Lake Owen
Bayfield County, Wisconsin1,250 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Owen. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- 95 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Owen in Bayfield County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 24.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 95 ft. Surface area: 1250 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Lake Owen. DNR survey details →
Lake Owen is a 1,250-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 95 feet. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 23 other monitored lakes in Bayfield County, Lake Owen ranks #16 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Lake Owen covers about 1,300 acres in Bayfield County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Lake Owen, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Lake Owen is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water24.6 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Deep water95 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,250 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lake Owen 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 Lake Owen
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Lake Owen, 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 24.6 ft down. Phosphorus 12.5 µg/L. TSI 36.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 24.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 12.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| 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 Lake Owen
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Lake Owen.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Owen’s water-quality measurements separately. 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. 9 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Lake Owen covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2025Lake Owen spring shocking survey, 2025Spring Shocking Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2014Lake Owen comprehensive fisheries survey, 2014Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2014 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
95 ft
Surface area
1,250 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
17 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
20.6 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,348 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake OwenPublic
- Owen 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 Lake Owen
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Owen 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 Lake Owen
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Lake Owen → · more Wisconsin lake trips
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lake Owen
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Nearby Lakes in Bayfield County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Owen
Where is Lake Owen?
- Lake Owen 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 Lake Owen?
- Lake Owen in Bayfield County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 24.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 95 ft. Surface area: 1250 acres.
Is Lake Owen safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake Owen?
- Lake Owen has a maximum depth of 95 feet. The lake covers 1250 acres.
What fish are in Lake Owen?
- Fish species found in Lake Owen include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Lake Owen is located in Bayfield County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lake Owen?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Lake Owen. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Owen’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Owen?
- Lake Owen has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Owen, Owen Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Owen?
- Lake Owen has 2 documented boat landings 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 Lake Owen across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Bayfield County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Hayward Lakes area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Oligotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Lake Owen With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
197 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX197 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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