Pigeon Lake
Bayfield County, Wisconsin200 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Pigeon Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 26 ft max depth
- Public access
Pigeon Lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 200 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Pigeon Lake. DNR survey details →
Pigeon Lake is a 200-acre mesotrophic lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 26 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. 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 23 other monitored lakes in Bayfield County, Pigeon Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-07-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Pigeon Lake covers about 200 acres in Bayfield County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Pigeon Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Pigeon Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13 ft of visibility
- 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 Pigeon 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 Pigeon Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Pigeon 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 13 ft. Phosphorus 13.3 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 13.3µg/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. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Pigeon Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Pigeon Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pigeon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1998. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
26 ft
Surface area
200 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
16 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
4.8 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,230 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pigeon 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 Pigeon Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pigeon Lake in Bayfield 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 Pigeon 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pigeon Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Improving-3.63 µg/L/yr5 years
Nearby Lakes in Bayfield County
Frequently asked questions about Pigeon Lake
Where is Pigeon Lake?
- Pigeon Lake is a lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Pigeon Lake?
- Pigeon Lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 200 acres.
Is Pigeon Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Pigeon Lake?
- Pigeon Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet. The lake covers 200 acres.
What fish are in Pigeon Lake?
- Fish species found in Pigeon Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Pigeon Lake is located in Bayfield County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pigeon Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Pigeon Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pigeon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Pigeon Lake?
- Pigeon Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pigeon Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Pigeon Lake?
- Pigeon 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 Pigeon Lake across LakeQuality
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Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
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Where this data comes from
24 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX24 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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