Whitefish Lake
Sawyer County, Wisconsin800 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Whitefish Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Curly-Leaf Pondweed
- 105 ft max depth
- Public access
Whitefish Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 105 ft. Surface area: 800 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Northern Pike as abundant on Whitefish Lake. DNR survey details →
Whitefish Lake is a 800-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 105 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Sawyer County, Whitefish Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-07. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Whitefish Lake covers about 800 acres in Sawyer County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Whitefish Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Whitefish Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing7 species recorded
- Deep water105 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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 Whitefish 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 Whitefish Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Whitefish Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. Phosphorus 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.6 µg/L. TSI 39.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.6µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 39 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Whitefish Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Whitefish Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Jun (about 70°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (70°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Whitefish Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Whitefish Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (38,019 cells/mL) on July 7, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR rates Northern Pike as abundant on Whitefish Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Whitefish Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 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 1986. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
105 ft
Surface area
800 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
31 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
7.5 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,280 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Whitefish 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 Whitefish Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Whitefish Lake in Sawyer 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 Whitefish Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Follow Whitefish Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Whitefish Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.17 µg/L/yr7 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.1 µg/L/yr5 years
Nearby Lakes in Sawyer County
Frequently asked questions about Whitefish Lake
Where is Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish Lake is a lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 105 ft. Surface area: 800 acres.
Is Whitefish 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 Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish Lake has a maximum depth of 105 feet. The lake covers 800 acres.
What fish are in Whitefish Lake?
- Fish species found in Whitefish Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Trout, Walleye. Whitefish Lake is located in Sawyer County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Whitefish Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Northern Pike as abundant on Whitefish Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Whitefish Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Whitefish Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Whitefish Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (38,019 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Whitefish Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish 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 Whitefish Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Sawyer County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Hayward Lakes area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Chippewa River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Oligotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Whitefish Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
118 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Lac Courte Oreilles (Tribal)
LCOWIS_WQX76 samples · 2020–2024 - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX42 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 4500 P F ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry Automated Ascorbic Acid Method
- 2320 B ~ Alkalinity by Gran Titration
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus by Ascorbic Acid
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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