Fish Lake
Dane County, Wisconsin · WBIC 985100
The DNR lists this lake's watershed (Otter Creek-Wisconsin 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
216 acres
Max depth
62 ft
DNR lake type
Simple, Two Story
Water clarity
3 ft
Low, measured Aug 2014
A deep lake type that can hold a cold layer below the warm surface in 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 1975), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
3 ft Secchi depthLowOlder reading
Last measured Aug 5, 2014. 3 readings on record, 1999 to 2014.
Only a few readings are on record.
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 FISH LAKE - FISH LAKE. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 4 (Mar 28 to Apr 10)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout Apr 26 (Apr 16 to May 3)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 18 (May 8 to May 23)
- June surface77°F, usually 75 to 78°F
- July surface83°F, usually 81 to 84°F
- August surface79°F, usually 76 to 80°F
Forms a warm top layer around Apr 25, lasting about 191 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 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
- Northern Pikelast stocked 2023 (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
- Banded Killifish Fundulus diaphanus1961; 1 record
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus1969 to 2003; 7 records
- Blackchin Shiner Notropis heterodon1961; 1 record
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus1960 to 2003; 8 records
- Cisco Coregonus artedi1969 to 1973; 2 records
- Common Carp Cyprinus carpio2003; 1 record
- Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas1983; 1 record
- Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus2003; 2 records
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides1960 to 2004; 11 records
- Northern Pike Esox lucius1969 to 2003; 11 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1960 to 2003; 6 records
- Walleye Sander vitreus1969 to 1972; 2 records
- Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis2003; 1 record
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1969 to 2003; 7 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
- 1Lussier County Park Boat LaunchBoat ramp · Paved surface · Accessible features · County
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Dane County
- Mud Lake0.6 miles away
- Indian Lake6.8 miles away
- Brandenburg Lake7.1 miles away
- Salmo Pond (Raemisch Pond)12 miles away
- Windsor Lake16 miles away
- Lake Mendota17 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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