Lake Onalaska
Lacrosse County, Wisconsin · WBIC 728100
The DNR lists this lake's watershed (Halfway Creek-Mississippi River) as suspect or infected with VHS, a fish virus. The listing covers the watershed, not a test of this lake. About VHS
Size
7,688 acres
Max depth
40 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Riverine
Water clarity
1.8 ft
Low, measured Aug 2010
A river-like water type, with flow instead of a still basin. 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 1992), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
1.8 ft Secchi depthLowOlder reading
Last measured Aug 10, 2010. 1 reading on record, 2010.
Only one reading is 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 LAKE ONALASKA - BRICE PRAIRIE CHANNEL 1/4 MILE ABOVE LAKE. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 6 (Mar 27 to Apr 15)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout Apr 23 (Apr 15 to May 2)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 25 (May 18 to May 31)
- June surface75°F, usually 73 to 76°F
- July surface81°F, usually 80 to 83°F
- August surface79°F, usually 77 to 80°F
Forms a warm top layer around Jun 6, lasting about 47 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.
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.
Fish recorded near this lake
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus2006; 2 records
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus1929 to 2023; 5 records
- Bowfin Amia calva1982; 1 record
- Brook Silverside Labidesthes sicculus2006; 1 record
- Bullhead Minnow Pimephales vigilax2006; 1 record
- Burbot Lota lota1993; 1 record
- Common Carp Cyprinus carpio2006 to 2023; 2 records
- Emerald Shiner Notropis atherinoides2006; 1 record
- Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris1928 to 2023; 2 records
- Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum2006 to 2023; 2 records
- Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas1929 to 2006; 2 records
- Goldeye Hiodon alosoides1994; 1 record
- Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus2006; 1 record
- Johnny Darter Etheostoma nigrum2006; 1 record
- Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens2007; 1 record
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides2006; 2 records
- Logperch Percina caprodes1981 to 2006; 3 records
- Mimic Shiner Notropis volucellus1993; 1 record
- Mud Darter Etheostoma asprigene2006; 1 record
- Northern Pike Esox lucius1929 to 2006; 3 records
- Pirate Perch Aphredoderus sayanus2006; 1 record
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1928 to 2006; 3 records
- River Darter Percina shumardi1998; 1 record
- River Shiner Notropis blennius2006; 1 record
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris2006; 2 records
- Sand Shiner Notropis stramineus1994; 1 record
- Sauger Sander canadensis1982; 1 record
- Shoal Chub Macrhybopsis hyostoma1999 to 2001; 2 records
- Shorthead Redhorse Moxostoma macrolepidotum2023; 1 record
- Shovelnose Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus2007; 1 record
- Silver Lamprey Ichthyomyzon unicuspis1982; 1 record
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu2006 to 2023; 3 records
- Spotfin Shiner Cyprinella spiloptera2006; 1 record
- Spottail Shiner Notropis hudsonius2006; 1 record
- Spotted Sucker Minytrema melanops2006; 1 record
- Tadpole Madtom Noturus gyrinus2006; 1 record
- Warmouth Lepomis gulosus2006; 1 record
- Weed Shiner Notropis texanus2006; 1 record
- Western Sand Darter Ammocrypta clara1982 to 2006; 3 records
- White Bass Morone chrysops2006; 1 record
- Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis2006; 1 record
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1928 to 2006; 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
- 1Brice Prairie Walk-In Access (listed under La Crosse County)Carry-in access · Unimproved surface · State(dnr)
Directions - 2Fred Funk Boat Landing (listed under La Crosse County)Boat ramp · Concrete Plank surface · Local & Federal
Directions - 3Nelson Park Landing (listed under La Crosse County)Boat ramp · Concrete Panels surface · Accessible features · Federal
Directions - 4Fishermans Road (listed under La Crosse County)Boat ramp · Gravel surface · City
Directions - 5Fishermans Road (listed under La Crosse County)Boat ramp · Gravel surface · City
Directions - 6Lake Onalaska Ramp (listed under La Crosse County)Boat ramp · Concrete Panels surface · Accessible features · Township
Directions - 7Upper French Island Spillway Landing (listed under La Crosse County)Boat ramp · Concrete surface · Federal
Directions - 8Lower French Island Spillway (listed under La Crosse County)Boat ramp · Concrete surface · Federal
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Fishing from shore
- Lake Onalaska Fishing PierDirections · DNR details
Wisconsin DNR shore fishing sites. Checked Oct 24, 2026.
Water level and flow
U.S. Geological Survey gauges at or beside this lake. Readings are provisional and fetched when you open the page.
More lakes in Lacrosse County
- French Lake3.5 miles away
- Long Lake7.5 miles away
- Van Loon Lake9.1 miles away
- Neshonoc Lake12 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
- 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
- Water level and flowU.S. Geological Survey gauges (readings are live), checked Oct 23, 2026
- VHS statusWisconsin DNR VHS status by watershed, checked Oct 24, 2026
- Shore fishing sitesWisconsin DNR shore fishing sites, 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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