Big Lake vs Forest Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Big Lake and Forest Lake both received the same overall water quality grade of A (Excellent). Both are in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
A
Big Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin
No clarity data.
A
Forest Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin
Crystal clear, you can see 23 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Big Lake | Forest Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | No data | 23 ft |
| Phosphorus | 17.4 µg/L | No data |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft | 60 ft |
| Surface Area | 780 acres | 468 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Yes |
| Fish Species | 6 | 5 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Both lakes earn the same Grade A. The tiebreakers come down to what you want from the lake. Big Lake supports more documented fish species.