Pokegema Lake Deep

On the LakeGrade rubric, Pokegema Lake Deep pulls an A: clarity at 39.4 ft and phosphorus readings still being added put it in the top bracket for Wisconsin. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

A TSI value of 24 puts Pokegema Lake Deep in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. At 65 ft of maximum depth, Pokegema Lake Deep stratifies reliably through the summer — the hypolimnion stays cooler and clearer than the surface layer suggests. At 1,041 acres, Pokegema Lake Deep is one of the larger lakes in Vilas County, with partial shoreline records supporting multiple distinct use patterns. Pokegema Lake Deep sits at rank 116 of 202 in Vilas County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

Pokegema Lake Deep has at least one documented invasive species (Chinese Mystery Snail), so boaters and anglers should observe clean-drain-dry steps when leaving the lake. Walleye are documented at Pokegema Lake Deep, one of 6 fish species on record for the lake. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.