Bear Lake
Portage County, Wisconsin · WBIC 181900
The DNR lists this lake's watershed (Waupaca 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
34 acres
Max depth
36 ft
DNR lake type
Simple, Warm, clear water color
Water clarity
12.5 ft
Clear, measured Jul 2026
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 1969), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
12.5 ft Secchi depthClear
Last measured Jul 24, 2026. 21 readings on record, 2014 to 2026.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 12.5 ft, clear, from 17 readings (2014 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 Bear Lake - Center. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
Last measured Jul 24, 2026, too long ago to show as the current temperature.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 9 (Apr 3 to Apr 17)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout Apr 19 (Apr 13 to Apr 30)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 13 (May 8 to May 23)
- June surface73°F, usually 72 to 75°F
- July surface79°F, usually 77 to 80°F
- August surface75°F, usually 73 to 77°F
Forms a warm top layer around Apr 17, lasting about 209 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.
Fish recorded near this lake
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus2006; 1 record
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus2006; 1 record
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides2005 to 2006; 2 records
- Northern Pike Esox lucius2005 to 2006; 3 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus2006; 1 record
- Walleye Sander vitreus2006; 2 records
- Warmouth Lepomis gulosus2006; 1 record
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii2006; 1 record
- Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis2006; 1 record
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens2006; 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
- 1Standing Rocks Park Boat RampBoat ramp · Gravel surface · County
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Portage County
- Adams Lake0.7 miles away
- Thomas Lake2.6 miles away
- Lake Lime2.6 miles away
- Ebert Lake2.8 miles away
- Ell Lake2.8 miles away
- Lake Julia3.1 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
- 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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