Wakesurfing on Chippewa Flowage -Pokegema Lake

Chippewa Flowage -Pokegema Lake rates Excellent for wakesurf suitability. Deep and roomy enough to ride the way the sport’s own guidance recommends. The rating is based on its measured maximum depth of 92 ft and surface area of 14,593 acres. This is a read of the water's dimensions, not legal permission — check the Wisconsin rules and the local authority for this lake before you launch.

Chippewa Flowage -Pokegema Lake reaches about 92 ft at its deepest point. Wake-boat research from the University of Minnesota St. Anthony Falls Laboratory finds that an enhanced wake needs deep water to dissipate rather than reflect off the bottom, which is why depth is one of the two factors in the suitability rating.

Chippewa Flowage -Pokegema Lake carries a LakeQuality water-quality grade of C, computed from EPA and state monitoring data — Secchi clarity, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a. That is a separate question from wakesurf suitability: a lake can be excellent to ride and mediocre to swim in, or the reverse. See the full lake page for the grade breakdown.

Wisconsin has no statewide wakesurfing-specific law as of mid-2026; competing bills remain unenacted. Proposals include AB 1033 (200/300-foot setback, no depth limit; Assembly-passed) and SB 1024 (500-foot setback and 20-foot depth). In the absence of statewide rules, towns have adopted local wake-surf bans (e.g., Lake Waramaug-style ordinances and Waupaca/Long Lake actions), some of which are being litigated. Limits are currently local/waterbody-specific. Individual lakes often add stricter local limits on top of the statewide rule — no-wake zones, operating hours, and horsepower caps are all common — so confirm with the local authority for Chippewa Flowage -Pokegema Lake.