Pickerel Lake

On the LakeGrade scale Pickerel Lake grades a B, with clarity at 8.0 ft and 15 µg/L of phosphorus placing it above the Wisconsin median. The lake's weakest score is on Secchi depth — the water looks more turbid than its phosphorus number alone would predict.

The lake sits in the mesotrophic zone — the band where most well-managed Wisconsin lakes fall. At only 10 ft deep, Pickerel Lake is shallow — wind keeps the water column mixed and sediment resuspension drives phosphorus levels harder to manage. At 176 acres, Pickerel Lake fits the Wisconsin median for monitored lakes, with partial shoreline records. Pickerel Lake sits at rank 34 of 62 in Oconto County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

An invasive species record — Banded Mystery Snail — has been logged at Pickerel Lake; Wisconsin DNR maintains the official infested-waters list. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 3, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. A documented public access point at Pickerel Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.