Bittersweet Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin104 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Bittersweet Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 31 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Bittersweet Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 31 ft. Surface area: 104 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Bittersweet Lake. DNR survey details →
Bittersweet Lake is a 104-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 31 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2024-09-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Bittersweet Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing3 species recorded
- Deep water31 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bittersweet 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 Bittersweet Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Bittersweet 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 5.5 ft. TSI 53.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| 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 Bittersweet Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Bittersweet Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bittersweet 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2024).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
31 ft
Surface area
104 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
2.1 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,617 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Bittersweet Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bittersweet Lake
- → Bittersweet Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Bittersweet Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Bittersweet Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Bittersweet Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Improving-4.03 µg/L/yr7 years
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Bittersweet Lake
Where is Bittersweet Lake?
- Bittersweet Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bittersweet Lake?
- Bittersweet Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 31 ft. Surface area: 104 acres.
Is Bittersweet Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Bittersweet Lake?
- Bittersweet Lake has a maximum depth of 31 feet. The lake covers 104 acres.
What fish are in Bittersweet Lake?
- Fish species found in Bittersweet Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Bittersweet Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bittersweet Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Bittersweet Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bittersweet 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.
Can I fish at Bittersweet Lake?
- Public access to Bittersweet Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX1 sample · 2024
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes