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LakeQuality

Smoke Lake

B
Grade B — Good
Good · #20 of 39 lakes in the county · 7.6 ft clear · Mesotrophic · 51 acres
Mesotrophic

Smoke Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 7.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.8 µg/L. Surface area: 51 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Smoke Lake. DNR survey details →

Clarity
7.6 ft
Typical in August
72°F
Area
51 acres
Type
Mesotrophic
Trend
Stable

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Smoke Lake is a 51-acre mesotrophic lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Panfish and Largemouth Bass. Compared to the 38 other monitored lakes in Oconto County, Smoke Lake ranks #20 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-19. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Low 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

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Rhinelander

Get alerts for Smoke Lake

Water Quality Grade: B (Good)

Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 12.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)7.6 ftNot graded
Phosphorus12.8 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)44Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay near Smoke Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Smoke Lake in Oconto 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 Smoke Lake

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 →

Water Temperature

Smoke Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Jan (about 38°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
38°
Feb
39°
Mar
Apr
53°
May
63°
Jun
72°
Jul
76°
Aug
72°
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 21 field readings (20242026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Smoke Lake water temperature breakdown →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Smoke Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Smoke Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. 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 2015. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment
Excellent · Shallow Headwater lake
Trophic State Index 44 (mesotrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Present)Largemouth Bass(Present)

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Surface Area51 acres

The available depth estimate for Smoke Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown.

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Smoke Lake

Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Stable+0.134 m/yr7
Phosphorus Stable-0.18 µg/L/yr7
See year-by-year chart →

County Ranking

Ranked #20 of 39 lakes in Oconto County

Nearby Lakes in Oconto County

Frequently asked questions about Smoke Lake

Where is Smoke Lake?

Smoke Lake is a lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.

What is the water quality grade for Smoke Lake?

Smoke Lake in Oconto County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 7.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.8 µg/L. Surface area: 51 acres.

Is Smoke Lake safe to swim in?

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Smoke Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

What is the water temperature of Smoke Lake?

Smoke Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 21 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Smoke Lake?

The available depth estimate for Smoke Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown. The lake covers 51 acres.

What fish are in Smoke Lake?

Fish species found in Smoke Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass. Smoke Lake is located in Oconto County, Wisconsin.

What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Smoke Lake?

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Smoke Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Smoke Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.

Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Where this data comes from

50 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 ResourcesWIDNR_WQX50 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