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LakeQuality

Amik Lake

C
Grade C — Fair
Fair · #96 of 103 lakes in the county · 2.8 ft clear · Eutrophic · 141 acres · from D
Eutrophic

Amik Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 38.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 141 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Amik Lake. DNR survey details →

Clarity
2.8 ft
Max depth
8 ft
Area
141 acres
Type
Eutrophic
Trend
Stable
Public access
Yes

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Amik Lake is a 141-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 8 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Amik Lake ranks #96 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-22. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Moderate

Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Minocqua

Get alerts for Amik Lake

Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)

Very murky, less than 2.8 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 38.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 60.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)2.8 ftNot graded
Phosphorus38.8 µg/LFair
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)60Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Where to stay near Amik Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Amik Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.

Top-rated places to stay near Amik Lake

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Amik Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Amik Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1996. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment
Good · Shallow Lowland lake
Trophic State Index 61 (eutrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Largemouth Bass(Common)Walleye(Common)Musky(Present)Panfish(Present)Smallmouth Bass(Present)Northern Pike(Present)

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth8 ft
Surface Area141 acres
Public AccessYes

Recreation & Access

3
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
1
Campgrounds
  • Apeekwa LakePublic
  • Emily LakePublic
  • Favil LakePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Public campgrounds near Amik Lake

  • Emily Lake4.0 km

Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Amik Lake

Invasive & Introduced Species

Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.

Chinese Mystery SnailRusty Crayfish

Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-0.065 m/yr5
Phosphorus Improving-1.34 µg/L/yr7
See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

Amik Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10003623 · Official waterbody report

County Ranking

Ranked #96 of 103 lakes in Vilas County

Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades

Amik Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Vilas County

Frequently asked questions about Amik Lake

Where is Amik Lake?

Amik Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for Amik Lake?

Amik Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 38.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 141 acres.

Is Amik Lake safe to swim in?

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Amik Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Amik Lake?

Amik Lake has a maximum depth of 8 feet. The lake covers 141 acres.

What fish are in Amik Lake?

Fish species found in Amik Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Amik Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.

What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Amik Lake?

Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Amik Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Amik Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.

Are there boat ramps on Amik Lake?

Amik Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Apeekwa Lake, Emily Lake, Favil Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Are there campgrounds on Amik Lake?

Amik Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Emily Lake. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.

Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Where this data comes from

120 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX120 samples · 2020–2026

Analytical methods

  • Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)

Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.

Other records on this page

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes

Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory

Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles