Forest Lake vs West Bay Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Forest Lake and West Bay Lake both received the same overall water quality grade of A (Excellent). Both are in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
A
Forest Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin
Crystal clear, you can see 23 ft down.
A
West Bay Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin
Crystal clear, you can see 42.7 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Forest Lake | West Bay Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | A (Excellent) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 23 ft | 42.7 ft |
| Phosphorus | No data | 16.4 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft | 31 ft |
| Surface Area | 468 acres | 417 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 5 | 6 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | 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 clarity (Forest Lake: 23 ft, West Bay Lake: 42.7 ft) and what you want from the lake. Forest Lake has fewer fish species than West Bay Lake.