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Big Butternut Lake
Enhanced dataInteractive depth contours
Big Butternut LakePolk 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 94% of the lake. Small gaps between recordings are smoothly connected; larger unrecorded areas follow the lake's depth model calibrated to the DNR-documented 19-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 Big Butternut Lake.
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Fishing forecast
Best windows for Big Butternut 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
Big Butternut 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 Big Butternut Lake - Deep Hole.
Last sampled Aug 2025Volunteer monitoring since 1995
Through 2025, murky, algae-prone water — summer clarity of 2.3 ft is clearer than most monitored Wisconsin lakes.
Based on July–August volunteer averages from 2022–2025; each value shows its own year.76Hypereutrophic5-yr summer TSI
Very nutrient-rich water — heavy algae and plant growth pressure.
Water claritySecchi disk depth
2.3 ftJul–Aug 2022 avg (2 readings)
MurkyDeclining — down ~29% vs earlier years
Clearer than 55% of 596 monitored Wisconsin lakes with current readings.
AlgaeChlorophyll-a
99 µg/LJul–Aug 2025 avg (2 readings)
HighStable since 2017
No recent nutrient readings — last measured 2020.
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 | — | 99.0 µg/L (2) | 114.0 µg/L (1) |
| 2023 | — | 22.0 µg/L (1) | — |
| 2022 | 2.3 ft (2) | 117.0 µg/L (2) | 151.0 µg/L (1) |
| 2021 | 2.1 ft (3) | 85.5 µg/L (2) | 175.0 µg/L (1) |
| 2020 | 2.5 ft (3) | 84.5 µg/L (2) | 83.0 µg/L (2) |
| 2019 | 3.5 ft (3) | 52.0 µg/L (1) | — |
| 2018 | 2.6 ft (4) | 123.5 µg/L (2) | 359.0 µg/L (1) |
| 2017 | 3.5 ft (3) | 49.0 µg/L (3) | 78.7 µg/L (3) |
| 2016 | 1.6 ft (2) | 127.0 µg/L (1) | 141.0 µg/L (1) |
| 2015 | 4.0 ft (1) | 68.5 µg/L (2) | 100.0 µg/L (1) |
Latest individual samples: Secchi 9.5 ft (2023-06-08), chlorophyll-a 97 µg/L (2025-08-01), and total phosphorus 114 µg/L (2025-08-01).
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.
Big Butternut Lake - Deep HoleStation 493106 · 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 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
Big Butternut Lake depth maps
1 converted map sheet. These historical surveys are not for navigation.
Navigable depth map
Big Butternut 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 2641000 · 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 2022 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 contextMetrics retain the DNR report's stated gear, sample, sex, age and waterbody scope and are not converted to whole-lake estimates unless the report explicitly publishes an estimate.
Human-reviewed 2022 fisheries survey findings for Big Butternut Lake in Polk County.
- This is a historical fisheries survey snapshot, not current fishing regulations or a real-time fishing guarantee.
- Values were selected by human review from the cited pages and preserve report-specific sampling scope.
Bluegill
163 fishBluegill total catch · p. 11163 fish_per_mileBluegill catch rate · p. 11132 fish_per_mileBluegill catch rate · p. 112 inchesBluegill minimum length · p. 12
Largemouth Bass
121 fishLargemouth Bass total catch · p. 935.6 fish_per_mileLargemouth Bass catch rate · p. 914.7 fish_per_mileLargemouth Bass catch rate · p. 96.5 inchesLargemouth Bass minimum length · p. 9
Northern Pike
52 fishNorthern Pike total catch · p. 92.9 fish_per_net_nightNorthern Pike catch rate · p. 810.6 inchesNorthern Pike minimum length · p. 835.4 inchesNorthern Pike maximum length · p. 8
Walleye
516 fishWalleye total catch · p. 42,264 fishWalleye population estimate · p. 46 fish_per_acreWalleye density · p. 428.7 fish_per_net_nightWalleye catch rate · p. 4
Big Butternut Lake fisheries survey, 2022Matched by exact lakelist id name county state wbic · WBICs 2641000 · verified 2026-07-19Wisconsin DNR fisheries survey report; LakeList operator documented permission to leverage this public report with source attribution.
384surface acres
19max depth feet
1public access points
45.5711, -92.4595latitude, longitude
Access
Public access points
Boat launchAccess45.56684, -92.46755Managed by Wisconsin DNR
DNR verifiedDirections
Nearby
Trip-planning places
No nearby trip-planning places yet
Fishery
Notable species
Largemouth BassNorthern PikePanfishWalleye
Wisconsin DNR stocking
Fish stocking history
The latest published year is 2025, when 3,780 fish were recorded across 1 entry.
2025
WalleyeChippewa/St. Croix · Large Fingerling
3,7806.8 in average
2023
WalleyeChippewa/St. Croix · Large Fingerling
3,7776.5 in average
2022
WalleyeUpper Mississippi River · Small Fingerling
15,5251.8 in average
2021
WalleyeMississippi Headwaters · Large Fingerling
3,8156.2 in average
2019
WalleyeMississippi Headwaters · Large Fingerling
3,7796.5 in average
2019
WalleyeMississippi Headwaters · Small Fingerling
16,3851.9 in average
2017
WalleyeMississippi Headwaters · Large Fingerling
1,1466.3 in average
2017
WalleyeMississippi Headwaters · Large Fingerling
2,6347.3 in average
2017
WalleyeUnspecified · Small Fingerling
21,9712.3 in average
2016
WalleyeMississippi Headwaters · Small Fingerling
10,3892.0 in average
2015
WalleyeMississippi Headwaters · Large Fingerling
3,8457.4 in average
2013
WalleyeMississippi Headwaters · Large Fingerling
3,7806.7 in average
Showing the 12 most recent records from 14 published entries.
Depth FAQ
How deep is Big Butternut Lake?
Big Butternut Lake is 19 feet deep at its deepest point and averages about 13 feet, according to Wisconsin DNR records.
Is there a free depth map of Big Butternut Lake?
Yes. LakeList publishes a free interactive depth contour map of Big Butternut 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 Big Butternut 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 Pagesname, coordinates, county, source identifiers
LakeList record updated 2026-05-25
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