Bear Lake

Outline

Drawn from the DNR's 24K hydrography (surveyed 1990), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.

Water clarity (satellite estimate)

• Summer 20165.2 ft (654 satellite pixels)
• Summer 20176.1 ft (520 satellite pixels)

No one has measured this lake's clarity in the monitoring data. These are estimates from satellite images of two summers only, so they may not match the lake today.

Secchi depth is how far down a white disk stays visible. A bigger number means clearer water. The estimate tops out at 16 feet.

Landsat satellite estimates published by the Wisconsin DNR (summers 2016 and 2017), averaged over the lake's outline. Informational use only.

Today at the lake

Forecast: National Weather Service (no endorsement implied). Sunrise, sunset and moon phase are calculated. The moon phase can be a day off.

Stocking history

• Walleyelast stocked 2016 (large fingerling); stocked in 1 year since 2010

Stocking shows what was added to the lake, not what is in it now.

Wisconsin DNR annual fish stocking summary. Checked Oct 23, 2026.

Fish recorded near this lake

• Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus1984; 1 record
• Muskellunge Esox masquinongy1963 to 1984; 3 records
• Northern Pike Esox lucius1984; 2 records
• Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1963 to 1984; 3 records
• Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris1984; 2 records
• Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu1963 to 1984; 3 records
• Walleye Sander vitreus1963 to 1984; 3 records
• Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1963 to 1984; 3 records

Recorded in open fish survey and museum records (GBIF). A record shows a fish was found near this lake in that year, not that it is there now, and says nothing about how many. Most coordinates are rounded to about 1 km, so a record is attached only when one lake is the clear match.

Open fish survey and museum records from GBIF; datasets are listed on the sources page. Checked Oct 23, 2026.

More lakes in Ashland County

• Black Lake6.0 miles away
• Pelican Lake7.6 miles away
• Gates Lake9.4 miles away
• Camp Four Lake11 miles away
• Muskellunge Lake11 miles away
• Slim Lake11 miles away

All Ashland County lakes

Where this comes from

• Size, depth and lake typeWisconsin DNR lake classifications, checked Oct 23, 2026
• OutlineWisconsin DNR 24K hydrography, checked Oct 23, 2026
• Stocking historyWisconsin DNR annual fish stocking summary, checked Oct 23, 2026
• Regulations linkWisconsin DNR fishing regulations (linked, not restated), checked Oct 23, 2026
• Fish recordedOpen fish survey and museum records, via GBIF, checked Oct 23, 2026
• VHS statusWisconsin DNR VHS status by watershed, checked Oct 24, 2026
• Depth map linkWisconsin DNR lake maps list, checked Oct 24, 2026
• Satellite clarity estimateLandsat summer clarity estimates published by the Wisconsin DNR (2016, 2017), checked Oct 24, 2026

See data sources for what each source covers, and about for how the numbers are matched to lakes.