Twin Bear Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Twin Bear Lake pulls an A: clarity at 19.5 ft and phosphorus readings still being added put it in the top bracket for Wisconsin.

Trophically, Twin Bear Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. The lake's 59 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Wisconsin — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. At 157 acres, Twin Bear Lake fits the Wisconsin median for monitored lakes, with partial shoreline records. Twin Bear Lake ranks 13 of 52 in Bayfield County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Eurasian watermilfoil has been documented at Twin Bear Lake, requiring shoreline management to keep dense mats from crowding native vegetation. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 6 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.