Pickerel Lake
Pickerel Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 270 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Pickerel Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Max depth
- 26 ft
- Area
- 270 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Pickerel Lake is a 270-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 26 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Pickerel Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-07. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus level: 23 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 50.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 23 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 50 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Pickerel Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pickerel Lake in Vilas 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
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
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 (222,844 cells/mL) on May 16, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Pickerel Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Pickerel Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 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. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 26 ft |
| Surface Area | 270 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pickerel LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +1.096 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.25 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Pickerel Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007694 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Pickerel Lake
Where is Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 270 acres.
Is Pickerel Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Pickerel Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet. The lake covers 270 acres.
What fish are in Pickerel Lake?
- Fish species found in Pickerel Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Pickerel Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pickerel Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Pickerel Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Pickerel Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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 (222,844 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 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pickerel Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
29 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX29 samples · 2021–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated 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