Shell Lake
Washburn County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2496300
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
2,580 acres
Max depth
36 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Warm, clear water color
Water clarity
11.5 ft
Clear, measured Sep 2025
A warm-water lake type: the DNR groups it with lakes that warm up 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
11.5 ft Secchi depthClear
Last measured Sep 26, 2025. 299 readings on record, 1988 to 2025.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 15 ft, clear, from 74 readings (2012 to 2025).
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 SHELL LAKE - DEEP HOLE. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
Last measured Aug 28, 2025, too long ago to show as the current temperature.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 20 (Apr 13 to Apr 30)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 6 (Apr 27 to May 14)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout Jun 7 (May 30 to Jun 7)
- June surface68°F, usually 67 to 70°F
- July surface76°F, usually 75 to 78°F
- August surface75°F, usually 73 to 77°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 13 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 2025 (large 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
- Black Bullhead Ameiurus melas1977; 3 records
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus1977; 2 records
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus1977; 1 record
- Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus1977; 3 records
- Cisco Coregonus artedi1928; 1 record
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides1977 to 1988; 7 records
- Muskellunge Esox masquinongy1964 to 2003; 27 records
- Northern Pike Esox lucius1965 to 2003; 17 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1977; 2 records
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris1965 to 1977; 3 records
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu1977 to 1989; 13 records
- Walleye Sander vitreus1965 to 1989; 17 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii1977; 1 record
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1977 to 1979; 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
- 1Shell Lake Access - NorthCarry-in access · Unimproved surface · City
Directions - 2Shell Lake Municipal Campground Boat RampBoat ramp · Concrete Panels surface · City
Directions - 3Shell Lake AccessCarry-in access · Unimproved surface · City
Directions - 4Shell Lake AccessCarry-in access · Unimproved surface · City
Directions - 5South Lake Drive Carry-inCarry-in access · Unimproved surface · City
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Fishing from shore
- Shell Lake Fishign PierDirections · DNR details
Wisconsin DNR shore fishing sites. Checked Oct 24, 2026.
More lakes in Washburn County
- Round Lake1.6 miles away
- Little Ripley Lake2.3 miles away
- Shingle Camp Lake2.6 miles away
- Ripley Lake2.8 miles away
- Leonard Lake3.1 miles away
- Welsh Lake3.5 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
- Shore fishing sitesWisconsin DNR shore fishing sites, 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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