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Wisconsin›Best lakes›Panfish›Forest County

WI · ranked by public data

Best Panfish Lakes by DNR Survey System and Lake-Scale Opportunity in Forest County, Wisconsin

44 Forest County lakes have a DNR panfish status record; 33 lakes with status, survey, or report evidence met our criteria (11 excluded for no verified public access), out of 195 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.

  1. Ranked within late spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Bluegill — ranks restart at 1

    195.0system score
    288 acres

    Forest County, WI

    Bishop Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.49, -89.01288 acres | 12 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Northern Pike

    95.0 within-system score · 20,160 lake-scale opportunity index · 70 fish/net-night · 2024 DNR survey

    How this within-system rank was determined
    • Within-system score: 95.0/100
    • Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 20,160 (70 fish/net-night × 288 acres; not a fish count)
    • Survey rate (30%): 70 fish/net-night
    • Survey recency (10%): 2024
    • Species fishing report (5%): not found
    • Survey method: Late-spring fyke netting
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black crappie)
  2. 247.5system score
    51 acres

    Forest County, WI

    Lake Gordon

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.71, -88.5151 acres | 30 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    47.5 within-system score · 821.1 lake-scale opportunity index · 16.1 fish/net night · 2021 DNR survey

    How this within-system rank was determined
    • Within-system score: 47.5/100
    • Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 821.1 (16.1 fish/net night × 51 acres; not a fish count)
    • Survey rate (30%): 16.1 fish/net night
    • Survey recency (10%): 2021
    • Species fishing report (5%): not found
    • Survey method: 2021 late-spring fyke netting
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Bluegill)
  3. 35.0system score
    106 acres

    Forest County, WI

    Lake Laura

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.71, -88.50106 acres | 22 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    5.0 within-system score · 551.2 lake-scale opportunity index · 5.2 fish/net night · 2021 DNR survey

    How this within-system rank was determined
    • Within-system score: 5.0/100
    • Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 551.2 (5.2 fish/net night × 106 acres; not a fish count)
    • Survey rate (30%): 5.2 fish/net night
    • Survey recency (10%): 2021
    • Species fishing report (5%): not found
    • Survey method: 2021 late-spring fyke netting
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Bluegill)
  4. Comparable early spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Black Crappie — one lake recorded, no peer rank

    –
    1,272 acres

    Forest County, WI

    Pickerel Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.40, -88.911,272 acres | 19 ft max2 public access pointsPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    early spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Black Crappie · one comparable lake, so no peer rank

    Why this lake is listed
    • No numeric rank: this survey system has no eligible same-system peer
    • Survey rate: 13 fish/net-night
    • Survey recency: 2017
    • Survey method: 2017 early-spring fyke netting
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black Crappie)
  5. Comparable early spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Yellow Perch — one lake recorded, no peer rank

    –
    1,272 acres

    Forest County, WI

    Pickerel Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.40, -88.911,272 acres | 19 ft max2 public access pointsPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    early spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Yellow Perch · one comparable lake, so no peer rank

    Why this lake is listed
    • No numeric rank: this survey system has no eligible same-system peer
    • Survey rate: 80.9 fish/net-night
    • Survey recency: 2017
    • Survey method: 2017 early-spring fyke netting
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black Crappie)
  6. Comparable late spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Black Crappie — one lake recorded, no peer rank

    –
    288 acres

    Forest County, WI

    Bishop Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.49, -89.01288 acres | 12 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Northern Pike

    late spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Black Crappie · one comparable lake, so no peer rank

    Why this lake is listed
    • No numeric rank: this survey system has no eligible same-system peer
    • Survey rate: 7.14 fish/net-night
    • Survey recency: 2024
    • Survey method: Late-spring fyke netting
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black crappie)
  7. Comparable late spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Bluegill X Pumpkinseed Hybrid — one lake recorded, no peer rank

    –
    288 acres

    Forest County, WI

    Bishop Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.49, -89.01288 acres | 12 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Northern Pike

    late spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Bluegill X Pumpkinseed Hybrid · one comparable lake, so no peer rank

    Why this lake is listed
    • No numeric rank: this survey system has no eligible same-system peer
    • Survey rate: 6.14 fish/net-night
    • Survey recency: 2024
    • Survey method: Late-spring fyke netting
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black crappie)
  8. Comparable late spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Pumpkinseed — one lake recorded, no peer rank

    –
    288 acres

    Forest County, WI

    Bishop Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.49, -89.01288 acres | 12 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Northern Pike

    late spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Pumpkinseed · one comparable lake, so no peer rank

    Why this lake is listed
    • No numeric rank: this survey system has no eligible same-system peer
    • Survey rate: 69.3 fish/net-night
    • Survey recency: 2024
    • Survey method: Late-spring fyke netting
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black crappie)
  9. Comparable spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Bluegill X Pumpkinseed Hybrid — one lake recorded, no peer rank

    –
    839 acres

    Forest County, WI

    Franklin Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.94, -89.00839 acres | 46 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Smallmouth Bass

    spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Bluegill X Pumpkinseed Hybrid · one comparable lake, so no peer rank

    Why this lake is listed
    • No numeric rank: this survey system has no eligible same-system peer
    • Survey rate: 0 fish/net-night
    • Survey recency: 2025
    • Survey method: Fyke netting
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Bluegill)
  10. Comparable spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Pumpkinseed — one lake recorded, no peer rank

    –
    839 acres

    Forest County, WI

    Franklin Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.94, -89.00839 acres | 46 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Smallmouth Bass

    spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Pumpkinseed · one comparable lake, so no peer rank

    Why this lake is listed
    • No numeric rank: this survey system has no eligible same-system peer
    • Survey rate: 0.14 fish/net-night
    • Survey recency: 2025
    • Survey method: Fyke netting
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Bluegill)
RankLakeCountyAcresSystem scorePrimary score signalSurvey measurementMetric yearDNR statusPanfish stocking
Comparable spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Yellow Perch — one lake recorded, no peer rank
—Franklin LakeForest839——1.69 fish/net-night2025Common (Panfish)—
Comparable summer fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Bluegill — one lake recorded, no peer rank
—Pickerel LakeForest1,272——51.6 fish/net-night2017Abundant (Panfish)—
Documented species evidence — unranked and alphabetical
—Arbutus LakeForest163————Abundant (Panfish)—
—Bear LakeForest66————Abundant (Panfish)—
—Bogbrook LakeForest52————Present (Panfish)—
—Butternut LakeForest1,246————Common (Panfish)—
—Crane LakeimpairedForest355————Abundant (Panfish)—
—Crystal LakeForest75————Common (Panfish)—
—Deer LakeForest55————Present (Panfish)—
—Himley LakeForest145————Common (Panfish)—
—Julia LakeForest404————Present (Panfish)—
—Jungle LakeForest180————Common (Panfish)—
—Lake LucerneForest1,039————Present (Panfish)—
—Lily LakeForest217————Present (Panfish)—
—Little Sand LakeimpairedForest237————Common (Panfish)—
—Luna LakeForest64————Abundant (Panfish)—
—Metonga LakeForest2,039————Present (Panfish)—
—Otter LakeForest83————Common (Panfish)—
—Pine LakeForest1,673————Abundant (Panfish)—
—Range Line LakeForest93————Present (Panfish)—
—Roberts LakeForest435————Common (Panfish)—
—Scattered Rice LakeForest428————Present (Panfish)—
—Shoe LakeForest170————Common (Panfish)—
—Silver LakeForest317————Abundant (Panfish)—
—Stevens LakeForest290————Abundant (Panfish)—
—Trump LakeForest162————Common (Panfish)—
—Van Zile LakeForest78————Common (Panfish)—

Methodology

How this list is built

County ranks use the same statewide exact-family contract; systems with at least two eligible county peers restart at #1. The score is 55% survey rate × acreage, 30% survey rate, and 10% recency, plus 5% for a current species report. Catch-per-effort × acreage is only an opportunity index, never a literal fish count. Documented acreage plus verified public or shore access are eligibility gates. Unsupported methods stay documented but unranked. See the complete definitions on the statewide panfish ranking.

FAQ

Forest County panfish fishing FAQ

Which panfish lakes receive a numeric county rank?

3 lakes receive at least one peer-backed, exact-lake numeric rank. Catch-per-effort systems separate species, phase, gear, unit, and sampled population; standardized adult-density estimates form their own system, so systems with at least two eligible county peers can each have a #1 in Forest County.

How many Forest County lakes have panfish?

44 Forest County lakes have a DNR panfish status record. Numeric rank still requires an exact comparable family plus the acreage and access gates.

Best panfish lakes statewideBest musky in Forest CountyBest walleye in Forest CountyBest smallmouth bass in Forest CountyBest largemouth bass in Forest CountyBest northern pike in Forest CountyAll Forest County lakes

Source data: Wisconsin DNR lake, stocking, and fisheries records as aggregated by LakeList. Rankings are LakeList's computed opinion from public agency data, not a DNR endorsement. Conditions and regulations change — verify access and rules before you go.