Minocqua Lake
Oneida County, Wisconsin1,339 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Minocqua Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 4 aquatic invasives
- 60 ft max depth
- Public access
Minocqua Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. 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 →
Minocqua Lake is a 1,339-acre mesotrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 60 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Minocqua Lake covers about 1,300 acres in Oneida County. It has 4 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Minocqua Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Minocqua Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.8 ft of visibility
- Boat launch4 documented ramps
- Fishing6 species recorded
- Deep water60 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,339 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 Minocqua Lake 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 Minocqua Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Minocqua Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 14.8 ft. Phosphorus 13.7 µg/L. TSI 40.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 14.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 13.7µg/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. | 40 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Minocqua Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Minocqua Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (42°F) to its warmest (72°F).
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 water quality. LakeQuality shows Minocqua Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
Max depth
60 ft
Surface area
1,339 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
69 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
16.9 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,578 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Chicago AvenuePublic
- Stacks BayPublic
- Tomahawk ThoroughfarePublic
- Cedar StreetPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Minocqua Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 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 Minocqua Lake → · more Wisconsin lake trips
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.19 µg/L/yr6 years
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
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Minocqua Lake
Where is Minocqua Lake?
- Minocqua Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Minocqua Lake?
- Minocqua Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Minocqua Lake?
- Minocqua Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September, 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 water quality. LakeQuality shows Minocqua Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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, Stacks Bay, Tomahawk Thoroughfare, Cedar Street. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Minocqua Lake?
- Minocqua Lake has 4 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 Minocqua Lake 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 Oneida County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Top lakes and where to stay in the Minocqua Chain area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Compare Minocqua Lake With Nearby Lakes
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)
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