Stella Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin95 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Stella Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 9 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Stella Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 95 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Stella Lake. DNR survey details →
Stella Lake is a 95-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 9 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Stella Lake ranks #92 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-10-05. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Stella Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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 Stella 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 Stella Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Stella Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Phosphorus 27.1 µg/L. TSI 53.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 27.1µg/L | Fair 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. | 53 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Stella Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Stella Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in Apr (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (49°F) to its warmest (74°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 52 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Stella Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Stella Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Stella Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 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 1995. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
9 ft
Surface area
95 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
8 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.6 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,598 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Stella 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 Stella Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Stella 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 Stella Lake
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Follow Stella Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Stella Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2023–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Phosphorus
Improving-5.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Stella Lake
Where is Stella Lake?
- Stella Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Stella Lake?
- Stella Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 95 acres.
Is Stella Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Stella Lake?
- Stella Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October, from 52 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Stella Lake?
- Stella Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet. The lake covers 95 acres.
What fish are in Stella Lake?
- Fish species found in Stella Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike. Stella Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Stella Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Stella Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Stella Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Stella Lake?
- Stella Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Stella Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Stella Lake?
- Stella 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 Stella Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
56 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX56 samples · 2023–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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