Axhandle Lake
Chippewa County, Wisconsin86 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Axhandle Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 73 ft max depth
- Public access
Axhandle Lake in Chippewa County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Maximum depth: 72.5 ft. Surface area: 86 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Axhandle Lake. DNR survey details →
Axhandle Lake is a 86-acre mesotrophic lake in Chippewa County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 73 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 6 other monitored lakes in Chippewa County, Axhandle Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-07. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Axhandle Lake covers about 86 acres in Chippewa County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Axhandle Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Axhandle Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.2 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing3 species recorded
- Deep water72.5 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Axhandle Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Axhandle Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Axhandle Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10.2 ft. Phosphorus 14 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Axhandle Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Axhandle Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Axhandle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. 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 1990. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
72.5 ft
Surface area
86 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
2.1 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,102 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Axhandle LakePublic
- Axhandle LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Axhandle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Axhandle Lake in Chippewa 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 Axhandle Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Axhandle Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.18 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Chippewa County
Frequently asked questions about Axhandle Lake
Where is Axhandle Lake?
- Axhandle Lake is a lake in Chippewa County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Axhandle Lake?
- Axhandle Lake in Chippewa County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Maximum depth: 72.5 ft. Surface area: 86 acres.
Is Axhandle Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Axhandle Lake?
- Axhandle Lake has a maximum depth of 72.5 feet. The lake covers 86 acres.
What fish are in Axhandle Lake?
- Fish species found in Axhandle Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Axhandle Lake is located in Chippewa County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Axhandle Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Axhandle Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Axhandle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Axhandle Lake?
- Axhandle Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Axhandle Lake, Axhandle Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Axhandle Lake?
- Axhandle Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Axhandle Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
95 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 Resources
WIDNR_WQX95 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Turbidity in Water
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
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