Kentuck Lake
Forest County, Wisconsin · WBIC 716800
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
957 acres
Max depth
40 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Two Story
Water clarity
7.9 ft
Moderate, measured Jun 2026
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 1991), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
7.9 ft Secchi depthModerate
Last measured Jun 27, 2026. 272 readings on record, 1986 to 2026.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 5.9 ft, moderate, from 31 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 Kentuck Lake - Site 1-Center. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
Last measured Jun 27, 2026, too long ago to show as the current temperature.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 23 (Apr 16 to May 1)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 2 (Apr 24 to May 8)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 30 (May 28 to Jun 7)
- June surface68°F, usually 67 to 70°F
- July surface73°F, usually 72 to 75°F
- August surface71°F, usually 69 to 72°F
Mixes regularly through the summer instead of forming a warm top layer.
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 and small 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 Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus1996 to 2006; 4 records
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus1996 to 2006; 7 records
- Bluntnose Minnow Pimephales notatus1998 to 2006; 3 records
- Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis2007; 2 records
- Common Shiner Luxilus cornutus1996 to 2006; 3 records
- Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus1996 to 2006; 4 records
- Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas1998; 1 record
- Finescale Dace Chrosomus neogaeus1998 to 2003; 2 records
- Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas1996 to 2006; 4 records
- Iowa Darter Etheostoma exile2003 to 2006; 2 records
- Johnny Darter Etheostoma nigrum2003 to 2006; 3 records
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides1996 to 2007; 10 records
- Mottled Sculpin Cottus bairdii2003 to 2006; 2 records
- Muskellunge Esox masquinongy1996 to 2007; 6 records
- Northern Redbelly Dace Chrosomus eos2003; 1 record
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1996 to 2006; 6 records
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris1996 to 2006; 7 records
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu1996 to 2007; 9 records
- Walleye Sander vitreus1996 to 2007; 6 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii1996 to 2006; 5 records
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1996 to 2006; 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
- 1Kentuck Lake Ramp 1 (listed under Vilas County)Boat ramp · Paved surface · Township
Directions - 2Kentuck Lake Access 2 (listed under Vilas County)Boat ramp · Concrete Panels surface · Federal
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Forest County
- Sunfish Lake2.7 miles away
- Quartz Lake3.2 miles away
- Franklin Lake3.3 miles away
- Howell Lake4.1 miles away
- Bose Lake4.3 miles away
- Three Johns Lake4.3 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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