Pickerel Lake
Forest County, Wisconsin1,272 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Pickerel Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Rusty Crayfish
- 19 ft max depth
- Public access
Pickerel Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 1272 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Pickerel Lake. DNR survey details →
Pickerel Lake is a 1,272-acre mesotrophic lake in Forest County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 19 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Forest County, Pickerel Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-05-12. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Pickerel Lake covers about 1,300 acres in Forest County. It has 2 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 Pickerel Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Pickerel Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Big water1,272 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 Pickerel 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 Pickerel Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Pickerel 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 10 ft. Phosphorus 20.4 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20.4µg/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. | 46 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Pickerel Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pickerel Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (143,219 cells/mL) on October 25, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Pickerel Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pickerel Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is stable. 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. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2024).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Pickerel 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).
- 2017Pickerel Lake comprehensive survey, 2017Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2017 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
19 ft
Surface area
1,272 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
32 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
9.4 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,526 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pickerel Lake - South Shore DrivePublic
- Pickerel 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 Pickerel Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pickerel Lake in Forest 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 Pickerel 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 Pickerel Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pickerel 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: Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+6.1 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Forest County
Frequently asked questions about Pickerel Lake
Where is Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake is a lake in Forest County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 1272 acres.
Is Pickerel Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet. The lake covers 1272 acres.
What fish are in Pickerel Lake?
- Fish species found in Pickerel Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Pickerel Lake is located in Forest County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pickerel Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Pickerel Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pickerel Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Pickerel Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pickerel Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (143,219 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pickerel Lake - South Shore Drive, Pickerel Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake has 2 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 Pickerel 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 Forest County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Wolf River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Pickerel Lake With Nearby Lakes
Forest County · 22 ft
Forest County · 4.8 ft
Forest County · 18.7 ft
Forest County · 19.5 ft
Forest County · 16 ft
Langlade County · 5.7 ft
Where this data comes from
56 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_WQX56 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