Wisconsin DNR fisheries surveys
Des Moines Lake FishingBWater-quality grade B
Wisconsin DNR rates Largemouth Bass as abundant on Des Moines Lake. In Burnett County, Wisconsin, Des Moines Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of B. Water clarity averages 18.9 feet of visibility, and there is one public boat landing. The survey figures on this page are Wisconsin DNR's own; the water-quality grade comes from EPA Water Quality Portal samples. Neither is a forecast of today's bite.
Species recorded at Des Moines Lake
3 species on the Wisconsin DNR list for this lake. A species on the list has been recorded here; it does not mean it is catchable today or in every part of the lake.
How abundant each species is
Wisconsin DNR rates abundance from its own survey record rather than publishing a catch rate per species. The ratings below are theirs.
| Species | Abundance |
|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Abundant |
| Panfish | Common |
| Northern Pike | Common |
Stocking at Des Moines Lake
No stocking record for Des Moines Lake appears in the Wisconsin DNR material on file. That is an absence in the published record, not a confirmation that the lake is unstocked — some waters are managed as naturally reproducing and never appear in a stocking list at all.
Survey results in full
Wisconsin DNR rates Largemouth Bass as abundant on Des Moines Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Des Moines Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. 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 1991. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Common questions
What fish are in Des Moines Lake?
Wisconsin DNR rates Largemouth Bass as abundant on Des Moines Lake. Wisconsin DNR lists 3 species for the lake in total. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Des Moines Lake last surveyed?
No survey date is recorded for Des Moines Lake beyond the results themselves. Wisconsin DNR publishes the underlying documents, which carry the sampling dates.
Is Des Moines Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Des Moines Lake appears in the Wisconsin DNR material on file. That is not the same as a confirmed unstocked lake: it means no stocking document was published for it in the records this page draws on.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Des Moines Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Des Moines Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
A water-quality grade is not a consumption advisory. Mercury and PCB advice for Wisconsin waters comes from WI DNR/DHS, and it is issued per species and per size class — a lake can grade well and still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Des Moines Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Des Moines Lake
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