Pickerel Lake
Oconto County, Wisconsin176 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Pickerel Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 10 ft max depth
- Public access
Pickerel Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 176 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Pickerel Lake. DNR survey details →
Pickerel Lake is a 176-acre mesotrophic lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 38 other monitored lakes in Oconto County, Pickerel Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-19. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Pickerel Lake covers about 180 acres in Oconto County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Pickerel Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Pickerel Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
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.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Phosphorus 15.6 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15.6µg/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. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Pickerel Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present 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 7 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. Monitored by volunteers since 2015. 5 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
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).
- 2020Pickerel Chain summary report, 2020Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2020 (PDF)
Lake Details
Max depth
10 ft
Surface area
176 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Recreation & Access
- Oughton ParkPublic
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 Oconto 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.
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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 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Stable7 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.18 µg/L/yr7 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pickerel Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pickerel Lake (completed 1960), built primarily for recreation on the Pickerel Creek; earth-type dam, 10 ft tall and 300 ft long.
- Surface area
- 220 ac
- Normal storage
- 517 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,750 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.9 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- TOWN OF TOWNSEND
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00712 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Oconto County
Frequently asked questions about Pickerel Lake
Where is Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake is a lake in Oconto 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 Oconto County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 176 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 10 feet. The lake covers 176 acres.
What fish are in Pickerel Lake?
- Fish species found in Pickerel Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Pickerel Lake is located in Oconto County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pickerel Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present 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 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Oughton Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel 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 Pickerel Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
59 measurements from 3 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_WQX59 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory