McCarthy Lake
Iron County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2931100
The DNR lists this lake's watershed (Headwaters Bad River) as suspect or infected with VHS, a fish virus. The listing covers the watershed, not a test of this lake. About VHS
Size
47 acres
Max depth
13 ft
DNR lake type
Simple, Cool, clear water color
Water clarity
1.4 ft
Low, measured Oct 2018
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
Drawn from the DNR's 24K hydrography (surveyed 1967), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
1.4 ft Secchi depthLowOlder reading
Last measured Oct 23, 2018. 13 readings on record, 2016 to 2018.
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 McCarthy Lake - Deep Hole. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
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.
Fish recorded near this lake
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus1974; 2 records
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides1974; 2 records
- Muskellunge Esox masquinongy1974; 1 record
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1974; 2 records
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris1974; 2 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii1974; 2 records
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1974; 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.
More lakes in Iron County
- Maki Lake0.7 miles away
- Caroline Lake1.6 miles away
- Shirley Lake4.9 miles away
- O'Brien Lake6.9 miles away
- Upson Lake8.3 miles away
- Shine Lake8.8 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
- Regulations linkWisconsin DNR fishing regulations (linked, not restated), checked Oct 23, 2026
- Water clarityWisconsin DNR water monitoring, via the Water Quality Portal, 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
See data sources for what each source covers, and about for how the numbers are matched to lakes.
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