Crane Lake
Forest County, Wisconsin · WBIC 388500
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
341 acres
Max depth
25 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Cool, dark water color
Water clarity
4.5 ft
Low, 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 1973), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
4.5 ft Secchi depthLow
Last measured Aug 22, 2026. 323 readings on record, 1990 to 2026.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 6.2 ft, moderate, from 44 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 CRANE LAKE - DEEP HOLE. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
Last measured Aug 22, 2026, too long ago to show as the current temperature.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 19 (Apr 14 to Apr 27)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 1 (Apr 21 to May 8)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 29 (May 24 to Jun 1)
- June surface70°F, usually 68 to 71°F
- July surface75°F, usually 74 to 77°F
- August surface72°F, usually 70 to 74°F
Forms a warm top layer around Jun 18, lasting about 35 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
- Walleyelast stocked 2025 (large fingerling, small fingerling and yearling); stocked in 13 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 melas2006; 1 record
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus2004 to 2006; 4 records
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus2004 to 2006; 5 records
- Bluntnose Minnow Pimephales notatus2004; 1 record
- Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas2006; 1 record
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides2004 to 2006; 6 records
- Northern Pike Esox lucius2004 to 2006; 6 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus2004 to 2006; 6 records
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris2006; 1 record
- Walleye Sander vitreus2004 to 2006; 4 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii2004 to 2006; 2 records
- Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis2004 to 2006; 3 records
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens2006; 2 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
- 1Crane Lake AccessBoat ramp · Gravel surface · Accessible features · Township
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Forest County
- Grass Lake1.5 miles away
- Arbutus Lake1.7 miles away
- Saint Johns Lake2.2 miles away
- Crawford Lake2.3 miles away
- Walsh Lake3.1 miles away
- Lily 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
- 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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