Tambling Lake

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

The lake sits in the mesotrophic zone — the band where most well-managed Wisconsin lakes fall. Tambling Lake is a shallow lake at 11 ft maximum depth, which means it warms quickly, mixes constantly, and amplifies nutrient inputs. Tambling Lake covers 172 acres alongside partial shoreline records — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Within the 202 graded lakes of Vilas County, Tambling Lake sits at rank 153, near the bottom of the county list.

No invasive species are currently listed at Tambling Lake — the lake remains off the Wisconsin infested-waters roster. Walleye are documented at Tambling Lake, one of 4 fish species on record for the lake. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.