Presque Isle Lake
Presque Isle Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 103 ft. Surface area: 1165 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Presque Isle Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 18 ft
- Max depth
- 103 ft
- Area
- 1,165 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Presque Isle Lake is a 1,165-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 103 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. 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 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Presque Isle Lake ranks #52 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-26. 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: 10.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10.3 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Presque Isle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Presque Isle 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.
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Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Presque Isle Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Presque Isle Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 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 1989. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 103 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,165 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Presque Isle Lake - 1Public
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 Presque Isle 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 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.829 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.35 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #52 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Presque Isle Lake
Where is Presque Isle Lake?
- Presque Isle 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 Presque Isle Lake?
- Presque Isle Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 103 ft. Surface area: 1165 acres.
Is Presque Isle Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Presque Isle Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Presque Isle Lake?
- Presque Isle Lake has a maximum depth of 103 feet. The lake covers 1165 acres.
What fish are in Presque Isle Lake?
- Fish species found in Presque Isle Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Presque Isle Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Presque Isle Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Presque Isle Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Presque Isle Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Presque Isle Lake?
- Presque Isle Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Presque Isle Lake - 1. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Presque Isle Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
39 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX39 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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