Bear Lake

On the LakeGrade scale Bear Lake grades a B, with clarity at 6.2 ft and 18 µg/L of phosphorus placing it above the Wisconsin median. Clarity is the limiting factor — phosphorus is reasonable but suspended particles or algal cells keep water transparency below Wisconsin norms.

A TSI near 48 places Bear Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. The lake's 87 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Wisconsin — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. With 1,348 acres of surface and partial shoreline records, Bear Lake is a large water by Wisconsin standards — recreational pressure is spread across a long shoreline. Bear Lake ranks 13 of 37 in Barron County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.

An invasive species record — Banded Mystery Snail — has been logged at Bear Lake; Wisconsin DNR maintains the official infested-waters list. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 5 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.