Pelican Lake
Oneida County, Wisconsin3,545 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Pelican Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Cause unknown
- 3 aquatic invasives
- 39 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Pelican Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.1 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 3545 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Pelican Lake. DNR survey details →
Pelican Lake is a 3,545-acre lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 39 feet. Overall water quality is improving 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.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2024-10-03. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Pelican Lake covers about 3,500 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 Pelican Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Pelican Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch4 documented ramps
- Fishing6 species recorded
- Deep water39 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water3,545 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Pelican Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Pelican 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 Pelican Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Pelican Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.1 ft. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading 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. | 54 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Pelican Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Pelican Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Apr (about 46°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (46°F) to its warmest (75°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 32 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pelican Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Pelican Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pelican Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. 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. 8 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Pelican Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2024Pelican Lake comprehensive survey, 2024Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2024Pelican Lake spring summary survey, 2024Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2023Pelican River summer shocking survey, 2023Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
39 ft
Surface area
3,545 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
21 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
15.5 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,585 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pelican Lake - 3Public
- Pelican LakePublic
- Pelican Lake - 2Public
- Pelican Lake - Artus RoadPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Pelican Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pelican 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 Pelican 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 Pelican Lake → · more Wisconsin lake trips
Follow Pelican Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pelican 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 readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2022–2023). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
EPA Impairment Status
Pelican Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007401 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Pelican Lake
Where is Pelican Lake?
- Pelican 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 Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.1 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 3545 acres.
Is Pelican Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Pelican Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 32 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake has a maximum depth of 39 feet. The lake covers 3545 acres.
What fish are in Pelican Lake?
- Fish species found in Pelican Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Pelican Lake is located in Oneida County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pelican Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Pelican Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pelican Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pelican Lake - 3, Pelican Lake, Pelican Lake - 2, Pelican Lake - Artus Road. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Pelican Lake?
- Pelican 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 Pelican Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Oneida County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
26 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX26 samples · 2020–2024
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
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