Island Lake
Bayfield County, Wisconsin63 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Island Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 51 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Island Lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 63 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Island Lake. DNR survey details →
Island Lake is a 63-acre lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 51 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-07. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Island Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water17 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Deep water51 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Island Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Island Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Island Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 17 ft down. TSI 36.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 17ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 36 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Island Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Island Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Island Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1998. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Island Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2023Island Lake spring shocking survey, 2023Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
51 ft
Surface area
63 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.6 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,175 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Island LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Island Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Island Lake in Bayfield 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Island Lake
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Follow Island Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Island Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving7 years
Nearby Lakes in Bayfield County
Frequently asked questions about Island Lake
Where is Island Lake?
- Island Lake is a lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Island Lake?
- Island Lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 63 acres.
Is Island Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Island Lake?
- Island Lake has a maximum depth of 51 feet. The lake covers 63 acres.
What fish are in Island Lake?
- Fish species found in Island Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Island Lake is located in Bayfield County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Island Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Island Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Island Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Island Lake?
- Island Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Island Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Island Lake?
- Island Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Island Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
16 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX16 samples · 2022–2026
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from 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