Bass Lake
Lincoln County, Wisconsin106 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Bass Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 40 ft max depth
- Public access
Bass Lake in Lincoln County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 106 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Bass Lake. DNR survey details →
Bass Lake is a 106-acre mesotrophic lake in Lincoln County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 40 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Lincoln County, Bass Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-04-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Bass Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12.5 ft of visibility
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Deep water40 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. Bass Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bass 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 Bass Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Bass 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 12.5 ft. Phosphorus 13.5 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 12.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 13.5µg/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. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Bass Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Bass Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in July. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Apr (about 46°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (46°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 11 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bass Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Bass Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bass 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 1993. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
40 ft
Surface area
106 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.8 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,745 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Bass Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bass Lake in Lincoln 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 Bass Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bass 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 Trend: Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.58 µg/L/yr7 years
EPA Impairment Status
Bass Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007132 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Lincoln County
Frequently asked questions about Bass Lake
Where is Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake is a lake in Lincoln County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake in Lincoln County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 106 acres.
Is Bass Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Bass Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in July, from 11 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet. The lake covers 106 acres.
What fish are in Bass Lake?
- Fish species found in Bass Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Bass Lake is located in Lincoln County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bass Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Largemouth Bass as common on Bass Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bass 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.
Can I fish at Bass Lake?
- Public access to Bass Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Bass Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Lincoln County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
39 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_WQX39 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes