Best Lakes for Fishing Near Milwaukee
Wisconsin
30 fishing lakes within driving distance of Milwaukee, 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 Milwaukee 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 Beulah | Walworth | A | 28.6 mi | 10 ft | 58 ft |
| 2 | Big Cedar Lake-North Site-Near West Bend | Washington | A | 30.6 mi | 11.8 ft | 105 ft |
| 3 | Powers Lake | Kenosha | A | 39.4 mi | 10 ft | 33 ft |
| 4 | Geneva Lake | Walworth | A | 45 mi | 21 ft | 135 ft |
| 5 | Denoon Lake | Waukesha | B | 18.9 mi | 9 ft | 55 ft |
| 6 | Pewaukee Lake | Waukesha | B | 19.5 mi | 7.5 ft | 45 ft |
| 7 | Bark Lake | Washington | B | 19.7 mi | 5.5 ft | 34 ft |
| 8 | Lake Five | Washington | B | 21.4 mi | 12 ft | 23 ft |
| 9 | Tichigan Lake | Racine | B | 21.8 mi | 5.5 ft | 63 ft |
| 10 | Lake Keesus | Waukesha | B | 22.7 mi | 9.2 ft | 42 ft |
| 11 | Little Friess Lake | Washington | B | 23.4 mi | 7.4 ft | 34 ft |
| 12 | Friess Lake | Washington | B | 23.5 mi | 4 ft | 48 ft |
| 13 | Nagawicka Lake | Waukesha | B | 24.4 mi | 9.5 ft | 90 ft |
| 14 | Pine Lake | Waukesha | B | 24.8 mi | 25 ft | 85 ft |
| 15 | Spring Lake | Waukesha | B | 24.9 mi | - | 22 ft |
| 16 | North Lake | Waukesha | B | 25.3 mi | 8 ft | 78.4 ft |
| 17 | Lower Phantom Lake | Waukesha | B | 25.3 mi | 6.7 ft | 12 ft |
| 18 | Lower Nemahbin Lake | Waukesha | B | 26.6 mi | 10.9 ft | 36 ft |
| 19 | Upper Nemahbin Lake | Waukesha | B | 26.6 mi | 12 ft | 60 ft |
| 20 | Ocauchee Lake | Waukesha | B | 26.6 mi | 6.6 ft | 90 ft |
| 21 | Lower Nashotah Lake | Waukesha | B | 26.7 mi | 9 ft | 43 ft |
| 22 | Potter Lake | Walworth | B | 27 mi | 4.3 ft | 26 ft |
| 23 | Okauchee Lake Site | Waukesha | B | 27.1 mi | 4.6 ft | 90 ft |
| 24 | Crooked Lake | Waukesha | B | 27.7 mi | 8 ft | 16 ft |
| 25 | Hunters Lake | Waukesha | B | 28 mi | 9.5 ft | 36 ft |
| 26 | Oconomowoc Lake | Waukesha | B | 28.2 mi | 12.5 ft | 60 ft |
| 27 | Pike Lake | Washington | B | 28.6 mi | 7 ft | 45 ft |
| 28 | Army Lake | Walworth | B | 28.7 mi | 8.2 ft | 17 ft |
| 29 | Silver Lake | Waukesha | B | 29.5 mi | 10 ft | 40 ft |
| 30 | Browns Lake | Racine | B | 29.5 mi | 6.2 ft | 44 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.