Let me start by stating that this list will be based on a few factors. My personal opinions and experiences as well as some stats of the fishing success stories of 2025. Some anglers may not agree with my top 5, and that is expected since we all have our own unique experiences on every fishing adventure. There is a local lake by me in Michigan that I am constantly bragging about since I always do so great on it. But most of my fishing friends will complain that they can’t catch a fish there. I am sure we all have our spots that just work for us. This is my list of my top 5 freshwater fisheries and what I suggest to have success on each of them.
Best 5 Freshwater Fisheries
Michigan Local Legend
Well let’s start with my top fishery in the small lake category, even though it is the largest in my county. This will be #5 on this list but one of my personal go to lakes in my home state. Before I explain this lake, let me tell you that this lake produces master angler size walleye, Northern Pike, Largemouth and smallmouth Bass and pan fish. It is a heavily pressured lake, but when it gives, it gives plenty of great fish. I am talking about Cass Lake.
Cass Lake is the deepest and largest in Oakland County, Michigan. At 1,280 acres and over 100’ deep, this lake is large and has plenty of fishing options. There are also plenty of shallow areas and canals to find the largemouth bass and some plentiful areas of smallmouth bass. Musky are known to lurk in these colder waters too. Very clear water will force longer casts and natural bait presentations. I suggest a dark colored tube, finesse set ups and life like swim baits for these cold water monsters. Weekends are pretty crazy with boat traffic and party goers, so weekday fishing outings are suggested.
Tennessee Titan
This location is a 36,240 acre reservoir that is known nationwide for its fishing. A maximum depth of 72’ is perfect for holding the large Florida strain largemouth bass. Lake Chickamauga or “The Chick” as we call it is home to hundreds of events and tournaments. Crappie, walleye and catfish share these waters with the large mouth bass. This place does shine for its bass though. The current Tennessee state record is from these waters and for a good reason. With its southern location, it holds great water temps, year round fishing and a great eco system for breeding and growth. My tip on this lake is to fish ledges and drop offs and stay away from the main launches on peak weekends due to over crowded events on this reservoir. If you want to get bit, go to “the chick”.
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Clearly Erie
Number 3 is the beautiful clear waters of Lake Erie will welcome anglers from around the country. The surface area is approximately 9,910 square miles. 241 miles long and 57 miles wide. This is one of my favorite Great Lakes to find monster smallmouth bass. Lake Erie has an average depth of 62’ and a maximum of 210’. This is the shallowest and warmest water of all the Great Lakes. This is very unique since it will be warmer than other Great Lakes in the summer but usually still freezes in the winter. This makes this the most biological diverse lake of the Great Lakes making home for 107 species of fish. I would say that this is one of the top walleye fisheries in the country. Huge smallmouth bass bring me there, but the surprising walleye catches are always exciting. Bring some diversity in your tackle box because you never know what species will be biting throughout the day.
Sweet home Alabama
Number 2 on my list is Lake Guntersville in north Alabama. This lake is big. At 69,100 acres, this man-made reservoir is a beast to fish but worth the time. An average depth of 15’ makes it a perfect spot to target largemouth bass year round. This is the home of the Alabama state record bass as well. 14.50 pounds is the current state record from this lake and must have been a blast to reel in. I have had great success with lipless crank baits on drop offs and spinner baits year round. Slow retrieves and some depth changes with these baits will bring good luck to any angler with some patience. Topwater is a great option here in the summer months too it hold on tight because there are 14lb+ fish in these waters.
The One
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This is an easy choice for me and coming into this article, I knew that this was my number one choice from the start. Lake St Clair is commonly the #1 fishery in the country for many reasons. I have lived within an hour of this lake most of my life and have fished it for a few decades. I will be the first to tell you that when it’s on, it’s on. This lake is not one of the Great Lakes, although it is very large.
Lake St Clair is 430 square miles and an average depth of only 11’ makes this lake special. Almost 26 miles long and 24 miles wide give you and the fish a lot of room. This lake connects the St Clair river to the Detroit river and lies between Michigan and Ontario. Using a dark colored tube with a longer skirt and a 3/8-oz tube jig can land you enormous small mouth bass, walleye, Muskie, jumbo perch, rock bass, large mouth bass and more. My favorite part of this lake is that you never know what will be biting and you can fish the same area all day and find countless species and numbers of fish on a good day. Watch the weather coming from Canada and be aware of boat traffic out there. I prefer weekdays on this lake to avoid most of the traffic. This is a world class fishery and worth the trip.
Get out there and try out one or all of these lakes if you have not fished them already. No matter where you choose to fish or if it is on this list or not, the best fishery is the one that fits your needs the best. I think the fishery that allows you to comfortably get out there and enjoy a day on the water is the best fishery in the country for each angler.
