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Wisconsin›Best lakes›Walleye›Washburn County

WI · ranked by public data

Best Walleye Lakes by DNR Survey System and Lake-Scale Opportunity in Washburn County, Wisconsin

39 Washburn County lakes have a DNR walleye status record; 36 lakes with status, survey, or report evidence met our criteria (3 excluded for no verified public access), out of 254 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.

  1. Ranked within adult population density — ranks restart at 1

    180.0system score
    1,587 acres

    Washburn County, WI

    Minong Flowage

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    46.12, -91.931,587 acres | 21 ft max2 public access pointsWalleye, Northern Pike

    80.0 within-system score · ~6,507 estimated adults · 4.1 adult fish/acre · 2023 DNR survey

    How this within-system rank was determined
    • Within-system score: 80.0/100
    • Lake scale (55%): about 6,507 adult walleye (4.1 adult fish/acre × 1,587 acres)
    • Survey rate (30%): 4.1 adult fish/acre
    • Survey recency (10%): 2023
    • Species fishing report (5%): not found
    • Survey method: Treaty-assessment early-spring mark-recapture surveys
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Walleye)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Walleye)
  2. 240.0system score
    325 acres

    Washburn County, WI

    Balsam Lake

    enhancedDepth mapDNR impairmentWater data
    45.65, -91.58325 acres | 49 ft max1 public access pointWalleye, Panfish

    40.0 within-system score · ~1,365 estimated adults · 4.2 adult fish/acre · 2023 DNR survey

    How this within-system rank was determined
    • Within-system score: 40.0/100
    • Lake scale (55%): about 1,365 adult walleye (4.2 adult fish/acre × 325 acres)
    • Survey rate (30%): 4.2 adult fish/acre
    • Survey recency (10%): 2023
    • Species fishing report (5%): not found
    • Survey method: SN1/SE1 mark-recapture
    • DNR management objective
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Walleye)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Walleye)
    • DNR impairment (unscored context)
  3. 327.5system score
    2,513 acres

    Washburn County, WI

    Shell Lake

    enhancedDepth mapShore accessWater data
    45.73, -91.902,513 acres | 36 ft max6 public access pointsWalleye, Smallmouth Bass

    27.5 within-system score · ~1,508 estimated adults · 0.6 adult fish/acre · 2018 DNR survey

    How this within-system rank was determined
    • Within-system score: 27.5/100
    • Lake scale (55%): about 1,508 adult walleye (0.6 adult fish/acre × 2,513 acres)
    • Survey rate (30%): 0.6 adult fish/acre
    • Survey recency (10%): 2018
    • Species fishing report (5%): not found
    • Survey method: 2018 spring mark-recapture estimate and survey
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Walleye)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Walleye)
  4. Comparable early spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) — one lake recorded, no peer rank

    –
    325 acres

    Washburn County, WI

    Balsam Lake

    enhancedDepth mapDNR impairmentWater data
    45.65, -91.58325 acres | 49 ft max1 public access pointWalleye, Panfish

    early spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · 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: 13.3 fish/net night
    • Survey recency: 2023
    • Survey method: Early spring fyke netting
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Walleye)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Walleye)
    • DNR impairment (unscored context)
  5. Comparable spring electrofishing catch per effort (fish/mile) — one lake recorded, no peer rank

    –
    2,513 acres

    Washburn County, WI

    Shell Lake

    enhancedDepth mapShore accessWater data
    45.73, -91.902,513 acres | 36 ft max6 public access pointsWalleye, Smallmouth Bass

    spring electrofishing catch per effort (fish/mile) · 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: 7.4 fish/mile
    • Survey recency: 2018
    • Survey method: 2018 spring mark-recapture estimate and survey
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Walleye)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Walleye)
  6. Comparable spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) — one lake recorded, no peer rank

    –
    2,513 acres

    Washburn County, WI

    Shell Lake

    enhancedDepth mapShore accessWater data
    45.73, -91.902,513 acres | 36 ft max6 public access pointsWalleye, Smallmouth Bass

    spring fyke net catch per effort (fish/net night) · 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: 2.8 fish/net-night
    • Survey recency: 2018
    • Survey method: 2018 spring mark-recapture estimate and survey
    • DNR status (unscored): Abundant (Walleye)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (Walleye)
  7. Documented species evidence — unranked and alphabetical

    –
    132 acres

    Washburn County, WI

    Bass Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.71, -91.65132 acres | 31 ft max1 public access pointWalleye, Panfish

    Documented DNR evidence · no comparable walleye numeric survey system

    Why this lake is listed
    • DNR status (unscored): Common (Walleye)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: no survey on record
  8. –
    187 acres

    Washburn County, WI

    Bass Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    45.95, -91.63187 acres | 35 ft max1 public access pointWalleye, Largemouth Bass

    Documented DNR evidence · no comparable walleye numeric survey system

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

    Washburn County, WI

    Bean Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWalleye stockedWater data
    45.95, -91.58100 acres | 35 ft max1 public access pointWalleye, Northern Pike

    Documented DNR evidence · no comparable walleye numeric survey system

    Why this lake is listed
    • DNR status (unscored): Present (Walleye)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: no survey on record
    • Walleye stocking history (unscored context)
  10. –
    59 acres

    Washburn County, WI

    Beartrack Lake

    enhancedDepth mapWater data
    46.13, -92.0459 acres | 36 ft max1 public access pointWalleye, Panfish

    Documented DNR evidence · no comparable walleye numeric survey system

    Why this lake is listed
    • DNR status (unscored): Present (Walleye)
    • DNR fisheries survey evidence: no survey on record
RankLakeCountyAcresSystem scorePrimary score signalSurvey measurementMetric yearFishing reportDNR statusWalleye stocking
—Big Bass LakeWashburn201————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)Yes
—Big Devil LakeWashburn166————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)—
—Birch LakeWashburn364————No · 0% signalCommon (Walleye)Yes
—Cable LakeWashburn179————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)Yes
—Casey LakeWashburn240————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)—
—Chippanazie LakeWashburn57————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)—
—Dunn LakeWashburn181————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)Yes
—Fenton LakeWashburn70————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)—
—Gilmore LakeWashburn371————No · 0% signalCommon (Walleye)Yes
—Horseshoe LakeWashburn177————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)—
—Island LakeWashburn252————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)Yes
—Lake NancyWashburn757————No · 0% signalCommon (Walleye)—
—Little Devil LakeWashburn52————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)—
—Little Sand LakeWashburn71————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)Yes
—Long LakeWashburn3,478————No · 0% signalCommon (Walleye)Yes
—Lower McKenzie LakeWashburn206————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)—
—Matthews LakeWashburn267————No · 0% signalCommon (Walleye)—
—McLain LakeWashburn143————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)Yes
—North Twin LakeWashburn98————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)Yes
—Pear LakeWashburn50————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)—
—Scovils LakeWashburn65————No · 0% signalPresent (Walleye)—

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 walleye ranking.

FAQ

Washburn County walleye fishing FAQ

Which walleye 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 Washburn County.

How many Washburn County lakes have walleye?

39 Washburn County lakes have a DNR walleye status record. Numeric rank still requires an exact comparable family plus the acreage and access gates.

Best walleye lakes statewideBest musky in Washburn CountyBest smallmouth bass in Washburn CountyBest panfish in Washburn CountyBest largemouth bass in Washburn CountyBest northern pike in Washburn CountyAll Washburn 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.