Pickerel Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Pickerel Lake pulls an A: clarity at 19.7 ft and 23 µg/L of phosphorus put it in the top bracket for Wisconsin. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

A TSI near 42 places Pickerel Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. The lake bottoms out at 26 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 270 acres, Pickerel Lake fits the Wisconsin median for monitored lakes, with partial shoreline records. Within the 202 graded lakes of Vilas County, Pickerel Lake sits at rank 161, near the bottom of the county list.

Pickerel Lake has at least one documented invasive species (Chinese Mystery Snail), so boaters and anglers should observe clean-drain-dry steps when leaving the lake. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 5 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Wisconsin DNR public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.