Bass Lake
Bass Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 12.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 272 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.8 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 15 ft
- Area
- 272 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Vilas County
Swipe left or right on this bar to open the next or previous lake.
Bass Lake is a 272-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 15 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 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Bass Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-05-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Bass Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow 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
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Good clarity, visible to about 12.8 ft. Phosphorus level: 18.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 18.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Bass Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bass Lake in Vilas 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 →
Water Temperature
Bass Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in Apr (about 47°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 18 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bass Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Bass Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (229,087 cells/mL) on April 18, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Bass Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2025Johnson Lake spring bass panfish survey, 2025Panfish Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Muskellunge Lake spring bass panfish survey, 2025Musky Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 15 ft |
| Surface Area | 272 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lower Ninemile LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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.
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.079 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.79 µg/L/yr | 6 |
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
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007862 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.79 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Bass Lake
Where is Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 12.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 272 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.
What is the water temperature of Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 18 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 15 feet. The lake covers 272 acres.
What fish are in Bass Lake?
- Fish species found in Bass Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Bass Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
Does Bass Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Bass Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (229,087 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
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 Lower Ninemile Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bass Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
49 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_WQX49 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
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