Bayfield County Lake Quality
Wisconsin, 52 lakes, average grade B (Good)
Bayfield County has 52 graded lakes, enough that within-county variation matters as much as the county average. Some are deep glacial basins, others are shallow agricultural-watershed waters, and the grade distribution reflects that mix. With an average grade of B, Bayfield County sits comfortably above the Wisconsin median.
The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Long Lake (A); the most-stressed is Duck Lake (F).
Quick Answers for Bayfield County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Long Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Wisconsin regulations index.
DNR Reports (20)
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Survey resources for lakes in Bayfield County. Showing 12 most recent — browse all reports →
- 2025Eau Claire, Middle spring shocking survey, 2025Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Eau Claire, Upper spring shocking survey, 2025Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Lake Namekagon fishery management plan, 2025Management Plan · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Lake Owen spring shocking survey, 2025Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Survival and return on investment of stocked walleye in Bayfield and Douglas counties, 2025Walleye Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2024Cable Wiley lakes spring shocking survey, 2024Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2024Diamond Lake comprehensive survey, 2024Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2024Long Lake spring shocking survey, 2024Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2024Pickerel Lake spring shocking survey, 2024Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2024Siskiwit Lake spring shocking survey, 2024Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2023Delta Lake spring shocking survey, 2023Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
- 2023Island Lake spring shocking survey, 2023Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
All Lakes in Bayfield County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Max Depth | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Long Lake | A | 16.2 ft | 28 ft | 13.7 µg/L |
| 2 | Island Lake | A | 17 ft | 51 ft | - |
| 3 | Eagle Lake | A | 17 ft | 52 ft | 14.3 µg/L |
| 4 | Cable Lake | A | 15.5 ft | - | 14.1 µg/L |
| 5 | Crystal Lake | A | 16.2 ft | 29 ft | - |
| 6 | Upper Eau Claire Lake | A | 18.7 ft | 92 ft | 11.5 µg/L |
| 7 | Millicent Lake | A | 23 ft | - | - |
| 8 | Lower Eau Claire Lake | A | 18.5 ft | 41 ft | - |
| 9 | Hart Lake | A | 21.5 ft | 54 ft | - |
| 10 | Middle Eau Claire Lake | A | 17.3 ft | 66 ft | 12.8 µg/L |
| 11 | Lake Owen | A | 24.6 ft | 95 ft | 12.4 µg/L |
| 12 | Buskey Bay Lake | A | 21.9 ft | 51 ft | - |
| 13 | Twin Bear Lake | A | 19.5 ft | 59 ft | - |
| 14 | Sand Bar Lake | A | 19 ft | 49 ft | 9.9 µg/L |
| 15 | Bony Lake | A | 19.8 ft | 55 ft | 13.9 µg/L |
| 16 | Bladder Lake | A | 18 ft | 35 ft | - |
| 17 | Namekagon Lake | A | - | 23 ft | 11.7 µg/L |
| 18 | Nc Cheq Bay Lake | A | - | - | 5.9 µg/L |
| 19 | Samoset Lake | A | 14.5 ft | 40 ft | 13.3 µg/L |
| 20 | Lower Eau Claire Lake | A | 14.1 ft | 41 ft | 13 µg/L |
| 21 | Diamond Lake | A | 13 ft | 83 ft | 11.1 µg/L |
| 22 | Lake Wilipyro | A | 10.5 ft | 25 ft | 13.9 µg/L |
| 23 | Robinson Lake | A | 13.5 ft | 36 ft | 15.1 µg/L |
| 24 | Pigeon Lake | A | 13 ft | 26 ft | 13.3 µg/L |
| 25 | Hammil Lake | A | 14.5 ft | 47 ft | 12.2 µg/L |
| 26 | Bufo Lake | A | 10 ft | 35 ft | 14 µg/L |
| 27 | Reynard Lake | A | 10.2 ft | 55 ft | 5 µg/L |
| 28 | Lester Lake | A | 13.1 ft | 50 ft | 10.4 µg/L |
| 29 | Tomahawk Lake | A | 14 ft | 42 ft | 10.8 µg/L |
| 30 | Cranberry Lake | B | 9 ft | 12 ft | 18.9 µg/L |
| 31 | Breakfast Lake | B | 12.1 ft | 19 ft | - |
| 32 | Anderson Lake | B | 9.3 ft | 46 ft | 5 µg/L |
| 33 | Kelly Lake | B | 14.5 ft | 17 ft | - |
| 34 | Tahkodah Lake | B | 9.5 ft | - | 13.7 µg/L |
| 35 | Half Moon Lake | B | 8 ft | 10 ft | 17.2 µg/L |
| 36 | Twin Lake North | B | 10 ft | 25 ft | - |
| 37 | George Lake | B | 14 ft | 50 ft | - |
| 38 | Inch Lake | B | 14.1 ft | 40 ft | - |
| 39 | Siskiwit Lake | B | - | 13 ft | 24 µg/L |
| 40 | Siskiwit Lake | B | - | 13 ft | 23.3 µg/L |
| 41 | East Wetland Inlet To Lake Ree | B | - | - | 28.2 µg/L |
| 42 | Wiley Lake | B | - | - | 27 µg/L |
| 43 | Clay Lake | B | 3.5 ft | 45 ft | 18 µg/L |
| 44 | Taylor Lake-Deep Hole | B | 6 ft | 15 ft | 19.8 µg/L |
| 45 | Stratton Ponds | B | 9.8 ft | 6 ft | 20.9 µg/L |
| 46 | Flynn Lake | C | 9 ft | 9 ft | - |
| 47 | Wishbone Lake | C | 4.8 ft | 40 ft | 24 µg/L |
| 48 | Bass Lake | D | 5.5 ft | 43 ft | - |
| 49 | Bear Lake | D | 2 ft | - | 48.6 µg/L |
| 50 | Turtle Lake | D | 5 ft | 7 ft | - |
| 51 | Duck Lake | F | 1.6 ft | 30 ft | - |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.