Big Stone Lake
Big Stone Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 4.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 607 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Big Stone Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 4.2 ft
- Max depth
- 57 ft
- Area
- 607 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Big Stone Lake is a 607-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 57 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2022. 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, Big Stone Lake ranks #27 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-10-20. 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 4.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 22.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 22.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Big Stone Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Stone 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Big Stone Lake
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Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Big Stone Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Big Stone Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 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. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2022).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 57 ft |
| Surface Area | 607 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Big Stone Lake - Chicken in the Woods RoadPublic
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 Big Stone 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 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.221 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.35 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Big Stone 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 WI10007222 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #27 of 67 lakes in Oneida County
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Big Stone Lake
Where is Big Stone Lake?
- Big Stone 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 Big Stone Lake?
- Big Stone Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 4.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 607 acres.
Is Big Stone Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Big Stone Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Big Stone Lake?
- Big Stone Lake has a maximum depth of 57 feet. The lake covers 607 acres.
What fish are in Big Stone Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Stone Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Big Stone Lake is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Big Stone Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Big Stone Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Big Stone Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Big Stone Lake?
- Big Stone Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Stone Lake - Chicken in the Woods Road. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Big Stone Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
47 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX47 samples · 2020–2022
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