WI · ranked by public data

The 25 Clearest Lakes in Polk County, Wisconsin

31 Polk County lakes are at least 50 acres with a current DNR water-clarity reading, out of 250 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.

117.5 ft
550 acres
Polk County, WI
Half Moon Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.49, -92.42550 acres | 60 ft max2 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
17.5 ft water clarity (Aug 2025) · 550 acres, 60 ft max depth · 2 public landings
216 ft
786 acres
Polk County, WI
Deer Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.40, -92.52786 acres | 46 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Musky
16 ft water clarity (Jun 2026) · 786 acres, 46 ft max depth · 1 public landing
315.8 ft
66 acres
Polk County, WI
Swede Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.26, -92.5466 acres | 32 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Panfish
15.8 ft water clarity (Aug 2022) · 66 acres, 32 ft max depth · 1 public landing
414 ft
Polk County, WI
Horseshoe Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.32, -92.51398 acres | 57 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
14 ft water clarity (Oct 2025) · 398 acres, 57 ft max depth · 1 public landing
514 ft
94 acres
Polk County, WI
Antler Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.54, -92.4294 acres | 22 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
14 ft water clarity (Sep 2022) · 94 acres, 22 ft max depth · 1 public landing
613 ft
69 acres
Polk County, WI
Black Brook Flowage
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.27, -92.4069 acres | 23 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
13 ft water clarity (Sep 2020) · 69 acres, 23 ft max depth · 1 public landing
712.5 ft
1,901 acres
Polk County, WI
Balsam Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.47, -92.431,901 acres | 37 ft max4 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
12.5 ft water clarity (Sep 2025) · 1,901 acres, 37 ft max depth · 4 public landings
812 ft
88 acres
Polk County, WI
Lamont Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.58, -92.2888 acres | 28 ft max0 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Panfish
12 ft water clarity (Jul 2024) · 88 acres, 28 ft max depth · No verified public access
910.8 ft
111 acres
Polk County, WI
Bass Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.57, -92.28111 acres | 19 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
10.8 ft water clarity (Aug 2018) · 111 acres, 19 ft max depth · 1 public landing
1010 ft
Polk County, WI
Bone Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.23, -92.331,667 acres | 43 ft max2 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Musky
10 ft water clarity (Jun 2026) · 1,667 acres, 43 ft max depth · 2 public landings

Rank	Lake	County	Water clarity	Acres	Max depth	Public access
11	Loveless Lakeimpaired	Polk	10 ft	132	20 ft	1 landing
12	Big Butternut Lake	Polk	9.5 ft	384	19 ft	1 landing
13	McKenzie Lake	Polk	8.5 ft	52	25 ft	1 landing
14	Cedar Lakeimpaired	Polk	8 ft	1,120	32 ft	1 landing
15	Wapogasset Lakeimpaired	Polk	7.5 ft	1,189	32 ft	2 landings
16	Big Round Lake	Polk	7 ft	1,014	17 ft	1 landing
17	Bear Trap Lakeimpaired	Polk	7 ft	247	25 ft	1 landing
18	Little Butternut Lake	Polk	7 ft	185	23 ft	1 landing
19	Apple River Flowage	Polk	6 ft	604	18 ft	3 landings
20	Mud Lakeimpaired	Polk	6 ft	96	7 ft	1 landing
21	Camelia Lake	Polk	6 ft	62	6 ft	1 landing
22	Vincent Lake	Polk	6 ft	58	15 ft	1 landing
23	Ward Lakeimpaired	Polk	5 ft	82	43 ft	1 landing
24	Rice Lake	Polk	4.5 ft	90	6 ft	1 landing
25	Long Lake	Polk	4 ft	61	44 ft	1 landing

Methodology

How this list is built

Ranked by the most recent documented Secchi disk reading (feet of visibility) from DNR/CLMN monitoring.
Readings older than 10 years are excluded — a decades-old reading no longer says anything about today's water.
Lakes under 50 acres — or without documented acreage — are excluded from rankings.
Readings deeper than the lake's own documented maximum depth are treated as source-data errors and excluded.
Clarity swings with season and weather, so the reading date is shown for every lake.
Only monitored lakes can rank. A clear lake nobody measures cannot appear here — this list rewards documentation as much as clarity.

FAQ

Polk County lake records

What is the clearest lake in Polk County?

Half Moon Lake — By most recent Secchi reading, Half Moon Lake in Polk County is the clearest monitored lake in Polk County, with 17.5 feet of visibility.

Clearest lakes statewide Deepest lakes in Polk County Biggest lakes in Polk County Lakes with the most public access in Polk County All Polk County lakes

Source data: Wisconsin DNR lake and monitoring records as aggregated by LakeList. Figures reflect the most recent documented values, not new surveys — verify access and rules before you go. Lake outlines are shoreline shapes from LakeList and the USGS National Hydrography Dataset; they illustrate a lake's form and are not depth or navigation charts.

WI · ranked by public data

The 25 Clearest Lakes in Polk County, Wisconsin

31 Polk County lakes are at least 50 acres with a current DNR water-clarity reading, out of 250 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.

117.5 ft
550 acres
Polk County, WI
Half Moon Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.49, -92.42550 acres | 60 ft max2 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
17.5 ft water clarity (Aug 2025) · 550 acres, 60 ft max depth · 2 public landings
216 ft
786 acres
Polk County, WI
Deer Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.40, -92.52786 acres | 46 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Musky
16 ft water clarity (Jun 2026) · 786 acres, 46 ft max depth · 1 public landing
315.8 ft
66 acres
Polk County, WI
Swede Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.26, -92.5466 acres | 32 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Panfish
15.8 ft water clarity (Aug 2022) · 66 acres, 32 ft max depth · 1 public landing
414 ft
Polk County, WI
Horseshoe Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.32, -92.51398 acres | 57 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
14 ft water clarity (Oct 2025) · 398 acres, 57 ft max depth · 1 public landing
514 ft
94 acres
Polk County, WI
Antler Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.54, -92.4294 acres | 22 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
14 ft water clarity (Sep 2022) · 94 acres, 22 ft max depth · 1 public landing
613 ft
69 acres
Polk County, WI
Black Brook Flowage
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.27, -92.4069 acres | 23 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
13 ft water clarity (Sep 2020) · 69 acres, 23 ft max depth · 1 public landing
712.5 ft
1,901 acres
Polk County, WI
Balsam Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.47, -92.431,901 acres | 37 ft max4 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
12.5 ft water clarity (Sep 2025) · 1,901 acres, 37 ft max depth · 4 public landings
812 ft
88 acres
Polk County, WI
Lamont Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.58, -92.2888 acres | 28 ft max0 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Panfish
12 ft water clarity (Jul 2024) · 88 acres, 28 ft max depth · No verified public access
910.8 ft
111 acres
Polk County, WI
Bass Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.57, -92.28111 acres | 19 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
10.8 ft water clarity (Aug 2018) · 111 acres, 19 ft max depth · 1 public landing
1010 ft
Polk County, WI
Bone Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.23, -92.331,667 acres | 43 ft max2 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Musky
10 ft water clarity (Jun 2026) · 1,667 acres, 43 ft max depth · 2 public landings

Rank	Lake	County	Water clarity	Acres	Max depth	Public access
11	Loveless Lakeimpaired	Polk	10 ft	132	20 ft	1 landing
12	Big Butternut Lake	Polk	9.5 ft	384	19 ft	1 landing
13	McKenzie Lake	Polk	8.5 ft	52	25 ft	1 landing
14	Cedar Lakeimpaired	Polk	8 ft	1,120	32 ft	1 landing
15	Wapogasset Lakeimpaired	Polk	7.5 ft	1,189	32 ft	2 landings
16	Big Round Lake	Polk	7 ft	1,014	17 ft	1 landing
17	Bear Trap Lakeimpaired	Polk	7 ft	247	25 ft	1 landing
18	Little Butternut Lake	Polk	7 ft	185	23 ft	1 landing
19	Apple River Flowage	Polk	6 ft	604	18 ft	3 landings
20	Mud Lakeimpaired	Polk	6 ft	96	7 ft	1 landing
21	Camelia Lake	Polk	6 ft	62	6 ft	1 landing
22	Vincent Lake	Polk	6 ft	58	15 ft	1 landing
23	Ward Lakeimpaired	Polk	5 ft	82	43 ft	1 landing
24	Rice Lake	Polk	4.5 ft	90	6 ft	1 landing
25	Long Lake	Polk	4 ft	61	44 ft	1 landing

Methodology

How this list is built

Ranked by the most recent documented Secchi disk reading (feet of visibility) from DNR/CLMN monitoring.
Readings older than 10 years are excluded — a decades-old reading no longer says anything about today's water.
Lakes under 50 acres — or without documented acreage — are excluded from rankings.
Readings deeper than the lake's own documented maximum depth are treated as source-data errors and excluded.
Clarity swings with season and weather, so the reading date is shown for every lake.
Only monitored lakes can rank. A clear lake nobody measures cannot appear here — this list rewards documentation as much as clarity.

FAQ

Polk County lake records

What is the clearest lake in Polk County?

Half Moon Lake — By most recent Secchi reading, Half Moon Lake in Polk County is the clearest monitored lake in Polk County, with 17.5 feet of visibility.

Clearest lakes statewide Deepest lakes in Polk County Biggest lakes in Polk County Lakes with the most public access in Polk County All Polk County lakes

The 25 Clearest Lakes in Polk County, Wisconsin

Half Moon Lake

Deer Lake

Swede Lake

Horseshoe Lake

Antler Lake

Black Brook Flowage

Balsam Lake

Lamont Lake

Bass Lake

Bone Lake

How this list is built

Polk County lake records

What is the clearest lake in Polk County?

The 25 Clearest Lakes in Polk County, Wisconsin

Half Moon Lake

Deer Lake

Swede Lake

Horseshoe Lake

Antler Lake

Black Brook Flowage

Balsam Lake

Lamont Lake

Bass Lake

Bone Lake

How this list is built

Polk County lake records

What is the clearest lake in Polk County?