Bass Lake

Bass Lake earns an A — every scored parameter (phosphorus) rates among the best monitored waters in Oconto County.

The lake's low TSI puts it in oligotrophic territory — the cleanest of the four trophic classes, but also the most vulnerable to nutrient-driven shifts. The lake bottoms out at 25 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 16 acres, Bass Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Among the 62 graded lakes in Oconto County, Bass Lake ranks 3 — in the top quartile locally.

Bass 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 2, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.