West Bay Lake

West Bay Lake earns an F: phosphorus readings still being added and clarity at 2.5 ft signal heavy nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed. Clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

At a TSI of 64, West Bay Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. The lake's 57 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Wisconsin — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. West Bay Lake covers 254 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 191 graded lakes of Vilas County, West Bay Lake sits at rank 189, near the bottom of the county list.

West Bay Lake has at least one documented invasive species (Rusty Crayfish), so boaters and anglers should observe clean-drain-dry steps when leaving the lake. Walleye are documented at West Bay Lake, one of 6 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.