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Best freshwater drum lakes in Michigan

36 Michigan waters hold freshwater drum, 33 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 hardest-pulling fish nobody brags about. Roams current seams and mussel beds — bites all day.

1. Lake Erie — Western Basin — 48 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish
2. Lake St. Clair — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
3. Lake Huron — Saginaw Bay — 83 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
4. Grand River — 14 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish
5. Osterhout Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
6. Rush Lake — 58 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
7. Marion, Lake — 52 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
8. South Bar Lake — 13 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Freshwater Drum
9. Chief Lake — 9 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
10. Twin Lake (east) — 19 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
11. Matchett Lake — 14 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
12. Harwood Lake — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
13. Crystal Lake — 34 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout
14. Lake Kathleen — 12 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
15. Round Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
16. Shafer Lake — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
17. Turtle Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill
18. Eden Lake — 56 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
19. Little Torch Lake — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
20. Steele Lake — 12 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
21. Twin Lake (west) — 23 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
22. Bass Lake — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
23. Skinner Lake — 27 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
24. Bronson Lake — 38 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill
25. Bartons Lake — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike

…plus 11 more Michigan waters holding freshwater drum.

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When to fish freshwater drum in Michigan

• Spring 5–20 ft — Big spring runs into current — gravel bars and creek mouths.
• Summer 8–30 ft — Channel edges and mussel beds; drum feed by ear — a dragging bait gets found.
• Fall 10–35 ft — Schools slide toward deep holes; slow bottom presentations.
• Winter 15–45 ft — Deep and slow.

Also in Michigan: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best sauger lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best longnose gar 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 burbot lakes · best rock bass lakes · best white perch lakes · best cisco (lake herring) lakes · best splake lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes · best lake sturgeon lakes

Freshwater Drum elsewhere: Ontario · Minnesota · Québec · Indiana · Iowa · Nebraska · Ohio · Texas · Wisconsin · Kentucky · Illinois · Kansas · Tennessee · Missouri