | 9 ft | - |
| 24 | Muskellunge Lake | Montcalm | C | 29.3 mi | 9.5 ft | - |
| 25 | Wall Lake | Barry | C | 33.8 mi | 9.5 ft | - |
| 26 | Duck Lake | Muskegon | C | 34.1 mi | 8.5 ft | - |
| 27 | Kimball Lake Central Basin; Garfield Township | Newaygo | C | 34.9 mi | 4.5 ft | - |
| 28 | Silver Lake | Van Buren | C | 44.4 mi | 9.5 ft | - |
| 29 | White Lake | Muskegon | C | 46.2 mi | 6.8 ft | - |
| 30 | Round Lake | Mecosta | C | 48.9 mi | 8.5 ft | - |
Other activities near Grand Rapids
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.