Namekagon Lake
Bayfield County, Wisconsin558 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Namekagon Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 23 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Namekagon Lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 11.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 558 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Namekagon Lake. DNR survey details →
Namekagon Lake is a 558-acre lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2020-08-02. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Namekagon Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing6 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Namekagon 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 Namekagon Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Namekagon Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 11.7 µg/L. TSI 40.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 11.7µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| 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 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Namekagon Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Namekagon Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Namekagon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2023).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Namekagon Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2025Lake Namekagon fishery management plan, 2025Management Plan · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- —Lake Namekagon fishery survey, 2021-2022Fisheries Survey · WI DNR (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
23 ft
Surface area
558 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
45 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
32.3 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,391 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Namekagon LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Namekagon Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Namekagon Lake in Bayfield 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 Namekagon Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 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 whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Follow Namekagon Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Namekagon 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.
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Namekagon Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Namekagon (completed 1886), built primarily for recreation on the NAMEKAGON; gravity-type dam, 9 ft tall and 120 ft long.
- Surface area
- 3,208 ac
- Normal storage
- 13,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 19,700 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 47.7 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- Town Of Namakagon
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00623 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Bayfield County
Frequently asked questions about Namekagon Lake
Where is Namekagon Lake?
- Namekagon Lake is a lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Namekagon Lake?
- Namekagon Lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 11.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 558 acres.
Is Namekagon Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Namekagon Lake?
- Namekagon Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 558 acres.
What fish are in Namekagon Lake?
- Fish species found in Namekagon Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Namekagon Lake is located in Bayfield County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Namekagon Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Namekagon Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Namekagon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Namekagon Lake?
- Namekagon Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Namekagon Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Namekagon Lake?
- Namekagon Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Namekagon 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 Bayfield County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Hayward Lakes area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
State Parks Near Namekagon Lake
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Oligotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX1 sample · 2020
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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