Big Bass Lake

Big Bass Lake sits at the top of the Wisconsin DNR grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Wisconsin. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

A TSI value of 40 puts Big Bass Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. A maximum depth of 27 ft puts Big Bass Lake in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. Big Bass Lake covers 201 acres alongside partial shoreline records — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Among the 47 graded lakes in Washburn County, Big Bass Lake ranks 9 — in the top quartile locally.

Big 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. Walleye are documented at Big Bass Lake, one of 4 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Big Bass Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.