Lake Poygan
Waushara County, Wisconsin · WBIC 242800
The DNR lists this lake's watershed (Lake Poygan) as suspect or infected with VHS, a fish virus. The listing covers the watershed, not a test of this lake. About VHS
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
14,102 acres
Max depth
11 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Warm, dark water color
Water clarity
3 ft
Low, measured Aug 2014
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 1975), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
3 ft Secchi depthLowOlder reading
Last measured Aug 26, 2014. 52 readings on record, 2005 to 2014.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 2.6 ft, low, from 18 readings (2012 to 2014).
Nothing has been measured in the last 5 years, so this may not match the lake today.
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 LAKE POYGAN - F2. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Mar 30 (Mar 27 to Apr 10)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout Apr 13 (Apr 6 to Apr 22)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 13 (May 8 to May 23)
- June surface74°F, usually 73 to 76°F
- July surface80°F, usually 78 to 81°F
- August surface76°F, usually 74 to 78°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.
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 2024 (fall yearling, large fingerling and yearling); stocked in 6 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
- Freshwater Drum Aplodinotus grunniens2024; 1 record
- Logperch Percina caprodes1961; 1 record
- River Darter Percina shumardi5 records
- Spotted Sucker Minytrema melanops2005; 1 record
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens2005; 1 record
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
- 1Tustin Boat LaunchBoat ramp · Concrete surface · Township
Directions - 2Badger Drive Boat RampBoat ramp · Concrete Panels surface · Accessible features · Township
Directions - 3Center Street Canoe LaunchCarry-in access · Unimproved surface · Township
Directions - 4Franklin Street Canoe LaunchCarry-in access · Unimproved surface · Township
Directions - 5Pony Creek Park Canoe LaunchCarry-in access · Gravel surface · County
Directions - 6Boom Bay Boat Landing (listed under Winnebago County)Boat ramp · Concrete surface · County
Directions - 7Lake Poygan Boat Landing (listed under Winnebago County)Boat ramp · Concrete Panels surface · Accessible features · County
Directions - 8Lake Poygan Access (listed under Winnebago County)Boat ramp · Concrete Plank surface · Township
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Fishing from shore
- PONY CREEK SHORE FISHING AREADirections · DNR details
Wisconsin DNR shore fishing sites. Checked Oct 24, 2026.
More lakes in Waushara County
- Poy Sippi Millpond9.0 miles away
- Auroraville Millpond10 miles away
- Jordans Lake12 miles away
- Taylor Lake13 miles away
- Big Cedar Lake13 miles away
- Middle Lake14 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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