West Bass Lake

West Bass Lake carries a solid B grade — strong on most parameters, with measurements that hold up well across the summer season. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

Trophically, West Bass Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. A maximum depth of 19 ft puts West Bass Lake in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. At 55 acres, West Bass Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. West Bass Lake sits at rank 25 of 39 in Florence County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

An invasive species record — Banded Mystery Snail — has been logged at West Bass Lake; Wisconsin DNR maintains the official infested-waters list. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 2, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. Public access is available — the lake is on the Wisconsin DNR public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.