Spring Lake
Spring Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 236 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Spring Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 8.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Max depth
- 16 ft
- Area
- 236 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Vilas County
Swipe left or right on this bar to open the next or previous lake.
Spring Lake is a 236-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 16 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Spring Lake ranks #42 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-10-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Spring Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 16.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16.9 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Spring Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Spring Lake in Vilas 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 Spring 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
Spring Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Apr (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 35 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Spring Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Spring Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. 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 2007. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
DNR Reports & Resources
Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Spring Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 9 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- 2025Catfish Lake spring summary report, 2025Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Cranberry Lake spring summary report, 2025Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Little Saint Germain spring walleye/musky netting survey, 2025Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Lynx Lake spring summary report, 2025Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Otter Lake spring summary report, 2025Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Trout Lake spring summary report, 2025Trout Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2025Upper and Lower Buckatabon spring musky netting survey, 2025Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2025 (PDF)
- 2024Presque Isle Chain spring survey, 2024Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
- 2024Snipe Lake spring survey, 2024Fisheries Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 16 ft |
| Surface Area | 236 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Spring Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.196 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +7.49 µg/L/yr | 7 |
County Ranking
Ranked #42 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Spring Lake
Where is Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 236 acres.
Is Spring Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Spring Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 35 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake has a maximum depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 236 acres.
What fish are in Spring Lake?
- Fish species found in Spring Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Spring Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Spring Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Spring Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Spring Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Explore Spring Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
42 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX42 samples · 2020–2025
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