Twin Bear Lake
Bayfield County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2903100
The DNR lists this lake's watershed (White River) as suspect or infected with VHS, a fish virus. The listing covers the watershed, not a test of this lake. About VHS
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
172 acres
Max depth
59 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Cool, clear water color
Water clarity
21 ft
Clear, measured Aug 2026
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
21 ft Secchi depthClear
Last measured Aug 31, 2026. 107 readings on record, 1991 to 2026.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 19.5 ft, clear, from 48 readings (2012 to 2026).
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 Twin Bear Lake - Deep Hole. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
Last measured Mar 15, 2024, too long ago to show as the current temperature.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 23 (Apr 17 to Apr 29)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 7 (May 2 to May 11)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 28 (May 24 to Jun 6)
- June surface68°F, usually 66 to 70°F
- July surface75°F, usually 74 to 76°F
- August surface73°F, usually 71 to 74°F
Forms a warm top layer around May 5, lasting about 167 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.
Measured: Wisconsin DNR via the Water Quality Portal (checked Oct 23, 2026). 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 2024 (large fingerling); stocked in 7 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 melas1968; 1 record
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus1968 to 1974; 3 records
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus1968 to 1974; 3 records
- Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus1968; 1 record
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides1968 to 1974; 3 records
- Northern Pike Esox lucius1968; 2 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1968 to 1974; 3 records
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris1968; 1 record
- Walleye Sander vitreus1968 to 1974; 3 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii1974; 1 record
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1968 to 1974; 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.
Boat landings
- 1Twin Bear County ParkBoat ramp · Concrete surface · County
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Bayfield County
- Nestle Lake0.5 miles away
- Eagle Lake0.6 miles away
- Muskellunge Lake0.7 miles away
- Bass Lake0.7 miles away
- McCarry Lake0.9 miles away
- Hart Lake0.9 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.
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