Skip to main content
LakeQuality

Pigeon Lake

B
Grade B — Good
Good · #13 of 24 lakes in the county · 13 ft clear · Mesotrophic · 200 acres · from A
Mesotrophic

Pigeon Lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 200 acres.

Clarity
13 ft
Max depth
26 ft
Area
200 acres
Type
Mesotrophic
Trend
Improving
Public access
Yes

Next lake in Bayfield County

NRAnderson Lake9.3 ft clear · Bayfield CountyView →
Loading map…

Pigeon Lake is a 200-acre mesotrophic lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 26 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Watch Pigeon Lake water quality

Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Swimming Safety

Grade only

Low 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

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Hayward

Get alerts for Pigeon Lake

Water Quality Grade: B (Good)

Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus level: 13.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)13 ftNot graded
Phosphorus13.3 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)41Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay 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

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 →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth26 ft
Surface Area200 acres
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
16 sq mi
Shoreline
4.8 mi
Elevation
1,230 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Pigeon LakePublic

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Pigeon Lake

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1998. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment
Excellent · Deep Seepage lake
Trophic State Index 40 (oligotrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Abundant)Largemouth Bass(Common)Northern Pike(Present)

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.998 m/yr4
Phosphorus Improving-3.63 µg/L/yr5
See year-by-year chart →

County Ranking

Ranked #13 of 24 lakes in Bayfield County

Nearby Lakes in Bayfield County

Frequently asked questions about Pigeon Lake

What is the water quality grade for Pigeon Lake?

Pigeon Lake in Bayfield County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). 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?

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Pigeon Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

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.

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.

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 ResourcesWIDNR_WQX24 samples · 2020–2025

Analytical methods

  • Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)

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

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