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LakeQuality

Bass Lake

B
Grade B — Good
Good · #4 of 39 lakes in the county · 16.8 ft clear · Oligotrophic · 145 acres · from A
Oligotrophic

Bass Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 16.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 145 acres.

Clarity
16.8 ft
Max depth
40 ft
Area
145 acres
Type
Oligotrophic
Trend
Declining
Public access
Yes

Next lake in Oconto County

BBoot Lake21.5 ft clear · Oconto CountyView →
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Bass Lake is a 145-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 40 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Walleye. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 38 other monitored lakes in Oconto County, Bass Lake ranks #4 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-05-23. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Low algae

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.

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Rhinelander

Get alerts for Bass Lake

Water Quality Grade: B (Good)

Crystal clear, you can see 16.8 ft down. Phosphorus level: 10.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)16.8 ftNot graded
Phosphorus10.7 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)37Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming

Where to stay near Bass Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bass Lake in Oconto 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

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 →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth40 ft
Surface Area145 acres
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
6 sq mi
Shoreline
2.2 mi
Elevation
1,306 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Bass Lake Picnic GroundPublic

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded 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.

Banded Mystery SnailChinese Mystery SnailHybrid Eurasian / Northern Water-MilfoilRusty Crayfish

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 2000. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment
Excellent · Deep Seepage lake
Trophic State Index 39 (oligotrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Common)Walleye(Common)Largemouth Bass(Present)

Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Stable+0.263 m/yr6
Phosphorus Declining+1.28 µg/L/yr6
See year-by-year chart →

County Ranking

Ranked #4 of 39 lakes in Oconto County

Nearby Lakes in Oconto County

Frequently asked questions about Bass Lake

What is the water quality grade for Bass Lake?

Bass Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 16.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 145 acres.

Is Bass Lake safe to swim in?

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Bass Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Bass Lake?

Bass Lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet. The lake covers 145 acres.

What fish are in Bass Lake?

Fish species found in Bass Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye. Bass Lake is located in Oconto County, Wisconsin.

Are there boat ramps on Bass Lake?

Bass Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bass Lake Picnic Ground. Public access is listed as yes.

Oligotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Where this data comes from

61 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_WQX61 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

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