Big Stone Lake
Oneida County, Wisconsin607 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Big Stone Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 57 ft max depth
- Public access
Big Stone Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 607 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Big Stone Lake. DNR survey details →
Big Stone Lake is a 607-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 57 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, Big Stone Lake ranks #27 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2022-10-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Big Stone Lake covers about 610 acres in Oneida County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Big Stone Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Big Stone Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing6 species recorded
- Deep water57 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation 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. Big Stone Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Big Stone 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.
Water quality measurements for Big Stone Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Big Stone 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 4.2 ft. Phosphorus 22.5 µg/L. TSI 53.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 22.5µg/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. | 53 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Big Stone Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Big Stone Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Stone Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 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. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2022).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
57 ft
Surface area
607 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Recreation & Access
- Big Stone Lake - Chicken in the Woods RoadPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Big Stone Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Stone 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 Big Stone Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Stone 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: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Phosphorus
Improving-3.35 µg/L/yr3 years
EPA Impairment Status
Big Stone Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007222 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Big Stone Lake
Where is Big Stone Lake?
- Big Stone 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 Big Stone Lake?
- Big Stone Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 607 acres.
Is Big Stone Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Big Stone Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Big Stone Lake?
- Big Stone Lake has a maximum depth of 57 feet. The lake covers 607 acres.
What fish are in Big Stone Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Stone Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Big Stone Lake is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Big Stone Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Big Stone Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Stone Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Big Stone Lake?
- Big Stone Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Stone Lake - Chicken in the Woods Road. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Big Stone Lake?
- Big Stone 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.
Explore Big Stone Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
47 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX47 samples · 2020–2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory