Antler Lake

Antler Lake sits at the top of the Wisconsin DNR grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Wisconsin. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Antler Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. A maximum depth of 22 ft puts Antler Lake in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. At 94 acres, Antler Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Antler Lake ranks 15 of 74 in Polk County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Antler Lake has at least one documented invasive species (Chinese Mystery Snail), so boaters and anglers should observe clean-drain-dry steps when leaving the lake. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 3, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. Public access is available — the lake is on the Wisconsin DNR public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.