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Wisconsin›Best lakes›Panfish›Sawyer County

WI · ranked by public data

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

72 Sawyer County lakes have a DNR panfish status record; 40 lakes with status, survey, or report evidence met our criteria (32 excluded for no verified public access), out of 246 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.

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

    195.0system score
    2,716 acres

    Sawyer County, WI

    Nelson Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    46.09, -91.492,716 acres | 33 ft max4 public access pointsPanfish, Walleye

    95.0 within-system score · 592,088 lake-scale opportunity index · 218 fish/net-night · 2023 DNR survey

    How this within-system rank was determined
    • Within-system score: 95.0/100
    • Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 592,088 (218 fish/net-night × 2,716 acres; not a fish count)
    • Survey rate (30%): 218 fish/net-night
    • Survey recency (10%): 2023
    • Species fishing report (5%): not found
    • Survey method: Spring fyke netting
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black crappie)
  2. 252.5system score
    1,264 acres

    Sawyer County, WI

    Lost Land Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    46.10, -91.151,264 acres | 21 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    52.5 within-system score · 64,464 lake-scale opportunity index · 51 fish/net-night · 2023 DNR survey

    How this within-system rank was determined
    • Within-system score: 52.5/100
    • Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 64,464 (51 fish/net-night × 1,264 acres; not a fish count)
    • Survey rate (30%): 51 fish/net-night
    • Survey recency (10%): 2023
    • Species fishing report (5%): not found
    • Survey method: Spring fyke netting
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black crappie)
  3. 30.0system score
    198 acres

    Sawyer County, WI

    Durphee Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.90, -91.46198 acres | 16 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    0.0 within-system score · 792 lake-scale opportunity index · 4 fish/net night · 2021 DNR survey

    How this within-system rank was determined
    • Within-system score: 0.0/100
    • Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 792 (4 fish/net night × 198 acres; not a fish count)
    • Survey rate (30%): 4 fish/net night
    • Survey recency (10%): 2021
    • Species fishing report (5%): not found
    • Survey method: 2021 spring fyke netting
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black Crappie)
  4. Ranked within spring electrofishing catch per effort (fish/mile) · Bluegill — ranks restart at 1

    195.0system score
    2,716 acres

    Sawyer County, WI

    Nelson Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    46.09, -91.492,716 acres | 33 ft max4 public access pointsPanfish, Walleye

    95.0 within-system score · 730,604 lake-scale opportunity index · 269 fish/mile · 2023 DNR survey

    How this within-system rank was determined
    • Within-system score: 95.0/100
    • Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 730,604 (269 fish/mile × 2,716 acres; not a fish count)
    • Survey rate (30%): 269 fish/mile
    • Survey recency (10%): 2023
    • Species fishing report (5%): not found
    • Survey method: Spring electrofishing
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black crappie)
  5. 210.0system score
    1,264 acres

    Sawyer County, WI

    Lost Land Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    46.10, -91.151,264 acres | 21 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    10.0 within-system score · 184,544 lake-scale opportunity index · 146 fish/mile · 2023 DNR survey

    How this within-system rank was determined
    • Within-system score: 10.0/100
    • Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 184,544 (146 fish/mile × 1,264 acres; not a fish count)
    • Survey rate (30%): 146 fish/mile
    • Survey recency (10%): 2023
    • Species fishing report (5%): not found
    • Survey method: Spring electrofishing
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black crappie)
  6. Comparable late spring electrofishing catch per effort (fish/mile) · Bluegill — one lake recorded, no peer rank

    –
    198 acres

    Sawyer County, WI

    Durphee Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.90, -91.46198 acres | 16 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    late 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: 79 fish/mile
    • Survey recency: 2021
    • Survey method: 2021 SE2 electrofishing
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black Crappie)
  7. Comparable spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · Yellow Perch — one lake recorded, no peer rank

    –
    1,264 acres

    Sawyer County, WI

    Lost Land Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    46.10, -91.151,264 acres | 21 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    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: 12 fish/net-night
    • Survey recency: 2023
    • Survey method: Spring fyke netting
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black crappie)
  8. Documented species evidence — unranked and alphabetical

    –
    75 acres

    Sawyer County, WI

    Ashegon Lake

    enhancedDepth map
    45.85, -91.3175 acres | 56 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    Documented DNR evidence · no comparable panfish numeric survey system

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

    Sawyer County, WI

    Barber Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.89, -90.97138 acres | 21 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass

    Documented DNR evidence · no comparable panfish numeric survey system

    Why this lake is listed
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black crappie)
  10. –
    213 acres

    Sawyer County, WI

    Barker Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.91, -91.03213 acres | 12 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Smallmouth Bass

    Documented DNR evidence · no comparable panfish numeric survey system

    Why this lake is listed
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Panfish)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Black crappie)
RankLakeCountyAcresSystem scorePrimary score signalSurvey measurementMetric yearFishing reportDNR statusPanfish stocking
—Black Dan LakeSawyer121————No · 0% signalPresent (Panfish)—
—Black LakeimpairedSawyer133————No · 0% signalPresent (Panfish)—
—Blaisdell LakeSawyer341————No · 0% signalCommon (Panfish)—
—Blueberry LakeSawyer292————No · 0% signalCommon (Panfish)—
—Clear LakeSawyer77————No · 0% signalCommon (Panfish)—
—Connors LakeSawyer410————No · 0% signalCommon (Panfish)—
—Fishtrap LakeSawyer263————No · 0% signalAbundant (Panfish)—
—Ghost LakeimpairedSawyer384————No · 0% signalPresent (Panfish)—
—Grimh FlowageSawyer62————No · 0% signalPresent (Panfish)—
—Grindstone LakeSawyer3,176————No · 0% signalPresent (Panfish)—
—Hayward LakeSawyer191————No · 0% signalCommon (Panfish)—
—Indian LakeSawyer76————No · 0% signalCommon (Panfish)—
—Island LakeSawyer69————No · 0% signalPresent (Panfish)—
—Knuteson LakeSawyer64————No · 0% signalCommon (Panfish)—
—Lac Courte OreillesSawyer5,139————No · 0% signalCommon (Panfish)—
—Lake ChetacSawyer2,400————No · 0% signalAbundant (Panfish)—
—Lake ChippewaSawyer14,593————No · 0% signalCommon (Panfish)—
—Lake of the PinesSawyer273————No · 0% signalCommon (Panfish)—
—Lower Clam LakeSawyer214————No · 0% signalCommon (Panfish)—
—Moose LakeSawyer1,559————No · 0% signalCommon (Panfish)—
—Mud LakeSawyer464————No · 0% signalPresent (Panfish)—
—Osprey LakeSawyer214————No · 0% signalCommon (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

Sawyer 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 Sawyer County.

How many Sawyer County lakes have panfish?

72 Sawyer 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 Sawyer CountyBest walleye in Sawyer CountyBest smallmouth bass in Sawyer CountyBest largemouth bass in Sawyer CountyBest northern pike in Sawyer CountyAll Sawyer 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.