Lower Buckatabon Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin · WBIC 1621000
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
352 acres
Max depth
16 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Two Story
Water clarity
6 ft
Moderate, 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
Drawn from the DNR's 24K hydrography (surveyed 1982), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
6 ft Secchi depthModerate
Last measured Aug 16, 2026. 245 readings on record, 1993 to 2026.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 8 ft, moderate, from 79 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 Lower Buckatabon Lake - Deep Hole. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
Last measured Aug 16, 2026, too long ago to show as the current temperature.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 25 (Apr 17 to May 1)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 9 (May 4 to May 16)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 30 (May 27 to Jun 5)
- June surface69°F, usually 68 to 71°F
- July surface75°F, usually 74 to 77°F
- August surface72°F, usually 70 to 73°F
Forms a warm top layer around May 18, lasting about 142 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
- Muskellungelast stocked 2013 (large fingerling); stocked in 1 year since 2010
- Walleyelast stocked 2012 (small 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
- Soleit Lake0.9 miles away
- Upper Buckatabon Lake1.4 miles away
- Hunter Lake1.7 miles away
- Stormy Lake2.0 miles away
- Torch Lake2.2 miles away
- Nudist Lake2.7 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
- 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
See data sources for what each source covers, and about for how the numbers are matched to lakes.
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