Carpenter Lake

Vilas County, Wisconsin · WBIC 976100

Size

333 acres

Max depth

16 ft

DNR lake type

Complex, Warm, clear water color

Water clarity

9.5 ft

Moderate, measured Aug 2024

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

Drawn from the DNR's 24K hydrography (surveyed 1991), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.

Water clarity

9.5 ft Secchi depthModerate

Last measured Aug 28, 2024. 260 readings on record, 1992 to 2024.

Typical summer clarity (June to September): 10.7 ft, clear, from 70 readings (2012 to 2024).

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 Carpenter Lake - Deep Hole. Checked Oct 23, 2026.

Water temperature

A typical year Modeled estimate

  • Ice goes outabout Apr 24 (Apr 15 to Apr 30)
  • Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 2 (Apr 23 to May 8)
  • Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 30 (May 28 to Jun 6)
  • June surface68°F, usually 67 to 70°F
  • July surface74°F, usually 73 to 75°F
  • August surface71°F, usually 69 to 72°F

Mixes regularly through the summer instead of forming a warm top layer.

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

Loading today's forecast…

Forecast: National Weather Service (no endorsement implied). Sunrise, sunset and moon phase are calculated. The moon phase can be a day off.

Stocking history

  • Walleyelast stocked 2024 (large fingerling); stocked in 9 years since 2010
  • Yellow Perchlast stocked 2022 (large fingerling); stocked in 2 years since 2010
  • Bluegilllast stocked 2020 (large fingerling); stocked in 1 year 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.

More lakes in Vilas County

All Vilas County lakes

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
  • 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
  • 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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