Circle Lily Lake
Circle Lily Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 218 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Circle Lily Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Max depth
- 35 ft
- Area
- 218 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Circle Lily Lake is a 218-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 35 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving 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. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Circle Lily Lake ranks #32 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2024-06-30. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus level: 14.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14.6 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Circle Lily Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Circle Lily Lake in Vilas 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.
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Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Circle Lily Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Circle Lily Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 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. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2024).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 35 ft |
| Surface Area | 218 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Circle Lily LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Circle Lily 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 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.339 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.96 µg/L/yr | 5 |
County Ranking
Ranked #32 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Circle Lily Lake
Where is Circle Lily Lake?
- Circle Lily Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Circle Lily Lake?
- Circle Lily Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 218 acres.
Is Circle Lily Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Circle Lily Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Circle Lily Lake?
- Circle Lily Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet. The lake covers 218 acres.
What fish are in Circle Lily Lake?
- Fish species found in Circle Lily Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Circle Lily Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Circle Lily Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Circle Lily Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Circle Lily Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Circle Lily Lake?
- Circle Lily Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Circle Lily Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Circle Lily Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
21 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX21 samples · 2020–2024
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
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