WI · ranked by public data

The 22 Clearest Lakes in Washburn County, Wisconsin

22 Washburn County lakes are at least 50 acres with a current DNR water-clarity reading, out of 254 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.

119.3 ft
96 acres
Washburn County, WI
Middle Kimball Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
46.13, -91.9596 acres | 77 ft max0 public access pointsNorthern Pike, Panfish
19.3 ft water clarity (Sep 2025) · 96 acres, 77 ft max depth · No verified public access
219 ft
188 acres
Washburn County, WI
Silver Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.99, -91.82188 acres | 28 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Panfish
19 ft water clarity (May 2024) · 188 acres, 28 ft max depth · 1 public landing
317.5 ft
210 acres
Washburn County, WI
Slim Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.80, -91.56210 acres | 42 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass
17.5 ft water clarity (Jul 2025) · 210 acres, 42 ft max depth · 1 public landing
415 ft
181 acres
Washburn County, WI
Dunn Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.94, -91.94181 acres | 39 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass
15 ft water clarity (Aug 2022) · 181 acres, 39 ft max depth · 1 public landing
514 ft
187 acres
Washburn County, WI
Bass Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.95, -91.63187 acres | 35 ft max1 public access pointWalleye, Largemouth Bass
14 ft water clarity (Aug 2020) · 187 acres, 35 ft max depth · 1 public landing
614 ft
177 acres
Washburn County, WI
Horseshoe Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.81, -91.59177 acres | 21 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass
14 ft water clarity (Jul 2026) · 177 acres, 21 ft max depth · 1 public landing
713.5 ft
206 acres
Washburn County, WI
Lower McKenzie Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.98, -92.02206 acres | 17 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
13.5 ft water clarity (May 2026) · 206 acres, 17 ft max depth · 1 public landing
813 ft
371 acres
Washburn County, WI
Gilmore Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
46.13, -91.89371 acres | 36 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
13 ft water clarity (Jul 2022) · 371 acres, 36 ft max depth · 1 public landing
913 ft
325 acres
Washburn County, WI
Balsam Lake
enhancedDepth mapDNR impairmentWater data
45.65, -91.58325 acres | 49 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass
13 ft water clarity (Jun 2024) · 325 acres, 49 ft max depth · 1 public landing · DNR impairment listed
1013 ft
252 acres
Washburn County, WI
Island Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.96, -91.94252 acres | 44 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
13 ft water clarity (Aug 2025) · 252 acres, 44 ft max depth · 1 public landing

Rank	Lake	County	Water clarity	Acres	Max depth	Public access
11	Matthews Lake	Washburn	12 ft	267	26 ft	1 landing
12	Bass Lake	Washburn	12 ft	132	31 ft	1 landing
13	Lake Nancy	Washburn	11.5 ft	757	39 ft	2 landings
14	Gull Lake	Washburn	11 ft	518	19 ft	2 landings
15	Big Bass Lake	Washburn	11 ft	201	27 ft	1 landing
16	Bean Lake	Washburn	11 ft	100	35 ft	1 landing
17	Spooner Lake	Washburn	8 ft	1,132	17 ft	2 landings
18	Birch Lake	Washburn	8 ft	364	73 ft	2 landings
19	Pokegama Lake	Washburn	7.5 ft	465	23 ft	1 landing
20	Kekegama Lake	Washburn	6.5 ft	128	24 ft	1 landing
21	Minong Flowage	Washburn	3.5 ft	1,587	21 ft	2 landings
22	Trego Lake	Washburn	1 ft	383	36 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

Washburn County lake records

What is the clearest lake in Washburn County?

Middle Kimball Lake — By most recent Secchi reading, Middle Kimball Lake in Washburn County is the clearest monitored lake in Washburn County, with 19.3 feet of visibility.

Clearest lakes statewide Deepest lakes in Washburn County Biggest lakes in Washburn County Lakes with the most public access in Washburn County All Washburn 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 22 Clearest Lakes in Washburn County, Wisconsin

22 Washburn County lakes are at least 50 acres with a current DNR water-clarity reading, out of 254 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.

119.3 ft
96 acres
Washburn County, WI
Middle Kimball Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
46.13, -91.9596 acres | 77 ft max0 public access pointsNorthern Pike, Panfish
19.3 ft water clarity (Sep 2025) · 96 acres, 77 ft max depth · No verified public access
219 ft
188 acres
Washburn County, WI
Silver Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.99, -91.82188 acres | 28 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Panfish
19 ft water clarity (May 2024) · 188 acres, 28 ft max depth · 1 public landing
317.5 ft
210 acres
Washburn County, WI
Slim Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.80, -91.56210 acres | 42 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass
17.5 ft water clarity (Jul 2025) · 210 acres, 42 ft max depth · 1 public landing
415 ft
181 acres
Washburn County, WI
Dunn Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.94, -91.94181 acres | 39 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass
15 ft water clarity (Aug 2022) · 181 acres, 39 ft max depth · 1 public landing
514 ft
187 acres
Washburn County, WI
Bass Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.95, -91.63187 acres | 35 ft max1 public access pointWalleye, Largemouth Bass
14 ft water clarity (Aug 2020) · 187 acres, 35 ft max depth · 1 public landing
614 ft
177 acres
Washburn County, WI
Horseshoe Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.81, -91.59177 acres | 21 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass
14 ft water clarity (Jul 2026) · 177 acres, 21 ft max depth · 1 public landing
713.5 ft
206 acres
Washburn County, WI
Lower McKenzie Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.98, -92.02206 acres | 17 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
13.5 ft water clarity (May 2026) · 206 acres, 17 ft max depth · 1 public landing
813 ft
371 acres
Washburn County, WI
Gilmore Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
46.13, -91.89371 acres | 36 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
13 ft water clarity (Jul 2022) · 371 acres, 36 ft max depth · 1 public landing
913 ft
325 acres
Washburn County, WI
Balsam Lake
enhancedDepth mapDNR impairmentWater data
45.65, -91.58325 acres | 49 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass
13 ft water clarity (Jun 2024) · 325 acres, 49 ft max depth · 1 public landing · DNR impairment listed
1013 ft
252 acres
Washburn County, WI
Island Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.96, -91.94252 acres | 44 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
13 ft water clarity (Aug 2025) · 252 acres, 44 ft max depth · 1 public landing

Rank	Lake	County	Water clarity	Acres	Max depth	Public access
11	Matthews Lake	Washburn	12 ft	267	26 ft	1 landing
12	Bass Lake	Washburn	12 ft	132	31 ft	1 landing
13	Lake Nancy	Washburn	11.5 ft	757	39 ft	2 landings
14	Gull Lake	Washburn	11 ft	518	19 ft	2 landings
15	Big Bass Lake	Washburn	11 ft	201	27 ft	1 landing
16	Bean Lake	Washburn	11 ft	100	35 ft	1 landing
17	Spooner Lake	Washburn	8 ft	1,132	17 ft	2 landings
18	Birch Lake	Washburn	8 ft	364	73 ft	2 landings
19	Pokegama Lake	Washburn	7.5 ft	465	23 ft	1 landing
20	Kekegama Lake	Washburn	6.5 ft	128	24 ft	1 landing
21	Minong Flowage	Washburn	3.5 ft	1,587	21 ft	2 landings
22	Trego Lake	Washburn	1 ft	383	36 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

Washburn County lake records

What is the clearest lake in Washburn County?

Middle Kimball Lake — By most recent Secchi reading, Middle Kimball Lake in Washburn County is the clearest monitored lake in Washburn County, with 19.3 feet of visibility.

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

The 22 Clearest Lakes in Washburn County, Wisconsin

Middle Kimball Lake

Silver Lake

Slim Lake

Dunn Lake

Bass Lake

Horseshoe Lake

Lower McKenzie Lake

Gilmore Lake

Balsam Lake

Island Lake

How this list is built

Washburn County lake records

What is the clearest lake in Washburn County?

The 22 Clearest Lakes in Washburn County, Wisconsin

Middle Kimball Lake

Silver Lake

Slim Lake

Dunn Lake

Bass Lake

Horseshoe Lake

Lower McKenzie Lake

Gilmore Lake

Balsam Lake

Island Lake

How this list is built

Washburn County lake records

What is the clearest lake in Washburn County?