Bearskin Lake
Bearskin Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 403 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Bearskin Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 26 ft
- Area
- 403 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Bearskin Lake is a 403-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 26 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 66 other monitored lakes in Oneida County, Bearskin Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-21. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus level: 23.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 23.8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Bearskin Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bearskin Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Bearskin Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Apr (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 32 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bearskin Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Bearskin Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (199,526 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Bearskin Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bearskin Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1990. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 26 ft |
| Surface Area | 403 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bearskin LakePublic
Named access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, snapped within 5 km. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bearskin Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.067 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.61 µg/L/yr | 7 |
EPA Impairment Status
Bearskin Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007217 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #12 of 67 lakes in Oneida County
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Bearskin Lake
Where is Bearskin Lake?
- Bearskin Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Bearskin Lake?
- Bearskin Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 403 acres.
Is Bearskin Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Bearskin Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bearskin Lake?
- Bearskin Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 32 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bearskin Lake?
- Bearskin Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet. The lake covers 403 acres.
What fish are in Bearskin Lake?
- Fish species found in Bearskin Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Bearskin Lake is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bearskin Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Bearskin Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bearskin Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Bearskin Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Bearskin Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (199,526 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Bearskin Lake?
- Bearskin Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bearskin Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bearskin Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
63 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX63 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory