Plum Lake
Plum Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 14.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 1057 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Plum Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 14.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 57 ft
- Area
- 1,057 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Plum Lake is a 1,057-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 57 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Plum Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-04. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 14.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 13 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Plum Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Plum 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 Plum Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Plum Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Jun (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 17 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Plum Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Plum Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (619,441 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
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 Plum Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Plum Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. 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 1990. 12 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Plum Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2024Plum Lake spring survey, 2024Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 57 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,057 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Plum LakePublic
- Plum LakePublic
- West Plum LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Plum Lake
- Plum Lake Campground2.2 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Plum 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: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.232 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.56 µg/L/yr | 5 |
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Plum Lake
Where is Plum Lake?
- Plum 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 Plum Lake?
- Plum Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 14.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 1057 acres.
Is Plum Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Plum Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Plum Lake?
- Plum Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 17 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Plum Lake?
- Plum Lake has a maximum depth of 57 feet. The lake covers 1057 acres.
What fish are in Plum Lake?
- Fish species found in Plum Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Plum Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Plum Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Plum Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Plum Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Plum Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Plum Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (619,441 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Plum Lake?
- Plum Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Plum Lake, Plum Lake, West Plum Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Plum Lake?
- Plum Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Plum Lake Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Plum Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Oligotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Plum Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
77 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_WQX77 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
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles