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Wisconsin›Best lakes›Panfish›Polk County

WI · ranked by public data

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

53 Polk County lakes have a DNR panfish status record; 46 lakes with status, survey, or report evidence met our criteria (7 excluded for no verified public access), out of 250 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.

  1. Ranked within late spring electrofishing catch per effort (fish/mile) · Black Crappie — ranks restart at 1

    185.0system score
    229 acres

    Polk County, WI

    Magnor Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.32, -92.21229 acres | 26 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    85.0 within-system score · 11,221 lake-scale opportunity index · 49 fish/mile · 2019 DNR survey

    How this within-system rank was determined
    • Within-system score: 85.0/100
    • Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 11,221 (49 fish/mile × 229 acres; not a fish count)
    • Survey rate (30%): 49 fish/mile
    • Survey recency (10%): 2019
    • Species fishing report (5%): not found
    • Survey method: 2019 late-spring electrofishing
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black Crappie)
  2. 210.0system score
    82 acres

    Polk County, WI

    Ward Lake

    enhancedDepth mapDNR impairmentWater data
    45.61, -92.3282 acres | 43 ft max1 public access pointBlack Crappie, Northern Pike

    10.0 within-system score · 393.6 lake-scale opportunity index · 4.8 fish/mile · 2021 DNR survey

    How this within-system rank was determined
    • Within-system score: 10.0/100
    • Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 393.6 (4.8 fish/mile × 82 acres; not a fish count)
    • Survey rate (30%): 4.8 fish/mile
    • Survey recency (10%): 2021
    • Species fishing report (5%): not found
    • Survey method: 2021 SE2 electrofishing
    • DNR status (unscored): no record
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black Crappie)
    • DNR impairment (unscored context)
  3. Ranked within late spring electrofishing catch per effort (fish/mile) · Bluegill — ranks restart at 1

    185.0system score
    229 acres

    Polk County, WI

    Magnor Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.32, -92.21229 acres | 26 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    85.0 within-system score · 41,907 lake-scale opportunity index · 183 fish/mile · 2019 DNR survey

    How this within-system rank was determined
    • Within-system score: 85.0/100
    • Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 41,907 (183 fish/mile × 229 acres; not a fish count)
    • Survey rate (30%): 183 fish/mile
    • Survey recency (10%): 2019
    • Species fishing report (5%): not found
    • Survey method: 2019 late-spring electrofishing
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black Crappie)
  4. 210.0system score
    82 acres

    Polk County, WI

    Ward Lake

    enhancedDepth mapDNR impairmentWater data
    45.61, -92.3282 acres | 43 ft max1 public access pointBlack Crappie, Northern Pike

    10.0 within-system score · 9,380.8 lake-scale opportunity index · 114.4 fish/mile · 2021 DNR survey

    How this within-system rank was determined
    • Within-system score: 10.0/100
    • Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 9,380.8 (114.4 fish/mile × 82 acres; not a fish count)
    • Survey rate (30%): 114.4 fish/mile
    • Survey recency (10%): 2021
    • Species fishing report (5%): not found
    • Survey method: 2021 SE2 electrofishing
    • DNR status (unscored): no record
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black Crappie)
    • DNR impairment (unscored context)
  5. Comparable spring electrofishing catch per effort (fish/mile) · Bluegill — one lake recorded, no peer rank

    –
    604 acres

    Polk County, WI

    Apple River Flowage

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.37, -92.36604 acres | 18 ft max3 public access pointsPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    spring electrofishing catch per effort (fish/mile) · Bluegill · 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: 163 fish/mile
    • Survey recency: 2024
    • Survey method: Spring electrofishing
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black crappie)
  6. Comparable spring electrofishing catch per effort (fish/mile) · Pumpkinseed — one lake recorded, no peer rank

    –
    604 acres

    Polk County, WI

    Apple River Flowage

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.37, -92.36604 acres | 18 ft max3 public access pointsPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    spring electrofishing catch per effort (fish/mile) · 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: 74 fish/mile
    • Survey recency: 2024
    • Survey method: Spring electrofishing
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black crappie)
  7. Documented species evidence — unranked and alphabetical

    –
    94 acres

    Polk County, WI

    Antler Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.54, -92.4294 acres | 22 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    Documented DNR evidence · no comparable panfish numeric survey system

    Why this lake is listed
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: no survey on record
  8. –
    1,901 acres

    Polk County, WI

    Balsam Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.47, -92.431,901 acres | 37 ft max4 public access pointsPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    Documented DNR evidence · no comparable panfish numeric survey system

    Why this lake is listed
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: no survey on record
  9. –
    111 acres

    Polk County, WI

    Bass Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.57, -92.28111 acres | 19 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    Documented DNR evidence · no comparable panfish numeric survey system

    Why this lake is listed
    • DNR status (unscored): Present (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: no survey on record
  10. –
    247 acres

    Polk County, WI

    Bear Trap Lake

    enhancedDepth mapDNR impairmentWater data
    45.31, -92.41247 acres | 25 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    Documented DNR evidence · no comparable panfish numeric survey system

    Why this lake is listed
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: no survey on record
    • DNR impairment (unscored context)
RankLakeCountyAcresSystem scorePrimary score signalSurvey measurementMetric yearDNR statusPanfish stocking
—Big Blake LakePolk208————Common (Panfish)—
—Big Butternut LakePolk384————Common (Panfish)—
—Big LakePolk245————Common (Panfish)—
—Big Round LakePolk1,014————Abundant (Panfish)—
—Black Brook FlowagePolk69————Common (Panfish)—
—Bone LakePolk1,667————Common (Panfish)—
—Camelia LakePolk62————Present (Panfish)—
—Cedar LakeimpairedPolk1,120————Present (Panfish)—
—Church Pine LakePolk87————Common (Panfish)—
—Clam Falls FlowagePolk119————Common (Panfish)—
—Deer LakePolk786————Common (Panfish)—
—Grenquist LakePolk59————Common (Panfish)—
—Half Moon LakePolk550————Common (Panfish)—
—Herby LakePolk63————Common (Panfish)—
—Horse LakeimpairedPolk221————Present (Panfish)—
—Largon LakePolk135————Common (Panfish)—
—Little Butternut LakePolk185————Common (Panfish)—
—Long LakePolk61————Present (Panfish)—
—Long Trade LakePolk150————Common (Panfish)—
—Lotus LakeimpairedPolk246————Present (Panfish)—
—Loveless LakeimpairedPolk132————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

Polk County panfish fishing FAQ

Which panfish lakes receive a numeric county rank?

2 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 Polk County.

How many Polk County lakes have panfish?

53 Polk 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 Polk CountyBest walleye in Polk CountyBest smallmouth bass in Polk CountyBest largemouth bass in Polk CountyBest northern pike in Polk CountyAll Polk 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.