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Paya Lake
Enhanced dataInteractive depth contours
Paya LakeOconto County, WI
Contours load with map Access
Interactive depth contours5-foot typical interval · Modeled depth estimate · Not a survey · Not for navigation
Source: LakeList depth modelmedium confidence · QA passed · Select a contour to inspect its mapped depthModeled depth estimate: contours computed from the lake's shoreline shape and its documented 40-ft maximum depth (depth grows with distance from shore, calibrated to the documented mean depth where available). This is a smooth mathematical model, not a survey - real holes, bars, and drop-offs will differ. Community sonar (C-MAP Genesis) overlays where recorded. Not for navigation.LakeList assistant
Plan your lake day
Fishing spots, food, lodging, marinas, and rentals around Paya Lake.
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Fishing forecast
Best windows for Paya 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
Paya 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 Paya Lake - Deep Hole.
Sampled Aug 2025Volunteer monitoring since 1996
Very clear, low-algae water — summer clarity of 21 ft puts it among the clearest tenth of monitored Wisconsin lakes.
Based on July–August 2025 averages across 4 volunteer readings.34Oligotrophic5-yr summer TSI
Very clear, low-nutrient water — often deep, with limited plant growth.
Water claritySecchi disk depth
21 ftJul–Aug 2025 avg (2 readings)
Crystal clearStable since 2018
Clearer than 96% of 596 monitored Wisconsin lakes with current readings.
AlgaeChlorophyll-a
1 µg/LJul–Aug 2025 avg (2 readings)
Very lowStable since 2018
NutrientsTotal phosphorus — fuels plant & algae growth
8 µg/LLatest single sample · 2023-05-07
Very lowVery low phosphorus means very 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 | 21.0 ft (2) | 1.0 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2024 | 18.5 ft (2) | 2.0 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2023 | 19.5 ft (2) | 2.0 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2022 | 21.0 ft (1) | 2.5 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2021 | 25.0 ft (1) | 1.0 µg/L (1) | — |
| 2020 | 18.0 ft (1) | 1.5 µg/L (2) | 12.0 µg/L (1) |
| 2019 | 19.0 ft (1) | 1.0 µg/L (1) | — |
| 2018 | 21.0 ft (1) | 1.5 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2017 | 15.0 ft (1) | 3.0 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2016 | 24.0 ft (3) | 1.0 µg/L (3) | — |
Latest individual samples: Secchi 22 ft (2025-08-22), chlorophyll-a 1 µg/L (2025-08-22), and total phosphorus 8 µg/L (2023-05-07).
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.
Paya Lake - Deep HoleStation 433071 · 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
Paya Lake depth maps
1 converted map sheet. These historical surveys are not for navigation.
Navigable depth map
Paya 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 425600 · 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 2023 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 May-June 2023 SE2 electrofishing and summer panfish fyke-net survey. Combined composition counts, gear CPUE and species-specific size/age samples remain distinct.
DNR found strong largemouth- and smallmouth-bass fisheries with improved size structure, while bluegill abundance had declined substantially in both electrofishing and summer-netting samples.
- Bluegill PSD and RSD-P are excluded because the electrofishing sample was too small and fyke nets do not represent smaller bluegill well.
- Only 2023 values are promoted; 2015/2016 comparisons remain context.
- DNR recommended another SE2 and summer-panfish-netting survey in four or five years.
All fish
704 fishAll-species catch · p. 5
Black crappie
3 fishCombined-gear catch · p. 6
Bluegill
71 fishCombined-gear catch · p. 68 fishElectrofishing catch · p. 107 fish/mileElectrofishing CPUE · p. 1063 fishFyke-net catch · p. 10
Green sunfish
52 fishCombined-gear catch · p. 6
Hybrid sunfish
61 fishCombined-gear catch · p. 6
Largemouth bass
114 fishCombined-gear catch · p. 6105 fishElectrofishing catch · p. 688 fish/mileElectrofishing CPUE · p. 65.6 inchesElectrofishing minimum captured length · p. 6
Northern pike
10 fishCombined-gear catch · p. 6
Rock bass
196 fishCombined-gear catch · p. 6
Smallmouth bass
79 fishCombined-gear catch · p. 679 fishElectrofishing catch · p. 866 fish/mileElectrofishing CPUE · p. 85.6 inchesElectrofishing minimum captured length · p. 8
Yellow bullhead
114 fishCombined-gear catch · p. 6
Yellow perch
4 fishCombined-gear catch · p. 6
Paya Lake – 2023 Fish Management ReportMatched by exact wbic name county · WBICs 425600 · verified 2026-07-19Wisconsin DNR fisheries survey report; LakeList operator documented permission to leverage this report with source attribution.
Wisconsin DNR · 2026–2027 season
Lake-specific fishing regulations
Rule text published by the DNR for this waterbody, cached by WBIC and verified 2026-07-12.
All species
Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted. Motor Trolling is allowed with up to 3 hooks, baits, or lures, per angler.
Catfish
Season Dates: Open All Year. No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
Cisco and whitefish
Season Dates: Open All Year. No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
Lake sturgeon
Season Dates: Closed. No fishing allowed.
Largemouth and smallmouth bass
Season Dates: June 20, 2026 to March 7, 2027. Five smallmouth and largemouth bass may be kept. Smallmouth bass must be at least 14". Largemouth bass between 14-18" may not be kept and only one over 18" may be kept.
Muskellunge and hybrids
Season Dates: May 2, 2026 to December 31, 2026 on open water. The minimum length limit is 40" and the daily bag limit is 1.
Northern pike
Season Dates: May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027. No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5.
Paddlefish
Season Dates: Closed. No fishing allowed.
Panfish
Season Dates: Open All Year. No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
Rock, yellow, and white bass
Season Dates: Open All Year. No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
Rough fish
Season Dates: Open All Year. No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
Shovelnose sturgeon
Season Dates: Closed. No fishing allowed.
Trout and salmon
See Trout regulations layer.
Urban waters gamefish
This waterbody is not considered an urban water, Urban Waters Gamefish regulations do not apply.
Walleye, sauger, and hybrids
Season Dates: May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027. The minimum length is 15", but walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 20" to 24" may not be kept, and only 1 fish over 24" is allowed. The daily bag limit is 3.
Regulations can change. The official DNR page controls; verify seasons, boundaries, bag limits, and emergency rules before fishing.
105surface acres
40max depth feet
1public access points
45.2762, -88.4843latitude, longitude
Access
Public access points
Boat launchPaya Lake Access45.27259, -88.48812Managed by TOWNSHIPTOWN OF RIVERVIEWRamp surface: PavedADA-accessible feature: NoVerified 2026-07-12
Nearby
Trip-planning places
No nearby trip-planning places yet
Fishery
Notable species
Largemouth BassPanfishSmallmouth Bass
Depth FAQ
How deep is Paya Lake?
Paya Lake is 40 feet deep at its deepest point and averages about 20 feet, according to Wisconsin DNR records.
Is there a free depth map of Paya Lake?
Yes. LakeList publishes a free interactive depth contour map of Paya Lake at a typical 5-foot interval, with an optional 3D underwater view, derived from LakeList depth model survey data.
Where does the Paya Lake depth map come from?
The interactive depth contours are derived from LakeList depth model. Each contour set passes a visual QA review against the source document before it is published. The depths are a modeled estimate calibrated to the lake's documented maximum depth - not a survey, and 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