Rusk County Lake Quality
Wisconsin, 13 lakes, average grade B (Good)
Rusk County has 13 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. With an average grade of B, Rusk County sits comfortably above the Wisconsin median.
A meaningful share of Rusk's lakes break 50 feet of depth, which matters because deep lakes hold cooler water all summer and resist the resuspended-sediment problems that plague shallow basins. The county's best-graded lake is Sand Lake (A).
Quick Answers for Rusk County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Sand Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Wisconsin regulations index.
DNR Reports (2)
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries Survey resources for lakes in Rusk County. browse all reports →
- 2022Ladysmith Flowage spring shocking survey, 2022Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2022 (PDF)
- 2021Potato Lake netting and shocking survey 2019, 2021Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
All Lakes in Rusk County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Max Depth | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sand Lake | A | 43.5 ft | 100 ft | - |
| 2 | Island Lake | A | 23.8 ft | 54 ft | 15.4 µg/L |
| 3 | Clear Lake | A | 44.3 ft | 74 ft | 12.2 µg/L |
| 4 | Big Falls Flowage Lake | A | 15.6 ft | 45 ft | - |
| 5 | Mccann Lake | A | 16.8 ft | 38 ft | - |
| 6 | Thornapple Flowage Lake | A | 18 ft | 19 ft | - |
| 7 | Pulaski Lake | A | 32 ft | 40 ft | - |
| 8 | Potato Lake | B | 13.3 ft | - | - |
| 9 | Amacoy Lake | B | 14.8 ft | 20 ft | 25.3 µg/L |
| 10 | Unnamed Rusk Co -Deep Hole Lake | B | 18.6 ft | 16 ft | 30.5 µg/L |
| 11 | Two Bear Lake | B | - | 35 ft | 22 µg/L |
| 12 | Murphy Flowage Lake | C | - | 14 ft | 33.4 µg/L |
| 13 | Dairyland Reservoir | D | 4.5 ft | 70 ft | - |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.