What is the best fishing lake near Appleton?

Green Lake in Green Lake County is the top-ranked fishing lake near Appleton on measured water quality (42.5 miles away).

How many lakes are near Appleton for fishing?

30 lakes within driving distance of Appleton match the fishing filters used on this page.

Best Lakes for Fishing Near Appleton, WI

30 fishing lakes within driving distance of Appleton, Wisconsin, ranked by water quality and fishing-specific filters. Filtered for documented fish species (3+) and public access. Ranked by water quality and species diversity.

Appleton sits in a lake-rich part of the upper Midwest: 30 measured lakes within reach. Green Lake carries the lowest nutrient and algae readings of the cluster.

The fishing-specific ranking layered on top of the readings is what produces the list below: a lake with clean readings that does not also support the fishing use case is less useful than a decent one that does.

#	Lake	County	Distance	Clarity	Depth
1	Green Lake	Green Lake	42.5 mi	13.5 ft	236 ft
2	Malone Lake	Shawano	45.6 mi	13.5 ft	31 ft
3	Bealeau Lake	Shawano	47.9 mi	11.5 ft	24 ft
4	Koonz Lake	Shawano	48 mi	10.8 ft	40 ft
5	White Lake	Waupaca	26.4 mi	5.6 ft	10 ft
6	Bear Lake	Waupaca	28 mi	11 ft	62 ft
7	Wolf Lake	Fond du Lac	29.4 mi	5 ft	47 ft
8	Wilke Lake	Manitowoc	30.3 mi	7 ft	21 ft
9	Shoe Lake	Manitowoc	30.5 mi	7 ft	34 ft
10	Pine Lake	Shawano	31.9 mi	10.5 ft	35 ft
11	Long Lake	Shawano	32.1 mi	6 ft	35 ft
12	Grass Lake	Shawano	32.2 mi	8.5 ft	52 ft
13	School Section Lake	Waupaca	32.2 mi	6.5 ft	38 ft
14	Round Lake	Shawano	32.4 mi	11 ft	39 ft
15	Spring Lake	Manitowoc	32.7 mi	8 ft	23 ft
16	Pigeon Lake	Manitowoc	33 mi	9.3 ft	62 ft
17	Cedar Lake	Manitowoc	33.2 mi	10.2 ft	21 ft
18	Mirror Lake	Waupaca	33.6 mi	13 ft	43 ft
19	Shadow Lake	Waupaca	33.7 mi	12 ft	41 ft
20	Tuma Lake	Manitowoc	33.7 mi	10 ft	36 ft
21	Spencer Lake	Waupaca	34.1 mi	8.5 ft	53 ft
22	English Lake	Manitowoc	34.6 mi	7.5 ft	85 ft
23	Horseshoe Lake	Manitowoc	34.7 mi	6.5 ft	54 ft
24	Long Lake	Waushara	35 mi	14.5 ft	71 ft
25	Elkhart Lake	Sheboygan	35.9 mi	10.5 ft	119 ft
26	Taylor Lake	Waupaca	36.3 mi	10 ft	58 ft
27	Otter Lake	Waupaca	36.4 mi	8 ft	40 ft
28	De Neveu Lake	Fond du Lac	36.7 mi	11 ft	67 ft
29	Pearl Lake	Waushara	36.8 mi	19 ft	45 ft
30	Hartlaub Lake	Manitowoc	36.9 mi	5 ft	60 ft

Other activities near Appleton

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Where to stay near Appleton

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Appleton — book a place close to the best-rated lakes in the area.

Top-rated places to stay near Appleton

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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.