Frank Lake

Frank Lake comes in at a B on the grading rubric — a respectable showing for a Wisconsin lake of its size and depth. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Frank Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. Frank Lake reaches 38 ft at its deepest point — typical for Wisconsin mid-sized lakes, with seasonal stratification but limited cold-water refuge. The lake's 147 acres and partial shoreline records put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Within Vilas County's 191 graded lakes, Frank Lake ranks 117 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

No invasive species are currently listed at Frank Lake — the lake remains off the Wisconsin infested-waters roster. Walleye are documented at Frank Lake, one of 4 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Frank 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.