George Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, George Lake pulls an A: clarity at 45.9 ft and phosphorus readings still being added put it in the top bracket for Wisconsin. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

The lake's low TSI puts it in oligotrophic territory — the cleanest of the four trophic classes, but also the most vulnerable to nutrient-driven shifts. The lake's 50 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Wisconsin — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. At 50 acres, George Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. George Lake ranks 23 of 55 in Bayfield County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.

George Lake carries an invasive watermilfoil record — boat-launch decontamination and shoreline care matter more here than at uninfested lakes. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 2, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. Public access is available — the lake is on the Wisconsin DNR public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.