Laura Lake

Laura Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Vilas County. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

A TSI value of 23 puts Laura Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. The lake bottoms out at 43 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 628 acres, Laura Lake fits the Wisconsin median for monitored lakes, with partial shoreline records. Among the 202 graded lakes in Vilas County, Laura Lake sits at rank 98, above the county median.

Laura Lake has at least one documented invasive species (Banded Mystery Snail), so boaters and anglers should observe clean-drain-dry steps when leaving the lake. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 5 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. 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.