Minocqua Lake
Minocqua Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 14.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 1339 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Minocqua Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 14.8 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 60 ft
- Area
- 1,339 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Minocqua Lake is a 1,339-acre mesotrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 60 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings. Compared to the 66 other monitored lakes in Oneida County, Minocqua Lake ranks #41 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-04-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Good clarity, visible to about 14.8 ft. Phosphorus level: 13.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13.7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Minocqua Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Minocqua Lake in Oneida 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.
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Minocqua Lake → · more Wisconsin lake trips
Water Temperature
Minocqua Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 72°F) and coldest in Apr (about 42°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 13 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Minocqua Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Minocqua Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Minocqua Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. 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. 14 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Minocqua 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).
- 2024Minocqua Lake summary survey, 2024Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,339 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Chicago AvenuePublic
- Park StreetPublic
- Stacks BayPublic
- Cedar StreetPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Minocqua Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -1 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.19 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Minocqua Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Minocqua (completed 1909), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Tomahawk River; gravity-type dam, 9 ft tall and 285 ft long.
- Max storage
- 166,276 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 72.5 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Flood Risk Reduction.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00767 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #41 of 67 lakes in Oneida County
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Minocqua Lake
Where is Minocqua Lake?
- Minocqua Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Minocqua Lake?
- Minocqua Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 14.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 1339 acres.
Is Minocqua Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Minocqua Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Minocqua Lake?
- Minocqua Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 13 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Minocqua Lake?
- Minocqua Lake has a maximum depth of 60 feet. The lake covers 1339 acres.
What fish are in Minocqua Lake?
- Fish species found in Minocqua Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Minocqua Lake is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Minocqua Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Minocqua Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Minocqua Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Minocqua Lake?
- Minocqua Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Chicago Avenue, Park Street, Stacks Bay, Cedar Street. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Minocqua Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
42 measurements from 2 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_WQX42 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated 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