Pike Lake
Pike Lake in Washington County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 461 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Pike Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 7 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 45 ft
- Area
- 461 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Pike Lake is a 461-acre mesotrophic lake in Washington County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Washington County, Pike Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-06. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria B
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Pike Lake rarely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 2.9% of 409 samples across 9 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Wisconsin’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Phosphorus level: 19.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 48.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19.3 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Pike Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pike Lake in Washington 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 Pike 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 →
Water Temperature
Pike Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Apr (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 35 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pike Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pike Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (7,047 cells/mL) on March 28, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Pike Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Pike Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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 1986. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 45 ft |
| Surface Area | 461 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake DrivePublic
- Second StreetPublic
- Reef Point ResortSemi-private
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 Pike 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 data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.259 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.68 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pike Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pike Lake (completed 1870), built primarily for recreation on the TRIB. RUBICON RIVER; gravity-type dam, 12 ft tall and 200 ft long.
- Surface area
- 522 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,040 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 5,740 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 13 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Pike Lake Advancement Association
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00662 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Pike Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Hartford Water Pollution Control FacilityHartford · 2.6 mi away · NPDES WI0020192MajorRecent violation
- Slinger Wastewater Treatment FacilitySlinger · 2.5 mi away · NPDES WI0020290Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 13 lakes in Washington County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Pike Lake holds Grade B. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about Pike Lake
Where is Pike Lake?
- Pike Lake is a lake in Washington County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Pike Lake?
- Pike Lake in Washington County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 461 acres.
Is Pike Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Pike Lake rarely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 2.9% of 409 samples across 9 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of B — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Pike Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Wisconsin's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Pike Lake?
- Pike Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 35 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pike Lake?
- Pike Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet. The lake covers 461 acres.
What fish are in Pike Lake?
- Fish species found in Pike Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Pike Lake is located in Washington County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pike Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Pike Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Pike Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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.
Does Pike Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pike Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (7,047 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Pike Lake?
- Pike Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Drive, Second Street, Reef Point Resort. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pike Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Washington County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Compare Pike Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
93 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX93 samples · 2020–2026
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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