Namekagon Lake
Bayfield County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2732600
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
3,227 acres
Max depth
50 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Cool, dark water color
Water clarity
6.5 ft
Moderate, measured Aug 2018
A cool-water lake type: the DNR groups it with lakes that stay cooler 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 1990), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
6.5 ft Secchi depthModerateOlder reading
Last measured Aug 30, 2018. 225 readings on record, 1995 to 2018.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 8.2 ft, moderate, from 64 readings (2012 to 2018).
Nothing has been measured in the last 5 years, so this may not match the lake today.
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 Namekagon Lake - Deep Hole. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 22 (Apr 11 to Apr 25)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 1 (Apr 23 to May 8)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 31 (May 29 to Jun 7)
- June surface69°F, usually 67 to 71°F
- July surface75°F, usually 74 to 77°F
- August surface73°F, usually 71 to 74°F
Forms a warm top layer around Jun 26, lasting about 51 days.
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
- Muskellungelast stocked 2025 (large fingerling); stocked in 9 years since 2010
- Walleyelast stocked 2025 (large fingerling); stocked in 6 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 melas1976 to 2002; 5 records
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus1970 to 2006; 12 records
- Blackchin Shiner Notropis heterodon1976; 1 record
- Blacknose Shiner Notropis heterolepis1976; 1 record
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus1970 to 2006; 11 records
- Bluntnose Minnow Pimephales notatus1976 to 2006; 3 records
- Bowfin Amia calva2002; 1 record
- Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis1976; 1 record
- Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus1976; 1 record
- Burbot Lota lota1976 to 1988; 8 records
- Cisco Coregonus artedi1976; 1 record
- Common Carp Cyprinus carpio1976; 1 record
- Common Shiner Luxilus cornutus1976 to 2006; 4 records
- Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus2002; 1 record
- Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas1970 to 2006; 7 records
- Iowa Darter Etheostoma exile1976; 1 record
- Johnny Darter Etheostoma nigrum2006; 1 record
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides1970 to 2006; 18 records
- Muskellunge Esox masquinongy1976 to 2003; 15 records
- Northern Pike Esox lucius1970 to 2006; 21 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1970 to 2006; 9 records
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris1970 to 2006; 11 records
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu1970 to 2006; 8 records
- Spottail Shiner Notropis hudsonius2002; 1 record
- Tadpole Madtom Noturus gyrinus2002; 1 record
- Trout-Perch Percopsis omiscomaycus1970 to 2002; 4 records
- Walleye Sander vitreus1965 to 2006; 40 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii1970 to 2006; 10 records
- Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis2002 to 2006; 2 records
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1970 to 2006; 12 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
- 1Namekagon Dam LandingCarry-in access · Gravel surface · Federal
Directions - 2Namekagon Lake AccessBoat ramp · Concrete Panels surface · Federal
Directions - 3Namekagon Lake Public AccessBoat ramp · Concrete surface · Accessible features · State(dnr)
Directions - 4Funnys Lane Boat LaunchBoat ramp · Concrete surface · Township
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Fishing from shore
- NAMEKAGON LAKE FISHING PIERDirections · DNR details
Wisconsin DNR shore fishing sites. Checked Oct 24, 2026.
More lakes in Bayfield County
- Jackson Lake1.7 miles away
- Twin Lakes2.0 miles away
- Crystal Lake2.4 miles away
- Hidden Lake2.9 miles away
- Trapper Lake2.9 miles away
- Little Bass Lake3.1 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
- Shore fishing sitesWisconsin DNR shore fishing sites, 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.
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