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Lake Butte des Morts
Enhanced dataInteractive depth contours
Lake Butte des MortsWinnebago 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 33% of the lake. Small gaps between recordings are smoothly connected; larger unrecorded areas follow the lake's depth model calibrated to the DNR-documented 9-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 Lake Butte des Morts.
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Fishing forecast
Best windows for Lake Butte des Morts
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
Lake Butte des Morts water temperature today
Modeled surface-temperature estimate built from seasonal climate, lake depth, and live National Weather Service air temperatures near this lake.
78°FPeak summer
Seasonal estimate. Checking current National Weather Service air temperatures…
Warmest water of the year. Fish hold deeper or feed in low light; swimming and watersports are at their best.
Estimates are modeled, not measured. Actual temperatures vary with depth, wind mixing, and recent weather — verify conditions before swimming, boating, or heading onto ice.
Wisconsin DNR water assessment
Impaired waterbody listed
The DNR lists this waterbody as impaired. This notice is not itself a closure; review the official assessment and current guidance before your trip.
303(d) / impairment recordRecreation restrictions noted
Low DO, Excess Algal Growth, Degraded Aquatic Vegetation, EutrophicationPollutants: Mercury, Total Phosphorus, Sediment/Total Suspended Solids, PCBs, Unknown Pollutant
- Status
- TMDL Approved, 303d Listed, Pollutant Removed
- Public health
- General Advice
- Recreation
- Recreational Restrictions
- Aquatic life
- Not specified
Water is impaired due to one or more pollutants and associated quality impacts.
Review DNR water quality Check consumption advice Source updated 2026-03-25 · LakeList verified 2026-07-12
DNR water check
Water quality quick take
From Wisconsin DNR / Citizen Lake Monitoring readings at Lake Butte Des Morts - East End Bu3.
Sampled May 2026
Murky, algae-prone water — summer clarity of 2.1 ft ranks among the lowest of monitored Wisconsin lakes.
Based on July–August volunteer averages from 2024–2025; each value shows its own year.57Eutrophic5-yr summer TSI
Nutrient-rich, greener water — more algae and plant growth, common in shallower lakes.
Water claritySecchi disk depth
2.1 ftJul–Aug 2025 avg (3 readings)
MurkyImproving — up ~41% vs earlier years
Clearer than 8% of 596 monitored Wisconsin lakes with current readings.
AlgaeChlorophyll-a
33.5 µg/LJul–Aug 2024 avg (2 readings)
HighStable since 2009
NutrientsTotal phosphorus — fuels plant & algae growth
96 µg/LJul–Aug 2025 avg (2 readings)
HighStable since 2009
High phosphorus points to heavy 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 | 2.1 ft (3) | 26.0 µg/L (1) | 96.0 µg/L (2) |
| 2024 | 3.0 ft (4) | 33.5 µg/L (2) | 94.5 µg/L (2) |
| 2023 | 2.4 ft (2) | 27.0 µg/L (1) | 80.0 µg/L (2) |
| 2022 | 1.8 ft (4) | 18.5 µg/L (2) | 79.0 µg/L (2) |
| 2021 | — | 15.5 µg/L (2) | 50.0 µg/L (2) |
| 2020 | 2.0 ft (4) | — | — |
| 2011 | 1.4 ft (4) | 66.5 µg/L (4) | 113.5 µg/L (4) |
| 2010 | 1.7 ft (3) | 56.7 µg/L (3) | 101.7 µg/L (3) |
| 2009 | 1.7 ft (4) | 43.0 µg/L (4) | 120.3 µg/L (4) |
| 2008 | 2.0 ft (3) | 30.7 µg/L (3) | 106.0 µg/L (3) |
Latest individual samples: Secchi 2.8 ft (2026-05-27), chlorophyll-a 21 µg/L (2025-10-16), and total phosphorus 86 µg/L (2025-10-16).
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.
Lake Butte Des Morts - East End Bu3Station 713252 · 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 maps2 converted map sheetsView 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
Lake Butte des Morts depth maps
2 converted map sheets. These historical surveys are not for navigation.
Navigable depth map
Lake Butte des Morts · 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 139900 · 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 contextThe report covers only the approximately two-mile Sunset Bay survey station within Lake Butte des Morts, not the full 8,581-acre lake. Panfish metrics use the 0.5-mile all-species station; gamefish metrics use the full two-mile station.
The Sunset Bay station sampled 86 fish across 11 species. Largemouth bass size structure improved despite a below-trend catch rate, bluegill abundance increased while average size declined, and walleye catch rate was below the station's long-term average.
- These metrics characterize the Sunset Bay survey station only and must not be generalized to the entire Lake Butte des Morts fish community.
Black crappie
1 fishBlack crappie captured · p. 29.6 inchesObserved length · p. 22 fish/mileBlack crappie CPUE · p. 2100 percentShare at least 8 inches · p. 2
Bluegill
31 fishBluegill captured · p. 23.4 inchesMinimum length · p. 27.9 inchesMaximum length · p. 25.1 inchesAverage length · p. 2
Largemouth bass
18 fishLargemouth bass captured · p. 27.8 inchesMinimum length · p. 218.8 inchesMaximum length · p. 213.7 inchesAverage length · p. 2
Walleye
7 fishWalleye captured · p. 39.1 inchesMinimum length · p. 321.8 inchesMaximum length · p. 314.5 inchesAverage length · p. 3
Yellow perch
18 fishYellow perch captured · p. 32.8 inchesMinimum length · p. 37.5 inchesMaximum length · p. 35.2 inchesAverage length · p. 3
Sunset Bay (Lake Butte des Morts) spring shocking survey, 2023Matched by exact lakelist id name county state wbic · WBICs 139900 · 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
Bag limits are for fish caught in all lakes in the WINNEBAGO CHAIN including CINCOE LAKE, LAKE POYGAN, LAKE WINNEBAGO, LAKE WINNECONNE, PARTRIDGE CROP LAKE, PARTRIDGE LAKE 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. Open all year for all species except muskellunge, northern pike, flathead catfish and lake sturgeon.
Catfish
Season Dates: Open All Year. See specific species regulations in this group.
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: Open All Year. 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 50" and the daily bag limit is 1.
Northern pike
Season Dates: May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027. The minimum length limit is 26" and the daily bag limit is 2.
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: Open All Year. No minimum length limit and the daily bag is 3, only one of which may be a sauger or hybrid.
Regulations can change. The official DNR page controls; verify seasons, boundaries, bag limits, and emergency rules before fishing.
8,581surface acres
9max depth feet
3public access points
44.0690, -88.6364latitude, longitude
Access
Public access points
Boat launchLake Butte des Morts Boat Landing44.05168, -88.66422Managed by COUNTYTOWN OF OMRORamp surface: ConcreteADA-accessible feature: NoVerified 2026-07-12
Boat launchRivermoor Road Access44.07588, -88.68326Managed by TOWNSHIPTOWN OF WINNECONNERamp surface: GravelADA-accessible feature: NoVerified 2026-07-12
Boat launchVillage Access44.09845, -88.65366Managed by Wisconsin DNR
DNR verifiedDirections
Nearby
Trip-planning places
No nearby trip-planning places yet
Fishery
Notable species
CatfishNorthern PikePanfishSturgeonLargemouth BassMuskySmallmouth BassWalleye
Depth FAQ
How deep is Lake Butte des Morts?
Lake Butte des Morts is 9 feet deep at its deepest point, according to Wisconsin DNR records.
Is there a free depth map of Lake Butte des Morts?
Yes. LakeList publishes a free interactive depth contour map of Lake Butte des Morts 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 Lake Butte des Morts 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
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