Half Moon Lake
Polk County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2621100
The DNR lists this lake's watershed (Balsam Branch-Apple River) as suspect or infected with VHS, a fish virus. The listing covers the watershed, not a test of this lake. About VHS
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
579 acres
Max depth
60 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Warm, clear water color
Water clarity
17.5 ft
Clear, measured Aug 2025
A warm-water lake type: the DNR groups it with lakes that warm up 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 1983), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
17.5 ft Secchi depthClear
Last measured Aug 31, 2025. 134 readings on record, 1993 to 2025.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 15.2 ft, clear, from 38 readings (2012 to 2025).
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 HALF MOON LAKE - DEEP HOLE. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
Last measured Aug 31, 2025, too long ago to show as the current temperature.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 17 (Apr 10 to Apr 26)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 2 (Apr 21 to May 11)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 28 (May 25 to Jun 5)
- June surface70°F, usually 69 to 71°F
- July surface76°F, usually 75 to 77°F
- August surface73°F, usually 71 to 75°F
Forms a warm top layer around May 14, lasting about 143 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 and small fingerling); stocked in 9 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
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens2020; 1 record
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
- 1Voss LandingBoat ramp · Concrete Plank surface · Township
Directions - 2Half Moon Lake AccessCarry-in access · Unimproved surface · Township
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Polk County
- Lost Lake1.1 miles away
- Balsam Lake1.5 miles away
- Kenny Lake1.5 miles away
- Elkins Lake3.1 miles away
- Antler Lake3.1 miles away
- Twenty-Ninth Lake3.2 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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