Long Lake

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

Trophically, Long Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. The lake's 71 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Wisconsin — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. Long Lake covers 254 acres alongside partial shoreline records — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Long Lake ranks 1 of 30 in Waushara County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Zebra mussel presence at Long Lake means the lake's clarity numbers carry an asterisk — filtered water is not the same as nutrient-poor water. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 4 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. A documented public access point at Long 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.