Oconto County Lake Quality
Wisconsin, 66 lakes, average grade A (Excellent)
Oconto County in Wisconsin carries 66 graded lakes — one of the lake-richer counties in our dataset. Coverage that dense usually reflects active lake-association sampling alongside state-agency monitoring. The county's average grade is A — among the cleanest in Wisconsin. 55 lakes pull an A on their own, and almost none fall into the D or F brackets.
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. Long Lake (A) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Oconto 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 (32)
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Survey resources for lakes in Oconto County. Showing 12 most recent — browse all reports →
- 2025Ucil Lake panfish netting survey, 2025Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2024Chute Pond comprehensive summary report, 2024Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2022Anderson Lake comprehensive summary report, 2022Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
- 2022Maiden Lake comprehensive summary report, 2022Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
- 2022Wheeler Lake comprehensive summary report, 2022Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
- 2021Boulder Lake comprehensive summary report, 2021Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
- 2021N Fork Thunder River trend survey, 2021Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
- 2020Pickerel Chain summary report, 2020Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2020 (PDF)
- 2020White Potato Lake creel survey, 2020Creel Survey · WI DNR · 2020 (PDF)
- 2018First South Branch Oconto River trend survey, 2018Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2018 (PDF)
- 2018Oconto Falls Pond comprehensive survey, 2018Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2018 (PDF)
- 2017Bear and Munger lakes comprehensive survey, 2017Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2017 (PDF)
All Lakes in Oconto County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Max Depth | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Long Lake | A | 47.6 ft | - | 10.2 µg/L |
| 2 | Chain Lake | A | 44.3 ft | 42 ft | 9.5 µg/L |
| 3 | Neligan Lake | A | 45.9 ft | 23 ft | 11.1 µg/L |
| 4 | Round Lake | A | 49.2 ft | 31 ft | 13.8 µg/L |
| 5 | Boulder Lake | A | 36.1 ft | - | 13.3 µg/L |
| 6 | Smoke Lake | A | 25 ft | - | 13 µg/L |
| 7 | Bass Lake | A | 55.8 ft | 40 ft | 10.7 µg/L |
| 8 | Bass Lake | A | 19.7 ft | 11 ft | 15.9 µg/L |
| 9 | Bass Lake | A | - | 25 ft | 9.5 µg/L |
| 10 | Bear Lake | A | 32.8 ft | 20 ft | 13.8 µg/L |
| 11 | Grindle Lake | A | 29.5 ft | 23 ft | 12.4 µg/L |
| 12 | Anderson Lake | A | 32.8 ft | 40 ft | 15 µg/L |
| 13 | Little Horn Lake | A | 43.9 ft | 25 ft | 14.4 µg/L |
| 14 | Green Lake | A | 57.4 ft | - | 17.9 µg/L |
| 15 | White Lake | A | 50.9 ft | - | - |
| 16 | Munger Lake | A | 23 ft | 19 ft | 15.6 µg/L |
| 17 | Shadow Lake | A | 19.7 ft | - | 18 µg/L |
| 18 | Porcupine Lake | A | 23.8 ft | - | - |
| 19 | Pickerel Lake | A | 26.2 ft | - | 15.2 µg/L |
| 20 | Ranch Lake | A | 42.7 ft | 44 ft | 14.4 µg/L |
| 21 | White Potato Lake | A | 22.6 ft | - | 17 µg/L |
| 22 | Little Pickerel Lake | A | 36.1 ft | 20 ft | 16.7 µg/L |
| 23 | Underwood Lake | A | 59.9 ft | 37 ft | - |
| 24 | Star Lake | A | 49.2 ft | - | 14.2 µg/L |
| 25 | Maiden Lake | A | 80.4 ft | 52 ft | 9.9 µg/L |
| 26 | Kelly Lake | A | 34.5 ft | 41 ft | 14.3 µg/L |
| 27 | Berry Lake | A | 23 ft | 27 ft | 15.3 µg/L |
| 28 | Boot Lake | A | 67.3 ft | 38 ft | 11.3 µg/L |
| 29 | Pecor Lake | A | 48.4 ft | - | - |
| 30 | Explosion Lake | A | 55 ft | - | 15.7 µg/L |
| 31 | Shay Lake | A | 49.2 ft | 36 ft | 14.2 µg/L |
| 32 | Crooked Lake | A | 36.1 ft | 37 ft | 11.8 µg/L |
| 33 | Horn Lake | A | 29.5 ft | - | 14.5 µg/L |
| 34 | Archibald Lake | A | 55.4 ft | 50 ft | 10.6 µg/L |
| 35 | Paya Lake | A | 65.6 ft | 40 ft | 10.5 µg/L |
| 36 | Bear Paw Lake | A | 52.5 ft | - | 11.1 µg/L |
| 37 | Ucil Lake | A | 42.7 ft | - | - |
| 38 | Wescott Lake | A | 44.3 ft | 27 ft | - |
| 39 | Waubee Lake | A | 44.3 ft | 23 ft | 10.5 µg/L |
| 40 | Reservoir Pond | A | 31.2 ft | 16 ft | 19.3 µg/L |
| 41 | Townsend Flowage Lake | A | 29.5 ft | - | 14 µg/L |
| 42 | Pickerel Lake [Site 4] | A | 36.1 ft | - | - |
| 43 | Surprise Lake | A | 26.2 ft | 20 ft | 13.1 µg/L |
| 44 | Pine Ridge Lake | A | 55.8 ft | 30 ft | 11 µg/L |
| 45 | Halfmoon Lake | A | 52.5 ft | 38 ft | 11.8 µg/L |
| 46 | Deadman Lake | A | 46.4 ft | 45 ft | 9.7 µg/L |
| 47 | Sunrise Lake | A | 45.9 ft | 32 ft | 12.6 µg/L |
| 48 | Finnegan Lake | A | 32.8 ft | 38 ft | 15.3 µg/L |
| 49 | Wheeler Lake | A | 72.2 ft | - | 11.9 µg/L |
| 50 | Boundary Lake | A | 45.9 ft | - | 12.1 µg/L |
| 51 | Gilkey Lake | A | 19.7 ft | - | 10.4 µg/L |
| 52 | Little Archibald Lake | A | - | 65 ft | 15 µg/L |
| 53 | Chute Pond at | A | 18 ft | 19 ft | 28 µg/L |
| 54 | Grignon Lake | A | 19.7 ft | - | 22.9 µg/L |
| 55 | Wiscobee Lake | A | 18.9 ft | 40 ft | 22 µg/L |
| 56 | Pickerel Lake | B | 14.8 ft | - | 27 µg/L |
| 57 | Porcupine Lake-Deep Hole | B | 18.5 ft | 20 ft | 54.3 µg/L |
| 58 | Cooley Lake | B | 16.4 ft | 42 ft | 39.3 µg/L |
| 59 | Christie Lake | B | 9.8 ft | 10 ft | 13.1 µg/L |
| 60 | Moody Lake | B | 16.4 ft | - | 44.1 µg/L |
| 61 | Spice Lake | C | 8.2 ft | 34 ft | - |
| 62 | Machickanee Flowage Lake | C | 9.8 ft | 21 ft | 33.1 µg/L |
| 63 | A2 Lake | C | 7.4 ft | 50 ft | - |
| 64 | Hoerth Lake | C | 11.5 ft | 23 ft | 108 µg/L |
| 65 | Klaus Lake | D | 9.8 ft | 50 ft | 92.7 µg/L |
| 66 | Peterson Lake | D | 9.8 ft | 56 ft | 129.5 µg/L |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.