Forest County Lake Quality
Wisconsin, 35 lakes, average grade A (Excellent)
There are 35 graded lakes in Forest County. The mix is varied enough that the county-level average tells you the broad strokes, not the choose-this-cabin specifics. On average, Forest County lakes grade an A. That puts it near the top of the Wisconsin county ranking.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Silver Lake (A) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Forest County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Silver Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Wisconsin regulations index.
DNR Reports (14)
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Survey resources for lakes in Forest County. Showing 12 most recent — browse all reports →
- 2025Franklin Lake comprehensive survey, 2025Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2024Bishop Lake spring netting and shocking survey, 2024Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2024Himley Lake spring shocking survey, 2024Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2024Robinson Lake spring netting and shocking survey, 2024Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2022Lily Lake fisheries summary, 2022Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
- 2022Little Rice Flowage fisheries summary, 2022Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
- 2022Roberts Lake fisheries summary, 2022Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
- 2021Gordon Lake spring netting and shocking survey, 2021Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
- 2021Laura Lake spring netting and shocking survey, 2021Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
- 2018Lake Lucerne fisheries summary, 2018Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2018 (PDF)
- 2018Range Line Lake fisheries summary, 2018Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2018 (PDF)
- 2017Crane Lake fisheries summary, 2017Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2017 (PDF)
All Lakes in Forest County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Max Depth | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silver Lake | A | 42.7 ft | - | 11.5 µg/L |
| 2 | Round Lake | A | 26.2 ft | - | - |
| 3 | Lily Lake | A | 36.1 ft | 24 ft | - |
| 4 | Jungle Lake | A | 34.5 ft | - | - |
| 5 | Little Sand Lake | A | 26.2 ft | 20 ft | 15.9 µg/L |
| 6 | Lake Lucerne | A | 61.5 ft | 73 ft | 9.3 µg/L |
| 7 | Van Zile Lake | A | 17.2 ft | 17 ft | 19.7 µg/L |
| 8 | Franklin Lake | A | 52.5 ft | 46 ft | 10.8 µg/L |
| 9 | Butternut Lake | A | 59.1 ft | 42 ft | 11.8 µg/L |
| 10 | South Bay Lake | A | 41 ft | 46 ft | - |
| 11 | Little Long Lake | A | 43.5 ft | 30 ft | - |
| 12 | Lake Metonga | A | 72.2 ft | 79 ft | 14 µg/L |
| 13 | Roberts Lake | A | 38.6 ft | 31 ft | 10.8 µg/L |
| 14 | Walsh Lake | A | 29.5 ft | 15 ft | - |
| 15 | Trump Lake | A | 39.4 ft | 20 ft | 10.6 µg/L |
| 16 | Luna Lake | A | 18.7 ft | 35 ft | 5 µg/L |
| 17 | St. Johns Lake | A | 33.5 ft | 21 ft | 14.8 µg/L |
| 18 | Ludington Lake-Deep Hole | A | 31.8 ft | 30 ft | - |
| 19 | Mole Lake | A | 27.9 ft | 17 ft | 15.3 µg/L |
| 20 | Arbutus Lake | A | 49.2 ft | 28 ft | 10.7 µg/L |
| 21 | Bug Lake | A | - | - | 10 µg/L |
| 22 | Cloud Lake | A | - | 25 ft | 13 µg/L |
| 23 | Bear Lake | A | 14.8 ft | 20 ft | 18.9 µg/L |
| 24 | Pine Lake | A | 16.4 ft | 15 ft | 28.2 µg/L |
| 25 | Pickerel Lake | A | 32.8 ft | 19 ft | 20.4 µg/L |
| 26 | Crane Lake | A | 22.1 ft | 25 ft | 22 µg/L |
| 27 | Windfall Lake | A | 32.8 ft | 25 ft | 21.2 µg/L |
| 28 | Bishop Lake | A | 23 ft | 12 ft | 25 µg/L |
| 29 | Rice Lake | B | - | 6 ft | 22 µg/L |
| 30 | Kaine Lake | B | 10.7 ft | - | 22.8 µg/L |
| 31 | Devil'S Lake | B | - | - | 22 µg/L |
| 32 | Little Rice Lake | B | - | 10 ft | 22 µg/L |
| 33 | Rice Lake North | C | - | 6 ft | 44 µg/L |
| 34 | Rice Lake South Snail | C | - | 6 ft | 48 µg/L |
| 35 | Howell Lake | C | - | 16 ft | 34 µg/L |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.