Otter Lake (Brown)
Chippewa County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2157000
Size
661 acres
Max depth
43 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Warm, dark water color
Water clarity
3.9 ft
Low, measured Oct 1995
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 1973), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
3.9 ft Secchi depthLowOlder reading
Last measured Oct 11, 1995. 42 readings on record, 1989 to 1995.
Nothing has been measured in the last 5 years, so this may not match the lake today.
Measured at the monitoring station named “Otter Lake - Near Northern End Of 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 Otter Lake - Near Northern End Of Deep Hole. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 14 (Apr 9 to Apr 23)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout Apr 29 (Apr 20 to May 7)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 22 (May 11 to May 27)
- June surface74°F, usually 73 to 76°F
- July surface80°F, usually 78 to 82°F
- August surface76°F, usually 74 to 78°F
Forms a warm top layer around May 13, lasting about 136 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
- Walleyelast stocked 2025 (large fingerling and small fingerling); stocked in 10 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 melas2004; 1 record
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus2004; 3 records
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus2004; 3 records
- Brassy Minnow Hybognathus hankinsoni2004; 1 record
- Emerald Shiner Notropis atherinoides2004; 1 record
- Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas2004; 2 records
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides2004; 3 records
- Northern Pike Esox lucius2004; 1 record
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus2004; 2 records
- Walleye Sander vitreus2004; 2 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii2004; 1 record
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens2004; 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
- 1Otter Lake County Park Boat RampBoat ramp · Concrete Plank surface · Accessible features · County
Directions - 2Otter Lake Park Access 2Boat ramp · Gravel surface · County
Directions - 3Otter Lake Boat RampBoat ramp · Concrete surface · Accessible features · State(dnr)
Directions - 4Otter Lake Park Access 3Boat ramp · Paved surface · Accessible features · County
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Chippewa County
- Withrow Lake1.4 miles away
- Spruce Lake3.1 miles away
- Pike Lake6.7 miles away
- Chapman Lake7.3 miles away
- Old Abe Lake15 miles away
- Pheffercorn Lake15 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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