Whitefish Lake
Sawyer County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2392000
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
786 acres
Max depth
105 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Two Story
Water clarity
16 ft
Clear, measured Aug 2026
A deep lake type that can hold a cold layer below the warm surface in 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 1971), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
16 ft Secchi depthClear
Last measured Aug 17, 2026. 455 readings on record, 1986 to 2026.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 13.5 ft, clear, from 84 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 WHITEFISH LAKE - DEEP HOLE. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
Last measured Aug 17, 2026, too long ago to show as the current temperature.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 14 (Apr 4 to Apr 23)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 4 (Apr 26 to May 10)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 28 (May 27 to Jun 5)
- June surface71°F, usually 69 to 72°F
- July surface77°F, usually 76 to 78°F
- August surface75°F, usually 73 to 77°F
Forms a warm top layer around Apr 28, lasting about 184 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 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
- Muskellungelast stocked 2024 (large fingerling); stocked in 6 years since 2010
- Walleyelast stocked 2024 (large fingerling and small fingerling); stocked in 10 years since 2010
- White Suckerlast stocked 2019 (fry); stocked in 6 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
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus1928; 1 record
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus1928; 3 records
- Bluntnose Minnow Pimephales notatus1928; 1 record
- Common Shiner Luxilus cornutus1928; 1 record
- Iowa Darter Etheostoma exile1928; 2 records
- Johnny Darter Etheostoma nigrum1928; 1 record
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides1928; 3 records
- Logperch Percina caprodes1928; 1 record
- Longnose Dace Rhinichthys cataractae1928; 1 record
- Mimic Shiner Notropis volucellus1928; 1 record
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris1928; 1 record
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii1928; 1 record
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1928; 3 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
- 1Whitefish Lake AccessBoat ramp · Concrete surface · Township
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Sawyer County
- Upper Holly Lake1.6 miles away
- Lower Holly Lake1.9 miles away
- Ham Lake2.0 miles away
- Sand Lake2.6 miles away
- Little Lac Courte Oreilles2.7 miles away
- Lac Courte Oreilles2.8 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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