Pickerel Lake
Portage County, Wisconsin · WBIC 195900
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
40 acres
Max depth
16 ft
DNR lake type
Simple, Warm, clear water color
Water clarity
22.5 ft
Clear, measured Sep 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
22.5 ft Secchi depthClear
Last measured Sep 16, 2026. 54 readings on record, 2011 to 2026.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 5.2 ft, moderate, from 32 readings (2013 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 Pickerel Lake - Deep Hole. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
71.7°F surface, measured Sep 16, 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 5 to Apr 17)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout Apr 19 (Apr 13 to Apr 26)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 9 (May 5 to May 13)
- June surface75°F, usually 74 to 77°F
- July surface81°F, usually 78 to 82°F
- August surface75°F, usually 73 to 77°F
Forms a warm top layer around May 16, lasting about 101 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.
Boat landings
- 1Pickerel Lake AccessBoat ramp · Unimproved surface · Township
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Portage County
- Pine Lake0.5 miles away
- Pleasant Lake0.6 miles away
- Jim Lake1.3 miles away
- Wolf Lake1.4 miles away
- Boelter Lake2.2 miles away
- Peters Lake2.6 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
- 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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