Best Lakes for Fishing Near Madison
Wisconsin
30 fishing lakes within driving distance of Madison, 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.
Within reasonable driving distance of Madison sit 30 graded lakes — a lake-dense area that gives residents real choice on any given weekend. The average grade across the nearby set is B.
Filtered for fishing, the nearby-lake list narrows further. fishing-specific signals — fish species, public access, depth profile, motor-boat congestion — interact with the letter grade in different ways depending on the use case.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Wingra | Dane | B | 1.8 mi | 4 ft | 14 ft |
| 2 | Lake Waubesa | Dane | B | 6 mi | 3.2 ft | 38 ft |
| 3 | Lake Ripley | Jefferson | B | 21.2 mi | 9 ft | 44 ft |
| 4 | Rock Lake | Jefferson | B | 23.7 mi | 12 ft | 60 ft |
| 5 | Silver Lake | Columbia | B | 33.3 mi | 8.8 ft | 42 ft |
| 6 | Whitewater Lake | Walworth | B | 41.6 mi | 4 ft | 35 ft |
| 7 | Blue Spring Lake | Jefferson | B | 43.2 mi | 6.2 ft | 27 ft |
| 8 | Turtle Lake | Walworth | B | 43.6 mi | 11 ft | 30 ft |
| 9 | Golden Lake | Waukesha | B | 43.8 mi | 12.8 ft | 44 ft |
| 10 | Black Hawk Lake | Iowa | B | 44.6 mi | 5 ft | 42 ft |
| 11 | Lac la Belle Lake | Waukesha | B | 44.8 mi | 4.8 ft | 45 ft |
| 12 | School Section Lake | Waukesha | B | 45.8 mi | 6.2 ft | 8 ft |
| 13 | Fowler Lake | Waukesha | B | 45.9 mi | 14.5 ft | 50 ft |
| 14 | Silver Lake | Waukesha | B | 46.1 mi | 10 ft | 40 ft |
| 15 | Pretty Lake | Waukesha | B | 46.4 mi | 12.2 ft | 31 ft |
| 16 | Green Lake | Walworth | B | 46.7 mi | 11 ft | 57 ft |
| 17 | Middle Lake | Walworth | B | 47.1 mi | 10 ft | 40 ft |
| 18 | Pleasant Lake | Walworth | B | 47.2 mi | 12 ft | 29 ft |
| 19 | Ashippun Lake | Waukesha | B | 47.3 mi | 10 ft | 35 ft |
| 20 | Mill Lake | Walworth | B | 47.3 mi | 7.5 ft | 40 ft |
| 21 | Ottawa Lake | Waukesha | B | 47.4 mi | 13 ft | 16 ft |
| 22 | Oconomowoc Lake | Waukesha | B | 47.5 mi | 12.5 ft | 60 ft |
| 23 | Crooked Lake | Waukesha | B | 47.8 mi | 8 ft | 16 ft |
| 24 | Hunters Lake | Waukesha | B | 47.9 mi | 9.5 ft | 36 ft |
| 25 | Jordan Lake | Adams | B | 47.9 mi | 13 ft | 92 ft |
| 26 | Lower Nashotah Lake | Waukesha | B | 48.9 mi | 9 ft | 43 ft |
| 27 | Lower Nemahbin Lake | Waukesha | B | 48.9 mi | 10.9 ft | 36 ft |
| 28 | Upper Nemahbin Lake | Waukesha | B | 49 mi | 12 ft | 60 ft |
| 29 | Okauchee Lake Site | Waukesha | B | 49.1 mi | 4.6 ft | 90 ft |
| 30 | Crooked Lake | Adams | B | 49.2 mi | 9 ft | 56 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.