Snipe Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin · WBIC 1018500
The DNR has advice about eating fish from this water. How much is safe depends on the fish and on who is eating it. Look it up on the DNR site
Size
239 acres
Max depth
15 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Cool, clear water color
Water clarity
7 ft
Moderate, measured Aug 2026
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 1982), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
7 ft Secchi depthModerate
Last measured Aug 24, 2026. 202 readings on record, 1995 to 2026.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 9.5 ft, moderate, from 55 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 SNIPE LAKE - DEEP HOLE. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
Last measured Aug 24, 2026, too long ago to show as the current temperature.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 23 (Apr 12 to Apr 27)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 1 (Apr 19 to May 8)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 30 (May 27 to Jun 6)
- June surface68°F, usually 67 to 70°F
- July surface73°F, usually 72 to 75°F
- August surface70°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.
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.
Fish recorded near this lake
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus1995 to 2006; 4 records
- Bluntnose Minnow Pimephales notatus2006; 2 records
- Iowa Darter Etheostoma exile2006; 2 records
- Johnny Darter Etheostoma nigrum2006; 2 records
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides2006; 1 record
- Muskellunge Esox masquinongy1995 to 2008; 7 records
- Northern Pike Esox lucius1995 to 2006; 4 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1995 to 2006; 2 records
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris1995 to 2006; 4 records
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu2006; 5 records
- Walleye Sander vitreus1995 to 2008; 8 records
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1995 to 2006; 4 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
- 1Snipe Lake AccessBoat ramp · Concrete Panels surface · County
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Vilas County
- Nelson Lake0.7 miles away
- Bullfrog Lake1.0 miles away
- Muskellunge Lake1.2 miles away
- Ewald Lake1.4 miles away
- Sunset Lake1.5 miles away
- Rice Lake1.6 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
- 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
- Fish consumption advice flagWisconsin DNR advisory areas (flag and link only), checked Oct 24, 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.