Best Lakes for Fishing in West Michigan

40 lakes

A lake’s fishing comes down to what swims in it and whether you can get a boat on the water. This ranks West Michigan’s Michigan-DNR-registered lakes by the number of fish species on record, with a bump for lakes deep enough to hold fish year-round and those with a public boat launch.

How we ranked: Ranked by number of fish species on the Michigan DNR record, plus a bonus for a public boat launch and for a max depth of 15 ft or more. Limited to lakes with at least three recorded species.

← All 420+ West Michigan lakes

  1. Lake Macatawa
    #18 fish species · boat launch

    Lake Macatawa

  2. Wabasis Lake
    #28 fish species · boat launch

    Wabasis Lake

  3. Murray Lake
    #38 fish species · boat launch

    Murray Lake

  4. Pigeon Lake
    #48 fish species · boat launch

    Pigeon Lake

  5. #58 fish species

    Pickerel Lake

  6. #68 fish species

    Pine Lake

  7. #78 fish species

    Derby Lake

  8. #88 fish species

    Nevins Lake

  9. #98 fish species

    Whitefish Lake

  10. North Lake
    #108 fish species

    North Lake

  11. #118 fish species

    Clifford Lake

  12. Ryerson Lake
    #128 fish species

    Ryerson Lake

  13. Green Lake
    #138 fish species

    Green Lake

  14. Half Moon Lake
    #148 fish species

    Half Moon Lake

  15. #158 fish species

    Loon Lake

  16. Horseshoe Lake
    #168 fish species

    Horseshoe Lake

  17. Maston Lake
    #178 fish species

    Maston Lake

  18. Fremont Lake
    #188 fish species

    Fremont Lake

  19. North Lake
    #198 fish species

    North Lake

  20. Emerald Lake
    #208 fish species

    Emerald Lake

  21. Scram Lake
    #218 fish species

    Scram Lake

  22. #228 fish species

    Nichols Lake

  23. Pickerel Lake
    #238 fish species

    Pickerel Lake

  24. #248 fish species

    Baptist Lake

  25. #258 fish species

    Middle Lake

  26. Kimball Lake
    #268 fish species

    Kimball Lake

  27. Lilley Lake
    #278 fish species

    Lilley Lake

  28. Robinson Lake
    #288 fish species

    Robinson Lake

  29. Horseshoe Lake
    #298 fish species

    Horseshoe Lake

  30. Mona Lake
    #308 fish species

    Mona Lake

  31. Muskegon Lake
    #318 fish species

    Muskegon Lake

  32. Hess Lake
    #328 fish species

    Hess Lake

  33. Englewright Lake
    #338 fish species

    Englewright Lake

  34. #348 fish species

    Half Moon Lake

  35. #358 fish species

    Railroad Lake

  36. Gun Lake
    #368 fish species

    Gun Lake

  37. Lower Scott Lake
    #378 fish species

    Lower Scott Lake

  38. #388 fish species

    Big Star Lake

  39. White Lake
    #398 fish species

    White Lake

  40. #408 fish species

    Mill Lake

Best Lakes for Fishing in West Michigan: Frequently Asked

How many lakes are on this list?
We rank 40 West Michigan lakes here. Ranked by number of fish species on the Michigan DNR record, plus a bonus for a public boat launch and for a max depth of 15 ft or more. Limited to lakes with at least three recorded species.
Which lakes rank highest?
Lake Macatawa, Wabasis Lake, Murray Lake lead the list. Lake Macatawa ranks #1 (8 fish species · boat launch).
What do lakefront homes cost on these lakes?
Across the 40 lakes on this list, the typical lakefront home value is about $512,400, though prices vary widely by lake and frontage.

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