Dead Pike Lake

Dead Pike Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Vilas County. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

A TSI value of 37 puts Dead Pike Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. The lake's 80 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Wisconsin — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. At 309 acres, Dead Pike Lake fits the Wisconsin median for monitored lakes, with partial shoreline records. Within Vilas County's 202 graded waters, Dead Pike Lake sits at rank 11, near the top of the local distribution.

Dead Pike Lake has no invasive species recorded in Wisconsin state databases as of 2025, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. Walleye are documented at Dead Pike Lake, one of 6 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Dead Pike Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.