Bashaw Lake
Burnett County, Wisconsin170 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Bashaw Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 16 ft max depth
- Public access
Bashaw Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 48.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 170 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Northern Pike as common on Bashaw Lake. DNR survey details →
Bashaw Lake is a 170-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 16 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 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 29 other monitored lakes in Burnett County, Bashaw Lake ranks #30 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-10-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Bashaw Lake covers about 170 acres in Burnett County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Bashaw Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Bashaw Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyElevated nutrients
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 Bashaw 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 Bashaw Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Bashaw Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 48.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 8.6 µg/L. TSI 58.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 48.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 8.6µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 58 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Bashaw Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Northern Pike as common on Bashaw Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bashaw Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2018).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
16 ft
Surface area
170 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
29 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
3.5 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
988 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bashaw 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 Bashaw Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bashaw Lake in Burnett 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Bashaw Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Bashaw 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 →
Follow Bashaw Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bashaw 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.
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2021–2022). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-3 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-7.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Burnett County
Frequently asked questions about Bashaw Lake
Where is Bashaw Lake?
- Bashaw Lake is a lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bashaw Lake?
- Bashaw Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 48.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 170 acres.
Is Bashaw Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Bashaw Lake?
- Bashaw Lake has a maximum depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 170 acres.
What fish are in Bashaw Lake?
- Fish species found in Bashaw Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Bashaw Lake is located in Burnett County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bashaw Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Northern Pike as common on Bashaw Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bashaw Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Bashaw Lake?
- Bashaw Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bashaw Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Bashaw Lake?
- Bashaw Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Bashaw Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
80 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin
STCROIX_WQX80 samples · 2021–2022
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 4500 P F ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry Automated Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Calculation
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