Collins Lake
Portage County, Wisconsin · WBIC 270200
The DNR has advice about eating fish from this water. How much is safe depends on the fish and on who is eating it. Look it up on the DNR site
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
49 acres
Max depth
30 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Warm, clear water color
Water clarity
8 ft
Moderate, measured Aug 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 1986), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
8 ft Secchi depthModerate
Last measured Aug 26, 2026. 205 readings on record, 1994 to 2026.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 5.7 ft, moderate, from 71 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 Collins Lake - Deep Hole. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
72.7°F surface, measured Aug 26, 2026
Measured near the surface (0.3 m down). A single reading, not a daily value.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 12 (Apr 3 to Apr 23)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout Apr 20 (Apr 15 to Apr 26)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 12 (May 8 to May 22)
- June surface73°F, usually 72 to 75°F
- July surface79°F, usually 78 to 80°F
- August surface75°F, usually 73 to 77°F
Forms a warm top layer around Apr 18, lasting about 174 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 nigromaculatus2000 to 2006; 8 records
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus2000 to 2006; 9 records
- Central Mudminnow Umbra limi2005; 1 record
- Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas2000; 1 record
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides2000 to 2006; 8 records
- Northern Pike Esox lucius2000 to 2006; 5 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus2000 to 2006; 5 records
- Tadpole Madtom Noturus gyrinus2000 to 2002; 2 records
- Walleye Sander vitreus2000 to 2006; 3 records
- Warmouth Lepomis gulosus2000 to 2005; 4 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii2002; 1 record
- Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis2000 to 2002; 2 records
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens2000 to 2005; 6 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
- 1Collins Park Boat LaunchBoat ramp · Paved surface · Accessible features · County
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Portage County
- Kranski Lake1.4 miles away
- Pallen Lake2.4 miles away
- Rosholt Millpond2.7 miles away
- Mudhole Lake3.2 miles away
- Lions Lake4.1 miles away
- Twin Lakes4.4 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
- Measured temperatureWisconsin 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
- Fish consumption advice flagWisconsin DNR advisory areas (flag and link only), checked Oct 24, 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.
Something wrong on this page? Report a problem.