Catfish Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin1,012 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Catfish Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Rusty Crayfish
- 30 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Catfish 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: 30 ft. Surface area: 1012 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Catfish Lake. DNR survey details →
Catfish Lake is a 1,012-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Water clarity is declining 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.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-13. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Catfish Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing6 species recorded
- Deep water30 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,012 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Catfish 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 Catfish Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Catfish 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 Catfish Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Catfish Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Catfish Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. 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 1993. 9 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
30 ft
Surface area
1,012 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
164 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
9.6 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,611 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Catfish 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 Catfish Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Catfish Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Catfish 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: Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Worsening7 years
Phosphorus
Improving-2.6 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Catfish Lake
Where is Catfish Lake?
- Catfish 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 Catfish Lake?
- Catfish 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: 30 ft. Surface area: 1012 acres.
Is Catfish Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Catfish Lake?
- Catfish Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 1012 acres.
What fish are in Catfish Lake?
- Fish species found in Catfish Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Catfish Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Catfish Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Catfish Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Catfish Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Catfish Lake?
- Catfish Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Catfish Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Catfish Lake?
- Catfish 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 Catfish Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
47 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX47 samples · 2023–2026
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