Namekagon Lake Fishing
A 2,897-acre Wisconsin lake in Bayfield County, down to 51 feet.
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Namekagon Lake at a glance
Find a Lake puts Namekagon Lake at 2,897 acres, inside Bayfield County. Maximum depth on file is 51 feet, with a mean of 16 feet. Cable is the nearest community, about 9 miles away. The DNR manages it from the Northern Region. Biologists sort it into the complex cool dark lake class.
Musky anglers will find it on the DNR list, natural reproduction plus stocking (cat. 2). For walleye the WDNR notes natural reproduction only. Under state rules it holds the Outstanding Resource Water label. Ceded territory walleye rules apply here. Species on record are walleye, northern pike, panfish, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and muskellunge. You can put in at 8 public boat landings. Satellite readings put average clarity near 3.9 feet (2017).
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For Namekagon Lake, Find a Lake gives each fish group an abundance rating.
| Fish group | WDNR abundance |
|---|---|
| Walleye | Abundant |
| Northern Pike | Common |
| Panfish | Common |
| Smallmouth Bass | Common |
| Largemouth Bass | Present |
| Musky | Present |
Namekagon Lake walleye recruitment, per WDNR: natural reproduction only. The DNR files Namekagon Lake musky as natural reproduction plus stocking (cat. 2). For sturgeon, Namekagon Lake is listed naturally reproducing – ansri.
The class profile behind Namekagon Lake
“Complex cool dark lakes can often support quality or action walleye fisheries, and can have great action fisheries for yellow perch, and have the potential to produce quality northern pike and muskellunge fisheries.”
WDNR Find a Lake fish list and abundance, WDNR lake classification and fisheries designation layers, checked October 2026.
Trailering to a landing on Namekagon Lake
- Cable Wayside Access1 lane, restroom, NPS Visitor Center
- Cap Creek Access1 lane, public
- Funnys Lane Boat Launch1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, boarding dock, Town of Grand View
- Hwy M Landing1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, restroom, NPS Visitor Center
- Namekagon Lake Access1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, US Forest Service
- Namekagon Lake Public Access1 lane, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, Property Manager
- Namekagon River Access1 lane, restroom, NPS Visitor Center
- Squaw Bend Bridge Access1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, NPS Visitor Center
Landings within a short drive of Namekagon Lake
- Namekagon Dam LandingNemakagon River, 2 miles west
- Crystal Lake Access near MasonCrystal Lake, 2 miles northwest
- Garden Lake AccessGarden Lake, 3 miles east
- Diamond Lake Access near MasonDiamond Lake, 3 miles northwest
- Taylor Lake Access near MasonTaylor Lake, 3 miles northeast
- Atkins Lake AccessAtkins Lake, 5 miles northeast
WDNR Boat Access and Shore Fishing layers and Find a Lake landing table, checked October 2026.
Clarity, bottom and depth at Namekagon Lake
Namekagon Lake has a bottom that is 30% sand, 25% gravel, 0% rock, 45% muck, according to WDNR.
The DNR calls Namekagon Lake a drainage lake (a stream flows in and out).
WDNR records these invasives in Namekagon Lake: chinese mystery snail, hybrid eurasian / northern water-milfoil and purple loosestrife. Drain water and remove plants at the landing.
Local boating ordinances on Namekagon Lake cover slow-no-wake areas.
WDNR Find a Lake page, WDNR Landsat lake clarity layer, checked October 2026.
Keeper rules for Namekagon Lake
Seasons, size limits and daily bags below are copied from the WDNR entry for Namekagon Lake.
| Species | Season | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye, sauger and hybrids | 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. |
| Muskellunge and hybrids | 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 | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5. |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | June 20, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5, of which only one smallmouth bass may be kept, and it must be over 18 inches. |
| Largemouth bass | May 2, 2026 to June 19, 2026 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5. |
| Smallmouth bass | May 2, 2026 to June 19, 2026 | Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only). |
| Panfish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25. |
| Catfish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10. |
| Lake sturgeon | Closed | No fishing allowed. |
| Shovelnose sturgeon | Closed | No fishing allowed. |
| Cisco and whitefish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10. |
| Rock, yellow and white bass | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
| Bullheads | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
| Rough fish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
WDNR attaches this general rule to Namekagon Lake: Bag limits are for fish caught in all lakes in the NAMEKAGON CHAIN including GARDEN 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.
For all of Bayfield County the guide reads: Bayfield County is in the ceded territory (see page 13 for additional ceded territory information). Motor trolling is permitted countywide (three hooks, baits or lures per person). With the exceptions below, Northern Bass Zone rules apply (see base regulation on page 12).
Zone check for Namekagon Lake: north of Hwy 10, Northern Bass Zone.
WDNR Lake Regulation search and the 2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations, checked October 2026.
Stocking records for Namekagon Lake
Between 2023 and 2025, 5 recorded releases put 24,243 fish into Namekagon Lake.
| Year | Species | Size | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 12.5 in | 2,235 |
| 2025 | Walleye | large fingerling | 6 in | 6,660 |
| 2024 | Walleye | large fingerling | 6.5 in | 6,603 |
| 2023 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 11.6 in | 2,482 |
| 2023 | Walleye | large fingerling | 6.5 in | 6,263 |
WDNR Fish Stocking Summary, stocking years 2023 to 2025. Wisconsin stocking.
How Namekagon Lake compares nearby
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth ft | Landings | WDNR class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Namekagon Lake | 2,897 | 51 | 8 | complex cool dark | |
| Cranberry Lake near Grand View, Bayfield County | 2 miles north | 56 | 20 | 0 | complex warm dark |
| Jackson Lake, Bayfield County | 2 miles north | 149 | 13 | 0 | complex cool dark |
| Twin Lakes near Cable, Bayfield County, 52 acres | 2 miles southwest | 52 | 25 | 0 | simple cool clear |
| Garden Lake | 2 miles southeast | 558 | 23 | 1 | |
| Little Bass Lake, Bayfield County | 3 miles east | 38 | 15 | 0 | simple warm dark |
WDNR Find a Lake, lake classification and boat access layers.
Around Namekagon Lake
Lakes a few miles from Namekagon Lake
- Cranberry Lake near Grand View, Bayfield County2 miles north
- Jackson Lake, Bayfield County2 miles north
- Twin Lakes near Cable, Bayfield County, 52 acres2 miles southwest
- Garden Lake2 miles southeast
- Little Bass Lake, Bayfield County3 miles east
Bait and gear stops around Namekagon Lake
- Cable Triple Gbait and tackle shop, Cable, 8 miles
- Deb's Y-Go-Bybait and tackle shop, Clam Lake, 10 miles
- Happy Hooker Bait And Tacklebait and tackle shop, Hayward, 11 miles
- Hayward Power Sportssporting goods store, Hayward, 15 miles
- Bobber Down Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Hayward, 16 miles
- Jenk's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Hayward, 18 miles
Towns close to Namekagon Lake
- Cable9 miles
- Grand View10 miles
- Clam Lake10 miles
The county side of Namekagon Lake
- Bayfield Countyseat: Washburn
A Piscifun kit for Namekagon Lake
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Sport fish found around Namekagon Lake
Photo: James Mann from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ryan Somma, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
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Before a trip to Namekagon Lake, the short answers
Where is Namekagon Lake on a Wisconsin map?
The lake lies in Bayfield County, WDNR Northern Region, about 9 miles from Cable.
What maximum depth does the WDNR list for Namekagon Lake?
Find a Lake gives 2,897 acres and 51 feet at the deepest.
How many landings does Namekagon Lake have?
8 mapped landings; Cable Wayside Access is the largest.
What species are in Namekagon Lake?
walleye (abundant), northern pike (common), panfish (common), smallmouth bass (common), largemouth bass (present) and muskellunge (present), per the WDNR.
What are the walleye rules on Namekagon Lake?
Walleye, sauger and hybrids rule: 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.
What does a Wisconsin license cost for a trip to Namekagon Lake?
Anglers 16 and older need a Wisconsin fishing license: $20 a year for residents and $55 for nonresidents, with a $5 first-time buyer rate for residents.
What is the bottom of Namekagon Lake like?
Satellite clarity about 3.9 feet (2017). Bottom: 30% sand, 25% gravel, 0% rock, 45% muck. WDNR class: complex cool dark. Type: drainage.
Is there a tackle store near Namekagon Lake?
Cable Triple G is nearest at 8 miles.
Is Namekagon Lake a stocked lake?
Yes; the latest WDNR record is 2025: 2,235 muskellunge and 6,660 walleye.
Make a weekend of Namekagon Lake
Wisconsin license costs and limits are one click away.