Spider Lake
Sawyer County, Wisconsin1,194 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Spider Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Curly-Leaf Pondweed
- 64 ft max depth
- Public access
Spider Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. 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 →
Spider Lake is a 1,194-acre mesotrophic lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 64 feet. 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 1 public boat landing. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Spider Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Deep water64 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,194 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Spider 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 Spider Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Spider Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft. Phosphorus 14.1 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14.1µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| 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. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Spider Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
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 water quality. LakeQuality shows Spider Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
Max depth
64 ft
Surface area
1,194 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
27 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
16.1 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,388 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Spider LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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
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 →
Follow Spider Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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 (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving7 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.45 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Sawyer County
Frequently asked questions about Spider Lake
Where is Spider Lake?
- Spider Lake is a lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Spider Lake?
- Spider Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
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 water quality. LakeQuality shows Spider Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Spider Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Spider Lake?
- Spider Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Spider Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Sawyer County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Hayward Lakes area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Chippewa River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Spider Lake With Nearby Lakes
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)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory