Panfish Lakes in Wisconsin

Found in 1,182 Wisconsin lakes

Rough fish like Panfish are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 1,182 Wisconsin lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. With 0 Minnesota lakes and 1,182 in Wisconsin documenting Panfish, the species is one of the more accessible targets in the dataset.

Rough-fish-dominant lakes are worth checking the grade on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Panfish lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Panfish documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

1,182

Wisconsin Lakes

Avg. Grade

849

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Best Panfish Lakes in Wisconsin

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Geneva Lake	Walworth	A	19 ft	135 ft
2	Lac Courte Oreilles Lake	Sawyer	A	38.7 ft	90 ft
3	Sunset Lake	Portage	A	41 ft	55 ft
4	Sunset Lake	Vilas	A	56.5 ft	30 ft
5	Grindstone Lake	Sawyer	A	57.7 ft	60 ft
6	Middle Sugarbush Lake	Vilas	A	50 ft	57 ft
7	Irving Lake	Vilas	A	36.1 ft	-
8	Windigo Lake	Sawyer	A	36.1 ft	51 ft
9	Towanda Lake	Vilas	A	34.5 ft	27 ft
10	Parker Lake	Adams	A	55.8 ft	36 ft
11	West Bay Lake	Vilas	A	27.9 ft	57 ft
12	West Bay Lake	Vilas	A	19.7 ft	23 ft
13	West Bay Lake	Vilas	A	42.7 ft	31 ft
14	Long Lake	Waushara	A	45.9 ft	71 ft
15	Long Lake	Waupaca	A	44.3 ft	76 ft
16	Long Lake	Burnett	A	68.9 ft	41 ft
17	Long Lake	Lincoln	A	47.7 ft	64 ft
18	Long Lake	Chippewa	A	32.8 ft	101 ft
19	Long Lake	Fond du Lac	A	32.8 ft	47 ft
20	Long Lake	Oneida	A	41 ft	58 ft
21	Long Lake	Bayfield	A	52.5 ft	28 ft
22	Long Lake	Waushara	A	19.7 ft	14 ft
23	Long Lake	Iron	A	18 ft	34 ft
24	Long Lake	Oneida	A	36.9 ft	31 ft
25	Chain Lake	Chippewa	A	16.4 ft	74 ft
26	Chain Lake	Oconto	A	44.3 ft	42 ft
27	Upper Eau Claire Lake	Bayfield	A	61.5 ft	92 ft
28	Spring Lake	Waushara	A	32.6 ft	37 ft
29	Spring Lake	Vilas	A	27.9 ft	16 ft
30	Spring Lake	Manitowoc	A	26.2 ft	23 ft
31	Spring Lake	Waukesha	A	-	22 ft
32	Spring Lake	Washburn	A	-	24 ft
33	Black Hawk Lake	Iowa	A	17.2 ft	42 ft
34	Spider Lake	Vilas	A	36.9 ft	43 ft
35	Spider Lake	Sawyer	A	32.8 ft	64 ft
36	Spider Lake	Bayfield	A	18 ft	15 ft
37	Silver Lake	Waupaca	A	23 ft	17 ft
38	Silver Lake	Waukesha	A	36.9 ft	40 ft
39	Silver Lake	Waushara	A	33.6 ft	56 ft
40	Silver Lake	Kenosha	A	25.5 ft	44 ft
41	Silver Lake	Barron	A	42.7 ft	91 ft
42	Silver Lake	Washburn	A	39.4 ft	28 ft
43	Silver Lake	Waushara	A	49.2 ft	50 ft
44	Silver Lake	Vilas	A	39.9 ft	-
45	Silver Lake	Forest	A	42.7 ft	-
46	Wood Lake	Marquette	A	45.9 ft	53 ft
47	Pleasant Lake	Waushara	A	39.4 ft	24 ft
48	Pleasant Lake	Walworth	A	44.3 ft	29 ft
49	Lac la Belle Lake	Waukesha	A	16.4 ft	45 ft
50	Dead Pike Lake	Vilas	A	24.6 ft	80 ft

Showing top 50 of 1,182 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Wisconsin lakes have panfish?

Panfish are found in 1,182 lakes in Wisconsin. The average water quality grade of these lakes is B (Good).

What are the best panfish lakes in Wisconsin?

The best panfish lakes in Wisconsin by water quality are Geneva Lake, Lac Courte Oreilles Lake, Sunset Lake, Sunset Lake, Grindstone Lake.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.