Big Trade Lake
Big Trade Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 327 acres.
- Clarity
- 5 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 39 ft
- Area
- 327 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Burnett County
Big Trade Lake is a 327-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 39 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings. Compared to the 29 other monitored lakes in Burnett County, Big Trade Lake ranks #24 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Phosphorus level: 28.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 28.9 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Big Trade Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Trade Lake in Burnett 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 Trade Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Big Trade Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 27 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Big Trade Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Big Trade Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (990,832 cells/mL) on June 27, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 39 ft |
| Surface Area | 327 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Big Trade Lake - WestPublic
- Big Trade Lake - EastPublic
- Holmes LakePublic
- Little Holmes LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Trade 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.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1986. 8 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Big Trade Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2021Trade Lake comprehensive survey, 2021Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2021 (PDF)
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.247 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.33 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Big Trade Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10005125 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #24 of 30 lakes in Burnett County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Big Trade Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Burnett County
Frequently asked questions about Big Trade Lake
What is the water quality grade for Big Trade Lake?
- Big Trade Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 327 acres.
Is Big Trade Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Big Trade Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Big Trade Lake?
- Big Trade Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 27 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Big Trade Lake?
- Big Trade Lake has a maximum depth of 39 feet. The lake covers 327 acres.
What fish are in Big Trade Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Trade Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Big Trade Lake is located in Burnett County, Wisconsin.
Does Big Trade Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Big Trade Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (990,832 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Big Trade Lake?
- Big Trade Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Trade Lake - West, Big Trade Lake - East, Holmes Lake, Little Holmes Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Big Trade Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Lakes in the St. Croix Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
98 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_WQX98 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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
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