Plummer Lake
Plummer Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 85 ft. Surface area: 219 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Plummer Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 18 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 85 ft
- Area
- 219 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Plummer Lake is a 219-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 85 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 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Plummer Lake ranks #28 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-27. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. Phosphorus level: 11.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11.8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Plummer Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Plummer 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 Plummer Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Plummer Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Aug (about 70°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 8 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Plummer Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Plummer Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Plummer 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 1998. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 85 ft |
| Surface Area | 219 acres |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Plummer Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.625 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.49 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #28 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Plummer Lake
Where is Plummer Lake?
- Plummer 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 Plummer Lake?
- Plummer Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 85 ft. Surface area: 219 acres.
Is Plummer Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Plummer Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Plummer Lake?
- Plummer Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 8 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Plummer Lake?
- Plummer Lake has a maximum depth of 85 feet. The lake covers 219 acres.
What fish are in Plummer Lake?
- Fish species found in Plummer Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye. Plummer Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Plummer Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Plummer Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Plummer 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.
Explore Plummer Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
48 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_WQX48 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
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