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Wilson Lake
Enhanced dataInteractive depth contours
Wilson LakeIron County, WI
Contours load with map Access
Interactive depth contours5-foot typical interval · Sonar-derived depth (C-MAP Genesis) · Gaps interpolated · Not for navigation
Source: C-MAP Genesis community sonar (derived)high confidence · QA passed · Select a contour to inspect its mapped depthDepths decoded from C-MAP Genesis Social Map community sonar recordings (used with permission), covering 11% of the lake. Small gaps between recordings are smoothly connected; larger unrecorded areas follow the lake's depth model calibrated to the DNR-documented 21-ft maximum depth. More accurate than a pure model, but still an estimate. Not for navigation.LakeList assistant
Plan your lake day
Fishing spots, food, lodging, marinas, and rentals around Wilson Lake.
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Fishing forecast
Best windows for Wilson Lake
Weather-based planning built from the National Weather Service hourly forecast near this lake.
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Checking wind, precipitation, and near-term weather windows.
Water temperature
Wilson Lake water temperature today
Modeled surface-temperature estimate built from seasonal climate, lake depth, and live National Weather Service air temperatures near this lake.
74°FWarm
Seasonal estimate. Checking current National Weather Service air temperatures…
Comfortable summer pattern. Bass and panfish are active; early and late hours beat the midday heat.
Estimates are modeled, not measured. Actual temperatures vary with depth, wind mixing, and recent weather — verify conditions before swimming, boating, or heading onto ice.
DNR water check
Water quality quick take
From Wisconsin DNR / Citizen Lake Monitoring readings at Wilson Lake - Deep Hole.
Sampled Jun 2026Volunteer monitoring since 1987
Somewhat hazy water — summer clarity of 8 ft is clearer than most monitored Wisconsin lakes.
Based on July–August 2025 averages across 4 volunteer readings.47Mesotrophic5-yr summer TSI
Moderately clear with moderate nutrients — a typical profile for good swimming lakes.
Water claritySecchi disk depth
8 ftJul–Aug 2025 avg (2 readings)
Slight hazeStable since 2018
Clearer than 69% of 596 monitored Wisconsin lakes with current readings.
AlgaeChlorophyll-a
6 µg/LJul–Aug 2025 avg (2 readings)
ModerateImproving — down ~52% vs earlier years
NutrientsTotal phosphorus — fuels plant & algae growth
12 µg/LLatest single sample · 2023-07-25
Low2018–2023
Low phosphorus means light plant/algae growth pressure.
All readings by year · station details · methodology
Summer averages (July/August)
July/August means; counts in parentheses show how many samples went into each average.
| Year | Secchi | Chlorophyll-a | Total phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8.0 ft (2) | 6.0 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2024 | 9.2 ft (2) | 7.5 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2023 | 16.0 ft (1) | 2.5 µg/L (2) | 12.0 µg/L (1) |
| 2022 | 10.9 ft (3) | 11.0 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2021 | 10.6 ft (4) | 16.0 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2020 | 10.4 ft (4) | 6.0 µg/L (2) | 13.0 µg/L (1) |
| 2019 | 9.8 ft (2) | 9.0 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2018 | 13.2 ft (3) | 3.5 µg/L (2) | 18.0 µg/L (1) |
| 2017 | 11.5 ft (2) | 11.0 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2016 | 9.4 ft (4) | 6.5 µg/L (2) | — |
Latest individual samples: Secchi 12 ft (2026-04-28), chlorophyll-a 2 µg/L (2026-06-22), and total phosphorus 12 µg/L (2023-07-25).
Secchi clarity is how deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface — more feet means clearer water.
Chlorophyll-a is an algae pigment; higher values signal more algae in the water column.
Total phosphorus is a nutrient that feeds algae and aquatic plants. It is not a weed survey — depth, bottom type, water movement, and management change the actual lake experience.
Wilson Lake - Deep HoleStation 263034 · TSI based on chlorophyll
Modeled from DNR/CLMN monitoring — not a safety or swim-condition report. Verify current conditions locally. LakeList verified 2026-07-12.Official Wisconsin information
Plan with DNR sources
LakeList links to the authoritative record so you can verify maps, rules, and current notices before leaving.
Historical DNR depth maps1 converted map sheetView DNR depth mapHistorical map · not for navigationFishing regulationsVerify current seasons, limits, and restrictionsOfficial DNR lake pageFacts, advisories, boating, and water qualityWater quality reportsMonitoring stations, clarity, and DNR reportsInvasive speciesVerified, observed, and historical AIS recordsBoating ordinancesLocal slow-no-wake and water-use restrictionsFish consumption advisoriesStatewide and waterbody-specific health guidance
Historical depth maps are not for navigation. Verify regulations and access at the official source before your trip.
Historical Wisconsin DNR maps
Wilson Lake depth maps
1 converted map sheet. These historical surveys are not for navigation.
Navigable depth map
Wilson Lake · sheet 1
Pan, zoom, and inspect the converted Wisconsin DNR historical map image in the browser. Historical survey — not for navigation.
Source: Wisconsin DNR · WBIC 2297000 · image navigation only; spatial alignment pending · Historical lake maps are not for navigation.
Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Converted for browser access with source URLs, checksums, and retrieval dates retained. Historical lake maps are not for navigation.
Wisconsin DNR fisheries survey
Fish population survey
Structured LakeList extraction from the 2024 DNR fisheries survey. Population estimates, density, and catch-rate indices use different units, methods, and scopes, so each value is presented in its original form rather than normalized against a different measure.
Survey indicatorsValues keep their source unit and method; unlike measures are not scaled or compared.
Management contextLake-specific late-spring electrofishing; northern pike retain nontarget scope.
DNR found high largemouth-bass abundance, moderate sampled crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed and smallmouth-bass abundance, and nontarget northern pike.
- Target WBIC 2297000 comes from the exact LakeList queue match but is not printed in the PDF.
- Rock bass, bluntnose minnows and golden shiners are listed without exact counts and are excluded.
Black crappie
9 fishTotal captured · p. 118 fish/mileSurvey CPUE · p. 17.9 inchesminimum captured length · p. 110.5 inchesmaximum captured length · p. 1
Bluegill
48 fishTotal captured · p. 196 fish/mileSurvey CPUE · p. 12.9 inchesminimum captured length · p. 18.1 inchesmaximum captured length · p. 1
Largemouth bass
81 fishTotal captured · p. 227 fish/mileSurvey CPUE · p. 26.7 inchesminimum captured length · p. 219.4 inchesmaximum captured length · p. 2
Northern pike
11 fishTotal captured · p. 23.7 fish/mileSurvey CPUE · p. 212.6 inchesminimum captured length · p. 231.1 inchesmaximum captured length · p. 2
Pumpkinseed
10 fishTotal captured · p. 220 fish/mileSurvey CPUE · p. 24.6 inchesminimum captured length · p. 27.9 inchesmaximum captured length · p. 2
Smallmouth bass
60 fishTotal captured · p. 320 fish/mileSurvey CPUE · p. 36.7 inchesminimum captured length · p. 316.8 inchesmaximum captured length · p. 3
2024 Fisheries Information Sheet: Wilson Lake, Iron CountyMatched by exact lakelist id name county state and target wbic · WBICs · verified 2026-07-19Wisconsin DNR fisheries survey report; LakeList operator documented permission to leverage this report with source attribution.
155surface acres
21max depth feet
1public access points
46.1166, -90.1141latitude, longitude
Access
Public access points
Boat launchWilson Lake Landing46.12022, -90.11946Managed by COUNTYTOWN OF MERCERRamp surface: Concrete PlankADA-accessible feature: NoVerified 2026-07-12
Nearby
Trip-planning places
No nearby trip-planning places yet
Fishery
Notable species
Largemouth BassPanfishMuskyNorthern PikeSmallmouth Bass
Depth FAQ
How deep is Wilson Lake?
Wilson Lake is 21 feet deep at its deepest point and averages about 14 feet, according to Wisconsin DNR records.
Is there a free depth map of Wilson Lake?
Yes. LakeList publishes a free interactive depth contour map of Wilson Lake at a typical 5-foot interval, with an optional 3D underwater view, derived from C-MAP Genesis community sonar (derived) survey data.
Where does the Wilson Lake depth map come from?
The interactive depth contours are derived from C-MAP Genesis community sonar (derived). Each contour set passes a visual QA review against the source document before it is published. The depths are derived from community sonar recordings (C-MAP Genesis Social Map, used with permission), with gaps between recordings interpolated; not for navigation.
Trust and freshness
Where this lake data comes from
Wisconsin DNR Lake Mapsname, coordinates, county, source identifiers
LakeList record updated 2026-07-14