Lower Clear Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Lower Clear Lake pulls an A: clarity at 39.4 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 bottoms out at 21 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 79 acres, Lower Clear Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Within Langlade County's 32 graded lakes, Lower Clear Lake ranks 17 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

No invasive species are currently listed at Lower Clear Lake — the lake remains off the Wisconsin infested-waters roster. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 2, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. A documented public access point at Lower Clear 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.