Silver Lake
Forest County, Wisconsin · WBIC 555700
Size
320 acres
Max depth
20 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Cool, clear water color
Water clarity
13 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 1991), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
13 ft Secchi depthClear
Last measured Aug 21, 2026. 220 readings on record, 1992 to 2026.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 13 ft, clear, from 28 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 SILVER LAKE - DEEP HOLE. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
Last measured Aug 21, 2026, too long ago to show as the current temperature.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 20 (Apr 12 to Apr 27)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout Apr 30 (Apr 21 to May 8)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 29 (May 27 to Jun 6)
- June surface69°F, usually 68 to 70°F
- July surface74°F, usually 74 to 76°F
- August surface71°F, usually 69 to 73°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
- Muskellungelast stocked 2025 (large fingerling); stocked in 7 years since 2010
- Walleyelast stocked 2025 (large fingerling and small fingerling); stocked in 8 years since 2010
- Yellow Perchlast stocked 2011 (adult); stocked in 1 year 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 melas2005; 2 records
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus2005; 2 records
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus2005; 4 records
- Bluntnose Minnow Pimephales notatus2005; 3 records
- Common Shiner Luxilus cornutus2005; 1 record
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides1998 to 2005; 5 records
- Muskellunge Esox masquinongy1998 to 2005; 2 records
- Northern Pike Esox lucius1998 to 2005; 5 records
- Northern Redbelly Dace Chrosomus eos2005; 2 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus2005; 4 records
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris2005; 4 records
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu1998 to 2005; 5 records
- Walleye Sander vitreus1998 to 2005; 3 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii2005; 1 record
- Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis2005; 3 records
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens2005; 4 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
- 1Silver Lake AccessBoat ramp · Grate surface · Township
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Forest County
- Scattered Rice Lake1.5 miles away
- Little Birch Lake2.4 miles away
- Little Pine Lake2.7 miles away
- Little Riley Lake2.8 miles away
- Birch Lake3.5 miles away
- Wabikon Lake3.5 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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