Black Oak Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin · WBIC 1630100
Size
584 acres
Max depth
85 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Two Story
Water clarity
30 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 1981), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
30 ft Secchi depthClear
Last measured Aug 30, 2026. 477 readings on record, 2002 to 2026.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 30 ft, clear, from 157 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 Black Oak Lake - Deep Hole. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
70.8°F surface, measured Aug 30, 2026
Measured near the surface (0.91 m down). A single reading, not a daily value.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 28 (Apr 17 to May 4)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 20 (May 12 to May 23)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 31 (May 28 to Jun 8)
- June surface67°F, usually 64 to 68°F
- July surface72°F, usually 72 to 74°F
- August surface70°F, usually 69 to 72°F
Forms a warm top layer around May 18, lasting about 159 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.
Stocking history
- Lake Troutlast stocked 2025 (yearling); stocked in 4 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
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides2007; 1 record
- Northern Pike Esox lucius2007; 1 record
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu2007; 1 record
- Walleye Sander vitreus2007; 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
- 1Black Oak Lake Boat LaunchBoat ramp · Concrete Panels surface · County
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Vilas County
- Big Donahue Lake0.6 miles away
- Ethel Lake1.1 miles away
- Little Donahue Lake1.1 miles away
- Anderson Lake1.3 miles away
- Kenu Lake1.4 miles away
- Little Bateau Lake1.4 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
- 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
- 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
- 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.