Wildcat Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2336800
Size
305 acres
Max depth
38 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Cool, clear water color
Water clarity
6 ft
Moderate, measured Oct 2022
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 ft Secchi depthModerate
Last measured Oct 29, 2022. 297 readings on record, 2006 to 2022.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 7.2 ft, moderate, from 148 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 Wildcat Lake - Deep Hole. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 25 (Apr 16 to May 1)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 5 (Apr 27 to May 11)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 30 (May 24 to Jun 1)
- June surface69°F, usually 68 to 71°F
- July surface74°F, usually 74 to 76°F
- August surface71°F, usually 70 to 73°F
Forms a warm top layer around May 24, lasting about 127 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 2024 (small fingerling); stocked in 8 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
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus1927; 13 records
- Common Shiner Luxilus cornutus1927; 2 records
- Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas1924; 1 record
- Muskellunge Esox masquinongy1927; 4 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1927; 11 records
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris1927; 7 records
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu1927; 3 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii1927; 8 records
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1927; 8 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
- 1Wildcat Lake AccessBoat ramp · Concrete Plank surface · State(dnr)
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Vilas County
- Big Kitten Lake0.5 miles away
- Russet Lake1.7 miles away
- Grassy Lake1.7 miles away
- Mabel Lake1.7 miles away
- Flora Lake1.9 miles away
- Morton 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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