Where is Bearskin Lake?

Bearskin Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.

What is the water temperature of Bearskin Lake?

Bearskin Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in October, from 32 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Bearskin Lake?

Bearskin Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet. The lake covers 403 acres.

Does Bearskin Lake have blue-green algae?

There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Bearskin Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (199,526 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.

Are there boat ramps on Bearskin Lake?

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

Can I fish at Bearskin Lake?

Bearskin Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

Bearskin Lake

Oneida County, Wisconsin403 acresView map Directions

Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Bearskin Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

6 ft

Typical for Wisconsin

Secchi · sampled 2026

Phosphorus

23.8 µg/L

Typical for Wisconsin

Measured by Wisconsin DNR

Water temp

~64°F

Typical for Oct · EPA WQP

Max depth

26 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

403 acres

Surface area

Type

Eutrophic

Trophic class

Eutrophic
Impaired · Cause unknown
Rusty Crayfish
26 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Bearskin Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 403 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Bearskin Lake. DNR survey details →

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Bearskin Lake is a 403-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 26 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 66 other monitored lakes in Oneida County, Bearskin Lake ranks #12 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Bearskin Lake covers about 400 acres in Oneida County. It has one public boat landing. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Bearskin Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.

What Bearskin Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp
Fishing6 species recorded

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Recreation use not supported

Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Bearskin Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Bearskin Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

Compare swimming lakes near Minocqua →

Get alerts for Bearskin Lake →

Water quality measurements for Bearskin Lake

These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Bearskin Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus 23.8 µg/L. TSI 51.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	6ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	23.8µg/L	Good GoodFairPoor
Chlorophyll-a (algae)		No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water.
Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a.	51	Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Ask about Bearskin Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Water Temperature

Bearskin Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Apr (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

Feb

Mar

49°

Apr

63°

May

70°

Jun

75°

Jul

73°

Aug

69°

Sep

64°

Oct

Nov

Dec

Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (49°F) to its warmest (75°F).

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 32 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bearskin Lake water temperature breakdown →

Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)

No current satellite reading

There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Bearskin Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (199,526 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.

Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Bearskin Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bearskin Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment

Good · Shallow Lowland lake

Trophic State Index 61 (eutrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Musky(Common)Walleye(Common)Panfish(Present)Largemouth Bass(Present)Smallmouth Bass(Present)Northern Pike(Present)

Contour map (PDF) →Full WI DNR LakePage →Water quality stations →

Lake Details

Max depth

26 ft

Surface area

403 acres

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

14 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Shoreline

4.9 mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

1,535 ft

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

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Bearskin LakePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Bearskin Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bearskin Lake in Oneida 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 Bearskin Lake

Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.

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 →

Follow Bearskin Lake’s readings

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Fish Species

Musky Panfish Largemouth Bass Smallmouth Bass Northern Pike Walleye

Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.

Fishing Bearskin 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.

Chinese Mystery SnailRusty Crayfish

Water Quality Trend: Improving

Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).

Water clarity
Stable
6 years
Phosphorus
Improving
-0.61 µg/L/yr7 years

See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

Bearskin Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Cause unknown

Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007217 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Oneida County

Burnham Lake—View →Little Bearskin Lake8.3 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →Birch Lake7.8 ft clear—View →Seed Lake—View →Sand Lake—View →South Blue Lake—View →

Frequently asked questions about Bearskin Lake

Where is Bearskin Lake?: Bearskin Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bearskin Lake?: Bearskin Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 403 acres.
Is Bearskin Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Bearskin Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bearskin Lake?: Bearskin Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in October, from 32 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bearskin Lake?: Bearskin Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet. The lake covers 403 acres.
What fish are in Bearskin Lake?: Fish species found in Bearskin Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Bearskin Lake is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bearskin Lake?: Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Bearskin Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bearskin Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Bearskin Lake have blue-green algae?: There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Bearskin Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (199,526 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Bearskin Lake?: Bearskin Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bearskin Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Bearskin Lake?: Bearskin Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

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Oneida County

Where this data comes from

63 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_WQX63 samples · 2020–2026

Analytical methods

Phosphorus by Colorimetry

Monitoring station identifiers (1)

WIDNR_WQX-443121

EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.