Oconto County Lake Quality
Wisconsin, 62 lakes, average grade B (Good)
Oconto County in Wisconsin carries 62 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-wide average lands at B — solid water quality with most lakes carrying clear summer transparency and low-to-moderate phosphorus.
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. Round Lake (A) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Oconto County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Round 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 | Round Lake | A | 16.8 ft | 31 ft | 13.8 µg/L |
| 2 | Bass Lake | A | 16.8 ft | 40 ft | 10.7 µg/L |
| 3 | Bass Lake | A | - | 25 ft | 9.5 µg/L |
| 4 | Explosion Lake | A | 17 ft | 10 ft | 15.7 µg/L |
| 5 | Archibald Lake | A | 17.6 ft | 50 ft | 10.6 µg/L |
| 6 | Green Lake | A | 18.3 ft | 25 ft | 17.9 µg/L |
| 7 | Paya Lake | A | 20 ft | 40 ft | 10.5 µg/L |
| 8 | Boot Lake | A | 21.5 ft | 38 ft | 11.3 µg/L |
| 9 | White Lake | A | 15.7 ft | - | - |
| 10 | Star Lake | A | 17 ft | 21 ft | 14.2 µg/L |
| 11 | Bear Paw Lake | A | 16 ft | 20 ft | 11.1 µg/L |
| 12 | Shay Lake | A | 15 ft | 36 ft | 14.2 µg/L |
| 13 | Neligan Lake | A | 15 ft | 23 ft | 11.1 µg/L |
| 14 | Pine Ridge Lake | A | 17 ft | 30 ft | 11 µg/L |
| 15 | Halfmoon Lake | A | 16 ft | 38 ft | 11.8 µg/L |
| 16 | Maiden Lake | A | 22.7 ft | 52 ft | 9.9 µg/L |
| 17 | Wheeler Lake | A | 22 ft | 35 ft | 11.9 µg/L |
| 18 | Townsend Flowage Lake | A | - | - | 14 µg/L |
| 19 | Little Archibald Lake | A | - | 65 ft | 15 µg/L |
| 20 | Boulder Lake | A | 11 ft | 11 ft | 13.3 µg/L |
| 21 | Little Pickerel Lake | A | 11 ft | 20 ft | 16.7 µg/L |
| 22 | Chain Lake | A | 13.5 ft | 42 ft | 9.5 µg/L |
| 23 | Long Lake | A | 14.5 ft | - | 10.2 µg/L |
| 24 | Crooked Lake | A | 11 ft | 37 ft | 11.8 µg/L |
| 25 | Anderson Lake | A | 10 ft | 40 ft | 15 µg/L |
| 26 | Kelly Lake | A | 10 ft | 41 ft | 14.3 µg/L |
| 27 | Ranch Lake | A | 12.5 ft | 44 ft | 14.4 µg/L |
| 28 | Little Horn Lake | A | 13.3 ft | 25 ft | 14.4 µg/L |
| 29 | Waubee Lake | A | 13.5 ft | 23 ft | 10.5 µg/L |
| 30 | Deadman Lake | A | 14.1 ft | 45 ft | 9.7 µg/L |
| 31 | Sunrise Lake | A | 14 ft | 32 ft | 12.6 µg/L |
| 32 | Finnegan Lake | A | 10 ft | 38 ft | 15.3 µg/L |
| 33 | Boundary Lake | A | 14 ft | 19 ft | 12.1 µg/L |
| 34 | Pickerel Lake | B | 8 ft | 10 ft | 15.2 µg/L |
| 35 | Berry Lake | B | 7.5 ft | 27 ft | 15.3 µg/L |
| 36 | Bear Lake | B | 9 ft | 20 ft | 13.8 µg/L |
| 37 | Grindle Lake | B | 9 ft | 23 ft | 12.4 µg/L |
| 38 | Reservoir Pond | B | 9.5 ft | 16 ft | 19.3 µg/L |
| 39 | Surprise Lake | B | 8 ft | 20 ft | 13.1 µg/L |
| 40 | Smoke Lake | B | 7.5 ft | 5 ft | 13 µg/L |
| 41 | Pecor Lake | B | 13.5 ft | - | - |
| 42 | Porcupine Lake | B | 10.5 ft | - | - |
| 43 | Horn Lake | B | 8.8 ft | 11 ft | 14.5 µg/L |
| 44 | Munger Lake | B | 7 ft | 19 ft | 15.6 µg/L |
| 45 | Bass Lake | B | 6 ft | 11 ft | 15.9 µg/L |
| 46 | Shadow Lake | B | 6 ft | 7 ft | 18 µg/L |
| 47 | White Potato Lake | B | 6.5 ft | 11 ft | 17 µg/L |
| 48 | Gilkey Lake | B | 6 ft | 6 ft | 10.4 µg/L |
| 49 | Pickerel Lake | C | 4.5 ft | - | 27 µg/L |
| 50 | Grignon Lake | C | 6 ft | - | 22.9 µg/L |
| 51 | Chute Pond at | C | 6 ft | 19 ft | 28 µg/L |
| 52 | Wiscobee Lake | C | 5.7 ft | 40 ft | 22 µg/L |
| 53 | Christie Lake | C | 3 ft | 10 ft | 13.1 µg/L |
| 54 | Cooley Lake | C | 5 ft | 42 ft | 39.3 µg/L |
| 55 | Porcupine Lake-Deep Hole | C | 6.5 ft | 20 ft | 54.3 µg/L |
| 56 | Moody Lake | C | 5 ft | - | 44.1 µg/L |
| 57 | Machickanee Flowage Lake | D | 3 ft | 21 ft | 33.1 µg/L |
| 58 | Peterson Lake | D | 3.5 ft | 56 ft | 129.5 µg/L |
| 59 | Hoerth Lake | D | 5.5 ft | 23 ft | 108 µg/L |
| 60 | Klaus Lake | F | 3 ft | 50 ft | 92.7 µg/L |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.