Whitefish Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2324300
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
196 acres
Max depth
40 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Two Story
Water clarity
14 ft
Clear, measured Aug 2022
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 1971), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
14 ft Secchi depthClear
Last measured Aug 26, 2022. 75 readings on record, 1987 to 2022.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 13.5 ft, clear, from 11 readings (2012 to 2022).
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 WHITEFISH LAKE - MAX DEPTH. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 24 (Apr 16 to Apr 30)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 5 (Apr 27 to May 11)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 28 (May 24 to Jun 5)
- June surface69°F, usually 67 to 71°F
- July surface75°F, usually 74 to 76°F
- August surface72°F, usually 70 to 73°F
Forms a warm top layer around May 13, lasting about 132 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.
More lakes in Vilas County
- Lucy Lake0.9 miles away
- Wyandock Lake0.9 miles away
- Jerms Lake1.0 miles away
- Placid Twin Lakes1.3 miles away
- Placid Twin Lake, North1.4 miles away
- Gunlock Lake1.7 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
- 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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