Lake Chetek
Barron County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2094000
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
770 acres
Max depth
22 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Warm, dark water color
Water clarity
2.5 ft
Low, measured Aug 2018
A warm-water lake type: the DNR groups it with lakes that warm up through summer. This describes the lake type in general, not this lake in particular.
Outline
Numbered dots are boat landings; tap one for directions. The list below has the same numbers. Drawn from the DNR's 24K hydrography (surveyed 1978), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
2.5 ft Secchi depthLowOlder reading
Last measured Aug 10, 2018. 312 readings on record, 1987 to 2018.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 2 ft, low, from 30 readings (2012 to 2018).
Nothing has been measured in the last 5 years, so this may not match the lake today.
Measured at the monitoring station named “Chetek Lake - Deep Hole”.
Secchi depth is how far down a white disk stays visible. A bigger number means clearer water. Clear means a Secchi depth of 10 feet or more, moderate 5 to 10 feet, low under 5 feet.
Wisconsin DNR water monitoring (volunteer and staff), via the Water Quality Portal; station Chetek Lake - Deep Hole. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 12 (Apr 5 to Apr 23)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout Apr 21 (Apr 16 to May 2)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 24 (May 19 to May 28)
- June surface72°F, usually 71 to 73°F
- July surface78°F, usually 77 to 80°F
- August surface75°F, usually 73 to 77°F
Mixes regularly through the summer instead of forming a warm top layer.
A computer model of this lake's typical weather and water, built from 15 years, 2005 to 2019. Ranges show the middle half of years. The model was not calibrated against measured temperatures for this lake. It is an estimate, not a measurement.
Modeled: U.S. Geological Survey lake temperature data release (doi:10.5066/P9CA6XP8).
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 2025 (large fingerling, small fingerling and yearling); stocked in 12 years 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 Bullhead Ameiurus melas1983; 1 record
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus1968 to 2006; 23 records
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus1947 to 2006; 25 records
- Bluntnose Minnow Pimephales notatus2003 to 2006; 2 records
- Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus1969 to 1983; 2 records
- Fantail Darter Etheostoma flabellare2003; 1 record
- Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas2003; 2 records
- Iowa Darter Etheostoma exile2003; 1 record
- Johnny Darter Etheostoma nigrum2003 to 2006; 2 records
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides1947 to 2007; 41 records
- Logperch Percina caprodes2003; 1 record
- Northern Pike Esox lucius1947 to 2007; 39 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1947 to 1990; 11 records
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris1947; 1 record
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu1968 to 2007; 23 records
- Spottail Shiner Notropis hudsonius2003; 1 record
- Trout-Perch Percopsis omiscomaycus2003; 1 record
- Walleye Sander vitreus1947 to 2007; 40 records
- Warmouth Lepomis gulosus1968 to 2006; 2 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii1969 to 2006; 5 records
- Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis1969 to 2006; 3 records
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1947 to 2006; 23 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.
Boat landings
- 1County Hwy D Boat RampBoat ramp · Paved surface · Accessible features · County
Directions - 2Lakeview Drive Boat RampBoat ramp · Concrete surface · City
Directions - 3Lake Chetek AccessBoat ramp · Paved surface · Township
Directions - 4Lake Chetek AccessBoat ramp · Paved surface · Township
Directions - 5Lake Chetek Access 2Boat ramp · Gravel surface · Township
Directions - 6Chetek Dam AccessCarry-in access · Gravel surface · County
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Barron County
- Tenmile Lake1.2 miles away
- Pokegama Lake1.7 miles away
- Bass Lake1.8 miles away
- Moose Ear Lake2.3 miles away
- Bailey Lake2.5 miles away
- Mud Lake3.9 miles away
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
- Boat landingsWisconsin DNR public boat access sites, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Water clarityWisconsin DNR water monitoring, via the Water Quality Portal, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Typical-year temperatureU.S. Geological Survey lake temperature model (modeled estimate), 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
See data sources for what each source covers, and about for how the numbers are matched to lakes.