Benson Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2327100
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
28 acres
Max depth
15 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Riverine
Water clarity
11 ft
Clear, measured Sep 2023
A river-like water type, with flow instead of a still basin. This describes the lake type in general, not this lake in particular.
Outline
Drawn from the DNR's 24K hydrography (surveyed 1981), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
11 ft Secchi depthClear
Last measured Sep 21, 2023. 39 readings on record, 1993 to 2023.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 10.2 ft, clear, from 13 readings (2017 to 2023).
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 BENSON LAKE - MAX DEPTH. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 22 (Apr 16 to Apr 28)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout Apr 29 (Apr 21 to May 7)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 22 (May 10 to May 26)
- June surface71°F, usually 69 to 72°F
- July surface76°F, usually 75 to 78°F
- August surface72°F, usually 70 to 73°F
Forms a warm top layer around May 23, lasting about 75 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.
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
- Muskellunge Esox masquinongy1992; 2 records
- Northern Pike Esox lucius1992; 1 record
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu1992; 2 records
- Walleye Sander vitreus1992; 2 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.
More lakes in Vilas County
- Gem Lake0.6 miles away
- Dog Lake0.7 miles away
- Sturgeon Lake0.8 miles away
- Deerfoot Lake0.9 miles away
- Chub Lake1.0 miles away
- McKinney Lake1.2 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
- Regulations linkWisconsin DNR fishing regulations (linked, not restated), 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
See data sources for what each source covers, and about for how the numbers are matched to lakes.
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