Best bluegill lakes in Michigan
511 Michigan waters hold bluegill, 505 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The classic panfish. Shallow cover in summer, deeper weed edges otherwise.
- Lake St. Clair — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Charlevoix, Lake — 122 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
- Lake Gogebic — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Mullett Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Houghton Lake — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Walloon Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Hamlin Lake — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
- Leelanau, Lake — 62 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Long Lake — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Fletcher Pond — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
- Manistique Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Lake Michigamme — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Indian Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill
- Sanford Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
- Intermediate Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- South Manistique Lake — 29 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Lac Vieux Desert Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
- Macatawa, Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Douglas Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Hodenpyl Dam Pond — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Long Lake — 88 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch
- Kent Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
- Crooked Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
- Gull Lake — 110 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout
- Skegemog, Lake — 29 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
…plus 486 more Michigan waters holding bluegill.
When to fish bluegill in Michigan
- Spring 1–6 ft — Bedding colonies on sandy shallow flats — sight-fish the light spots.
- Summer 4–15 ft — Weed edges and dock shade; bigger 'gills hold slightly deeper.
- Fall 6–18 ft — Schools tighten on remaining green weeds and first drops.
- Winter 10–25 ft — Soft-bottom basins with invertebrates; finesse presentations.
Also in Michigan: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best chinook salmon lakes · best coho salmon lakes · best steelhead lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best rock bass lakes · best cisco (lake herring) lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes
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