Circle Lily Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2326700
Size
223 acres
Max depth
35 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Cool, dark water color
Water clarity
6.5 ft
Moderate, measured Sep 2023
A cool-water lake type: the DNR groups it with lakes that stay cooler 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 1981), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
6.5 ft Secchi depthModerate
Last measured Sep 5, 2023. 145 readings on record, 1996 to 2023.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 5 ft, moderate, from 37 readings (2012 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 CIRCLE LILY LAKE - DEEP HOLE. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 23 (Apr 16 to Apr 29)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 5 (Apr 26 to May 11)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 26 (May 21 to May 30)
- June surface70°F, usually 68 to 72°F
- July surface75°F, usually 74 to 77°F
- August surface72°F, usually 70 to 73°F
Forms a warm top layer around May 10, lasting about 137 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.
Stocking history
- Walleyelast stocked 2015 (small fingerling); stocked in 3 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 Bullhead Ameiurus melas2003; 2 records
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus2003; 3 records
- Blacknose Shiner Notropis heterolepis2003; 1 record
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus2003; 3 records
- Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus2003; 1 record
- Common Shiner Luxilus cornutus2003; 1 record
- Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas2003; 1 record
- Johnny Darter Etheostoma nigrum2003; 1 record
- Mottled Sculpin Cottus bairdii2003; 1 record
- Muskellunge Esox masquinongy2003; 1 record
- Northern Pike Esox lucius2003; 1 record
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus2003; 3 records
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris2003; 3 records
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu1992 to 2003; 4 records
- Walleye Sander vitreus1992 to 2003; 3 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii2003; 1 record
- Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis2003; 1 record
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens2003; 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
- 1Circle Lily Lake RampBoat ramp · Gravel surface · State(dnr)
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Vilas County
- Dog Lake1.3 miles away
- Statehouse Lake1.4 miles away
- Sturgeon Lake1.7 miles away
- Benson Lake2.0 miles away
- Vance Lake2.0 miles away
- Gem Lake2.2 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
- 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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