Spider Lake

Spider Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Sawyer County. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

The lake's low TSI puts it in oligotrophic territory — the cleanest of the four trophic classes, but also the most vulnerable to nutrient-driven shifts. At 64 ft of maximum depth, Spider Lake stratifies reliably through the summer — the hypolimnion stays cooler and clearer than the surface layer suggests. Spider Lake covers 1,194 acres alongside partial shoreline records, large enough that conditions can vary meaningfully between bays. Among the 52 graded lakes in Sawyer County, Spider Lake ranks 4 — in the top quartile locally.

Spider Lake has at least one documented invasive species (Banded Mystery Snail), so boaters and anglers should observe clean-drain-dry steps when leaving the lake. Walleye are documented at Spider Lake, one of 5 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Spider Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.