Shoal Lake
Burnett County, Wisconsin233 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Shoal Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Public access
- Limited data
Shoal Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Surface area: 233 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Shoal Lake. DNR survey details →
Shoal Lake is a 233-acre lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Panfish and Northern Pike. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2023-07-08. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Shoal Lake covers about 230 acres in Burnett County. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Shoal Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Shoal Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Shoal Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Shoal Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.9 ft. TSI 52.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 52 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Shoal Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Shoal Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Shoal Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2023).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Surface area
233 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
The available depth estimate for Shoal Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
2.6 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
974 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Shoal Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Shoal Lake in Burnett 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 Shoal Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Shoal Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Nearby Lakes in Burnett County
Frequently asked questions about Shoal Lake
Where is Shoal Lake?
- Shoal Lake is a lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Shoal Lake?
- Shoal Lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Surface area: 233 acres.
Is Shoal Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Shoal Lake?
- The available depth estimate for Shoal Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown. The lake covers 233 acres.
What fish are in Shoal Lake?
- Fish species found in Shoal Lake include Panfish, Northern Pike. Shoal Lake is located in Burnett County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Shoal Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Shoal Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Shoal Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Shoal Lake?
- Public access to Shoal Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Shoal Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX4 samples · 2022–2023
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes