Brandy Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin113 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Brandy Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 44 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Brandy Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 44 ft. Surface area: 113 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Brandy Lake. DNR survey details →
Brandy Lake is a 113-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 44 feet. 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 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Brandy Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Deep water44 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 Brandy 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 Brandy Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Brandy Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. TSI 40.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13ft | 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. | 40 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Brandy Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Brandy Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Brandy Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 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 1995. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
44 ft
Surface area
113 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.8 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,591 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Brandy 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 Brandy Lake
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Follow Brandy Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Brandy 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 4 years of monitoring (2022–2026).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Brandy Lake
Where is Brandy Lake?
- Brandy 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 Brandy Lake?
- Brandy Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 44 ft. Surface area: 113 acres.
Is Brandy Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Brandy Lake?
- Brandy Lake has a maximum depth of 44 feet. The lake covers 113 acres.
What fish are in Brandy Lake?
- Fish species found in Brandy Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Brandy Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Brandy Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Brandy Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Brandy Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Brandy Lake?
- Brandy Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Brandy Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Brandy Lake?
- Brandy 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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Where this data comes from
9 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2024–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX9 samples · 2024–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory