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 A. Emerald Lake (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 | Emerald Lake | Kent | A | 4.6 mi | 12 ft | - |
| 2 | Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township | Kent | A | 15.6 mi | 7.2 ft | - |
| 3 | Scram Lake East Basin; Oakfield Township | Kent | A | 19.1 mi | 11.5 ft | - |
| 4 | Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township | Montcalm | A | 25.8 mi | 16 ft | - |
| 5 | Kimball Lake Central Basin; Garfield Township | Newaygo | A | 34.9 mi | 4.5 ft | - |
| 6 | Fox Lake Central Basin; Dalton Township | Muskegon | D | 40.8 mi | 1 ft | - |
| 7 | Emerald Lake | Kent | NR | 4.6 mi | 12.3 ft | - |
| 8 | Green Lake | Allegan | NR | 15.1 mi | 8 ft | - |
| 9 | Murray Lake | Kent | NR | 15.2 mi | 7 ft | - |
| 10 | Green Lake Southwest Basin; Leighton Township | Allegan | NR | 15.2 mi | 8 ft | - |
| 11 | Round Lake | Kent | NR | 16.2 mi | 8 ft | - |
| 12 | Scram Lake | Kent | NR | 19 mi | 10.5 ft | - |
| 13 | Barlow Lake | Barry | NR | 21.6 mi | 11 ft | - |
| 14 | Whitefish Lake | Montcalm | NR | 26.2 mi | 16.8 ft | - |
| 15 | Maston Lake | Kent | NR | 26.8 mi | - | - |
| 16 | Carter Lake Northwest Basin | Barry | NR | 27.1 mi | 4.5 ft | - |
| 17 | Carter Lake | Barry | NR | 27.2 mi | 4 ft | - |
| 18 | Bass Lake | Montcalm | NR | 27.7 mi | 10.8 ft | - |
| 19 | Muskellunge Lake | Montcalm | NR | 29.3 mi | 9.5 ft | - |
| 20 | Wall Lake | Barry | NR | 33.8 mi | 9.5 ft | - |
| 21 | Duck Lake | Muskegon | NR | 34.1 mi | 8.5 ft | - |
| 22 | Emerald Lake | Newaygo | NR | 34.7 mi | 10.5 ft | - |
| 23 | Crooked Lake | Barry | NR | 34.8 mi | 10 ft | - |
| 24 | Kimball Lake | Newaygo | NR | 35 mi | 4.5 ft | - |
| 25 | Sylvan Lake | Newaygo | NR | 35 mi | 13.5 ft | - |
| 26 | Muskegon Lake | Muskegon | NR | 36.6 mi | 10.8 ft | - |
| 27 | Eagle Lake | Allegan | NR | 39.6 mi | 14 ft | - |
| 28 | Fox Lake | Muskegon | NR | 40.8 mi | 1 ft | - |
| 29 | Crystal Lake | Montcalm | NR | 42.4 mi | 10 ft | - |
| 30 | Silver Lake | Van Buren | NR | 44.4 mi | 9.5 ft | - |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.