What is the best fishing lake near Wausau?

Bealeau Lake in Shawano County is the top-ranked fishing lake near Wausau on measured water quality (42.7 miles away).

How many lakes are near Wausau for fishing?

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

Best Lakes for Fishing Near Wausau, WI

30 fishing lakes within driving distance of Wausau, 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 Wausau 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.

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

#	Lake	County	Distance	Clarity	Depth
1	Bealeau Lake	Shawano	42.7 mi	11.5 ft	24 ft
2	Koonz Lake	Shawano	42.9 mi	10.8 ft	40 ft
3	Malone Lake	Shawano	43.9 mi	13.5 ft	31 ft
4	Mole Lake	Forest	48 mi	8.5 ft	17 ft
5	Lake Pesobic	Lincoln	17.6 mi	7 ft	11 ft
6	Big Bass Lake	Marathon	19 mi	6 ft	13 ft
7	Glisezinski Lake	Portage	22.2 mi	9 ft	11 ft
8	Tree Lake	Portage	26.4 mi	7.4 ft	33 ft
9	Collins Lake	Portage	28.6 mi	6.5 ft	56 ft
10	Moose Lake	Langlade	29.5 mi	10 ft	20 ft
11	Lake Helen	Portage	30.4 mi	8 ft	20 ft
12	Bass Lake	Lincoln	33.2 mi	12.5 ft	40 ft
13	Long Lake	Lincoln	33.3 mi	14.5 ft	64 ft
14	Seven Island Lake	Lincoln	33.3 mi	14 ft	31 ft
15	Pickerel Lake	Lincoln	33.5 mi	-	14 ft
16	Sunset Lake	Portage	33.5 mi	13.3 ft	55 ft
17	Springville Pond	Portage	33.9 mi	9 ft	10 ft
18	Lake Buteau	Lincoln	34.1 mi	19.4 ft	50 ft
19	Onland Lake	Portage	34.9 mi	10.5 ft	28 ft
20	Rinehart Lake	Portage	35.2 mi	19 ft	27 ft
21	Nutrient Sampling Point Lake	Waupaca	36.1 mi	14.5 ft	33 ft
22	North Lake	Waupaca	36.3 mi	12.5 ft	33 ft
23	Lake Emily	Portage	36.7 mi	11 ft	35 ft
24	Hatch Lake	Waupaca	38.9 mi	8.4 ft	12 ft
25	Halfmoon Lake	Lincoln	39.1 mi	7.1 ft	14 ft
26	Iola Lake	Waupaca	39.3 mi	10 ft	9 ft
27	Clear Lake	Lincoln	40 mi	18 ft	45 ft
28	Perch Lake	Langlade	40.5 mi	17.3 ft	21 ft
29	Manson Lake	Oneida	41.6 mi	12 ft	54 ft
30	Silver Lake	Waupaca	41.8 mi	7 ft	17 ft

Other activities near Wausau

Kayaking near Wausau →Boating near Wausau →All lakes near Wausau →

Where to stay near Wausau

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

Top-rated places to stay near Wausau

Prices for Sep 18–20, 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 trip to Wausau?

Get lake water-quality updates plus the best cabin & lodging deals near Wausau — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.