Spider Lake
Spider Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 64 ft. Surface area: 1194 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Musky as abundant on Spider Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 10.5 ft
- Max depth
- 64 ft
- Area
- 1,194 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Spider Lake is a 1,194-acre mesotrophic lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 64 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Sawyer County, Spider Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-09. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 14.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14.1 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Spider Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Spider Lake in Sawyer 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 Spider Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Spider Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (277,971 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR rates Musky as abundant on Spider Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Spider Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1989. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Spider Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2024Spider Lake netting and shocking survey, 2024Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 64 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,194 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Clear Lake - Spider LakePublic
- Spider LakePublic
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 Spider 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: ↑ Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.5 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.45 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #15 of 45 lakes in Sawyer County
Nearby Lakes in Sawyer County
Frequently asked questions about Spider Lake
Where is Spider Lake?
- Spider Lake is a lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Spider Lake?
- Spider Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 64 ft. Surface area: 1194 acres.
Is Spider Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Spider Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Spider Lake?
- Spider Lake has a maximum depth of 64 feet. The lake covers 1194 acres.
What fish are in Spider Lake?
- Fish species found in Spider Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye. Spider Lake is located in Sawyer County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Spider Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Musky as abundant on Spider Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Spider Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Spider Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Spider Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (277,971 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Spider Lake?
- Spider Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Clear Lake - Spider Lake, Spider Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Spider Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Sawyer County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
384 measurements from 6 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX384 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (6)
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