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Surprise Lake
Enhanced dataInteractive depth contours
Surprise 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 20-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 Surprise Lake.
Start here
Fishing forecast
Best windows for Surprise 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
Surprise 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
Historical volunteer-monitoring record for this lake.
Last sampled date unknown
Individual readings are not retained for this lake — the index below is what the monitoring record summarizes.
49 five-year summer trophic state index · Mesotrophic. Moderately clear with moderate nutrients — a typical profile for good swimming lakes.
Surprise Lake - Deep HoleStation 433064 · TSI based on Secchi
Historical record only — no current water-quality data exists for this lake. 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 sheetFishing 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
Surprise Lake depth maps
1 converted map sheet. These historical surveys are not for navigation.
Navigable depth map
Surprise 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 428100 · 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 2016 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 contextSurprise Lake (WBIC 428100) only
Human-reviewed 2016 catch, length and size-structure metrics for Surprise Lake.
- Historical survey snapshot; not current regulations or navigation guidance.
- Only explicit report observations and estimates were promoted; management targets, stocking rows, creel metrics, comparison-lake values and unsupported chart-only values were excluded.
- Metric source pages, survey years, methods, units and exact waterbody scope are retained.
All fish
1,010 fish2016 catch count · p. 2
Black Crappie
174 fish2016 catch count · p. 25.5 inches2016 min length · p. 213.6 inches2016 max length · p. 2
Bluegill
644 fish2016 catch count · p. 22.6 inches2016 min length · p. 29.5 inches2016 max length · p. 266 index2016 psd · p. 2
Largemouth Bass
60 fish2016 catch count · p. 26.8 inches2016 min length · p. 218.9 inches2016 max length · p. 256 index2016 psd · p. 2
Northern Pike
8 fish2016 catch count · p. 213.9 inches2016 min length · p. 229.6 inches2016 max length · p. 2
Pumpkinseed
5 fish2016 catch count · p. 23.2 inches2016 min length · p. 28 inches2016 max length · p. 2
Rock Bass
23 fish2016 catch count · p. 24.7 inches2016 min length · p. 29.3 inches2016 max length · p. 2
Walleye
52 fish2016 catch count · p. 211 inches2016 min length · p. 225.5 inches2016 max length · p. 2
White Sucker
14 fish2016 catch count · p. 2
Yellow Bullhead
2 fish2016 catch count · p. 2
Yellow Perch
28 fish2016 catch count · p. 24.9 inches2016 min length · p. 28.2 inches2016 max length · p. 2
Surprise Lake comprehensive survey, 2016Matched by exact wbic name county · WBICs 428100 · verified 2026-07-20Wisconsin DNR fisheries report; LakeList operator documented permission to leverage this public 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. The minimum length limit is 14" and the daily bag limit is 5.
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 25.
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 limit is 18" and the daily bag limit is 3.
Regulations can change. The official DNR page controls; verify seasons, boundaries, bag limits, and emergency rules before fishing.
66surface acres
20max depth feet
2public access points
45.3520, -88.6090latitude, longitude
Access
Public access points
Boat launchSurprise Lake - North Access45.35513, -88.61007Managed by TOWNSHIPTOWN OF TOWNSENDRamp surface: PavedADA-accessible feature: NoVerified 2026-07-12
Boat launchSurprise Lake - South Access45.34818, -88.60504Managed by TOWNSHIPTOWN OF TOWNSENDRamp surface: GravelADA-accessible feature: NoVerified 2026-07-12
Nearby
Trip-planning places
No nearby trip-planning places yet
Fishery
Notable species
Largemouth BassPanfishNorthern PikeWalleye
Depth FAQ
How deep is Surprise Lake?
Surprise Lake is 20 feet deep at its deepest point, according to Wisconsin DNR records.
Is there a free depth map of Surprise Lake?
Yes. LakeList publishes a free interactive depth contour map of Surprise Lake at a typical 5-foot interval, with an optional 3D underwater view, derived from LakeList depth model survey data.
Where does the Surprise 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 Pagesname, coordinates, county, source identifiers
LakeList record updated 2026-07-12
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