Bass Lake
Bass Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 31 ft. Surface area: 132 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Bass Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 16 ft
- Max depth
- 31 ft
- Area
- 132 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Bass Lake is a 132-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 31 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 26 other monitored lakes in Washburn County, Bass Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-10. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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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)
Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down. Phosphorus level: 12.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12.3 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Bass Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bass Lake in Washburn 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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Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Bass Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bass Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. 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 1990. 6 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 31 ft |
| Surface Area | 132 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bass LakePublic
- Little Bass 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: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -1.221 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.42 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 27 lakes in Washburn County
Nearby Lakes in Washburn County
Frequently asked questions about Bass Lake
Where is Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake is a lake in Washburn 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 Washburn County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 31 ft. Surface area: 132 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 31 feet. The lake covers 132 acres.
What fish are in Bass Lake?
- Fish species found in Bass Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Bass Lake is located in Washburn County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bass Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Bass Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bass Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bass Lake, Little Bass Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bass Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
85 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX85 samples · 2020–2025
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