WI · ranked by public data

Washburn County, Wisconsin Lakes with the Most Public Access

63 Washburn County lakes are at least 50 acres with a verified public access point, out of 254 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.

16 sites
2,513 acres
Washburn County, WI
Shell Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedShore accessWater data
45.73, -91.902,513 acres | 36 ft max6 public access pointsSmallmouth Bass, Walleye
6 verified public access points · 2,513 acres, 36 ft max depth
24 sites
3,478 acres
Washburn County, WI
Long Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.72, -91.693,478 acres | 74 ft max4 public access pointsNorthern Pike, Largemouth Bass
4 verified public access points · 3,478 acres, 74 ft max depth
32 sites
1,587 acres
Washburn County, WI
Minong Flowage
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
46.12, -91.931,587 acres | 21 ft max2 public access pointsWalleye, Northern Pike
2 verified public access points · 1,587 acres, 21 ft max depth
42 sites
1,132 acres
Washburn County, WI
Spooner Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.84, -91.821,132 acres | 17 ft max2 public access pointsNorthern Pike, Panfish
2 verified public access points · 1,132 acres, 17 ft max depth
52 sites
757 acres
Washburn County, WI
Lake Nancy
enhancedDepth mapWater data
46.09, -91.99757 acres | 39 ft max2 public access pointsPanfish, Largemouth Bass
2 verified public access points · 757 acres, 39 ft max depth
62 sites
518 acres
Washburn County, WI
Gull Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
46.00, -91.75518 acres | 19 ft max2 public access pointsPanfish, Largemouth Bass
2 verified public access points · 518 acres, 19 ft max depth
72 sites
364 acres
Washburn County, WI
Birch Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.67, -91.55364 acres | 73 ft max2 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
2 verified public access points · 364 acres, 73 ft max depth
82 sites
184 acres
Washburn County, WI
Ripley Lake
enhancedDepth map
45.71, -91.85184 acres | 27 ft max2 public access pointsSpecies pending
2 verified public access points · 184 acres, 27 ft max depth
92 sites
161 acres
Washburn County, WI
Ellsworth Lake
enhancedDepth map
45.87, -92.01161 acres | 6 ft max2 public access pointsNorthern Pike, Largemouth Bass
2 verified public access points · 161 acres, 6 ft max depth
102 sites
103 acres
Washburn County, WI
McKinley Lake
enhancedDepth map
45.91, -91.92103 acres | 23 ft max2 public access pointsPanfish, Largemouth Bass
2 verified public access points · 103 acres, 23 ft max depth

Rank	Lake	County	Public access	Acres	Max depth
11	Loyhead Lake	Washburn	2 sites	73	35 ft
12	Stone Lake	Washburn	1 site	490	49 ft
13	Pokegama Lake	Washburn	1 site	465	23 ft
14	Trego Lake	Washburn	1 site	383	36 ft
15	Gilmore Lake	Washburn	1 site	371	36 ft
16	Balsam Lakeimpaired	Washburn	1 site	325	49 ft
17	Matthews Lake	Washburn	1 site	267	26 ft
18	Island Lake	Washburn	1 site	252	44 ft
19	Casey Lake	Washburn	1 site	240	27 ft
20	Potato Lake	Washburn	1 site	224	20 ft
21	Sand Lake	Washburn	1 site	210	9 ft
22	Slim Lake	Washburn	1 site	210	42 ft
23	Lower McKenzie Lake	Washburn	1 site	206	17 ft
24	Spring Lake	Washburn	1 site	204	24 ft
25	Big Bass Lake	Washburn	1 site	201	27 ft

Methodology

How this list is built

Ranked by the number of verified public access points on each lake: boat launches, landings, parks, beaches, and marinas open to the public.
Shore fishing access is flagged where documented but does not add to the count.
Lakes under 50 acres — or without documented acreage — are excluded from rankings.
Access inventories favor well-documented water — a lake with unrecorded informal access will undercount.
Verify fees, seasons, and ramp conditions before you go; access details change.

FAQ

Washburn County lake records

Which lake in Washburn County has the most public access points?

Shell Lake — Shell Lake in Washburn County has the most verified public access points of any Washburn County lake we track, with 6.

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

Washburn County, Wisconsin Lakes with the Most Public Access

63 Washburn County lakes are at least 50 acres with a verified public access point, out of 254 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.

16 sites
2,513 acres
Washburn County, WI
Shell Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedShore accessWater data
45.73, -91.902,513 acres | 36 ft max6 public access pointsSmallmouth Bass, Walleye
6 verified public access points · 2,513 acres, 36 ft max depth
24 sites
3,478 acres
Washburn County, WI
Long Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.72, -91.693,478 acres | 74 ft max4 public access pointsNorthern Pike, Largemouth Bass
4 verified public access points · 3,478 acres, 74 ft max depth
32 sites
1,587 acres
Washburn County, WI
Minong Flowage
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
46.12, -91.931,587 acres | 21 ft max2 public access pointsWalleye, Northern Pike
2 verified public access points · 1,587 acres, 21 ft max depth
42 sites
1,132 acres
Washburn County, WI
Spooner Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.84, -91.821,132 acres | 17 ft max2 public access pointsNorthern Pike, Panfish
2 verified public access points · 1,132 acres, 17 ft max depth
52 sites
757 acres
Washburn County, WI
Lake Nancy
enhancedDepth mapWater data
46.09, -91.99757 acres | 39 ft max2 public access pointsPanfish, Largemouth Bass
2 verified public access points · 757 acres, 39 ft max depth
62 sites
518 acres
Washburn County, WI
Gull Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
46.00, -91.75518 acres | 19 ft max2 public access pointsPanfish, Largemouth Bass
2 verified public access points · 518 acres, 19 ft max depth
72 sites
364 acres
Washburn County, WI
Birch Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.67, -91.55364 acres | 73 ft max2 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
2 verified public access points · 364 acres, 73 ft max depth
82 sites
184 acres
Washburn County, WI
Ripley Lake
enhancedDepth map
45.71, -91.85184 acres | 27 ft max2 public access pointsSpecies pending
2 verified public access points · 184 acres, 27 ft max depth
92 sites
161 acres
Washburn County, WI
Ellsworth Lake
enhancedDepth map
45.87, -92.01161 acres | 6 ft max2 public access pointsNorthern Pike, Largemouth Bass
2 verified public access points · 161 acres, 6 ft max depth
102 sites
103 acres
Washburn County, WI
McKinley Lake
enhancedDepth map
45.91, -91.92103 acres | 23 ft max2 public access pointsPanfish, Largemouth Bass
2 verified public access points · 103 acres, 23 ft max depth

Rank	Lake	County	Public access	Acres	Max depth
11	Loyhead Lake	Washburn	2 sites	73	35 ft
12	Stone Lake	Washburn	1 site	490	49 ft
13	Pokegama Lake	Washburn	1 site	465	23 ft
14	Trego Lake	Washburn	1 site	383	36 ft
15	Gilmore Lake	Washburn	1 site	371	36 ft
16	Balsam Lakeimpaired	Washburn	1 site	325	49 ft
17	Matthews Lake	Washburn	1 site	267	26 ft
18	Island Lake	Washburn	1 site	252	44 ft
19	Casey Lake	Washburn	1 site	240	27 ft
20	Potato Lake	Washburn	1 site	224	20 ft
21	Sand Lake	Washburn	1 site	210	9 ft
22	Slim Lake	Washburn	1 site	210	42 ft
23	Lower McKenzie Lake	Washburn	1 site	206	17 ft
24	Spring Lake	Washburn	1 site	204	24 ft
25	Big Bass Lake	Washburn	1 site	201	27 ft

Methodology

How this list is built

Ranked by the number of verified public access points on each lake: boat launches, landings, parks, beaches, and marinas open to the public.
Shore fishing access is flagged where documented but does not add to the count.
Lakes under 50 acres — or without documented acreage — are excluded from rankings.
Access inventories favor well-documented water — a lake with unrecorded informal access will undercount.
Verify fees, seasons, and ramp conditions before you go; access details change.

FAQ

Washburn County lake records

Which lake in Washburn County has the most public access points?

Shell Lake — Shell Lake in Washburn County has the most verified public access points of any Washburn County lake we track, with 6.

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

Washburn County, Wisconsin Lakes with the Most Public Access

Shell Lake

Long Lake

Minong Flowage

Spooner Lake

Lake Nancy

Gull Lake

Birch Lake

Ripley Lake

Ellsworth Lake

McKinley Lake

How this list is built

Washburn County lake records

Which lake in Washburn County has the most public access points?

Washburn County, Wisconsin Lakes with the Most Public Access

Shell Lake

Long Lake

Minong Flowage

Spooner Lake

Lake Nancy

Gull Lake

Birch Lake

Ripley Lake

Ellsworth Lake

McKinley Lake

How this list is built

Washburn County lake records

Which lake in Washburn County has the most public access points?