Hayward WI Lakes Area

Visit the official site of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 

Hayward WI Lakes Area is known far and wide for the abundance of beautiful waters. Lakes, rivers, creeks, ponds, streams and Wisconsin's Moving National Park, the mighty Namekagon River! Search lakes in the State of Wisconsin. 

Wisconsin Lakes, formerly known as the Wisconsin Association of Lakes, is the only statewide non-profit organization working exclusively to protect and enhance the quality of Wisconsin’s 15,000 lakes.

• 25 minutes south of Hayward
• Common activities:  Fishing, swimming, boating
• Boating ordinances
• 2400 acres
• Shoreline: 15 miles
• Water color: Turbid
• Drainage lake
• Maximum depth: 26 feet
• Fishery:  Northern, Walleye, Bass, Panfish

• Known as "The Big Chip"
• Wisconsin’s 3rd largest lake (excluding Lake Superior and Lake Michigan). Man-made lake with 140+ islands, bogs, points, bays, channels - “wilderness” water
• The world record Musky was caught on the Flowage!
• Most animals, birds and fish indigenous to northern WI find habitat on or around the Flowage
• Shoreline: 233 miles 
• Limited private lands
• Common activities: Fishing, kayaking, canoeing, boating, swimming, island camping, wildlife observation
• 25 minutes east/southeast of Hayward
• 15,000 + acres
• Water color: light brown
• Impoundment (drainage) lake 
• Maximum depth: 92 feet 
• Eutrophic
• Fishery:  Musky (A1), Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Panfish

• Chain lakes
• Common actvities:  Fishing, swimming, boating, canoeing, kayaking
• 780 acres (Lower), 1024 acres (Upper), 880 acres (Middle)
• Shoreline: 10 miles (Upper), 11 miles (Middle), 7 miles (Lower)
• Water color: Moderately clear (Lower), Very clear (Upper & Middle)
• Drainage lakes
• Maximum depth: 41 feet (Lower), 92 feet (Upper), 66 feet (Middle)
• Fishery: Lower-Musky (A1), Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye. Upper-Musky (A1), Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Middle-Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye

• One of the area’s preeminent lakes
• Full recreation
• 10 minutes south of Hayward
• 3100+ acres
• Shoreline: 10 miles
• Water color: Clear
• Drainage lake
• Maximum depth: 59 feet
• Secchi Disk: 12 feet
• Oligotrophic
• Fishery: Musky (A1), Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Panfish

• This beautiful lake is the largest natural lake in Sawyer County and one of the 10 largest in the state of Wisconsin
• Connects to Little LCO 
• Full recreation
• 15 minutes south of Hayward
• 5000+ acres
• Shoreline: 25 miles
• Water color: Clear
• Drainage lake
• Maximum depth: 90 feet
• Secchi Disk: 13.5 feet
• Oligotrophic
• Fishery: Musky (A1), Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Panfish

• The walleye capital of Wisconsin. A “generational” lake. 
• High demand 
• Full recreation
• 20 miles south of Hayward. The lake starts near Stone Lake and meanders south 19 miles from there. 
• 3300 acres
• Shoreline: 35 miles
• Water color: clear
• Drainage lake
• Maximum depth: 74 feet
• Secchi Disk: 12 feet
• Eutrophic
• Fishery: Walleye, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike

• Wisconsin's only chain of "quiet lakes"
• Located in the Chequamegon National Forest
• 10 MPH speed limit, no jet ski, no water ski
• 20 miles east of Hayward
• Common activities: Fishing, kayaking, canoeing, boating, swimming
• Approximate acreages: Lost Land 1300+ , Teal 1000+ , Ghost 370+
• Shoreline: Lost Land-11 miles, Teal-10 miles, Ghost-7 miles
• Lost Land & Teal connected by a 3/4  mile long waterway
• Water color: clear for Lost Land and Teal, dark brown for Ghost
• Drainage lakes 
• Maximum depths: Lost Land 21 feet, Teal 31 feet, Ghost 12 feet
• Secchi Disk: Lost Land 6 feet, Teal 6 feet, Ghost 3 feet
• Eutrophic (Lost Land and Teal) Mesotrophic (Ghost)
• Fishery: Lost Land & Teal: Musky (A2), Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Panfish. Ghost: Musky (A2), Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Panfish

• “Wilderness” water, tranquility, remote, in the heart of the Chequamegon National Forest
• Created by an impoundment of the West Fork of the Chippewa River
• 25 minutes east of Hayward
• Common activities: Fishing, canoeing, kayaking
• 1600+ acres
• Shoreline: 27 miles
• Water color: dark brown (root beer)
• Drainage lake
• Maximum depth: 30 feet
• Secchi Disk: 2 feet
• Mesotrophic
• Fishery:  Musky (A2), Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Panfish

• Wisconsin's Moving National Park
• Protected under the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway
• A northern tributary to the St. Croix River
• Class I-II Rapids
• Nearly 100 miles in length
• Narrow river twisting through coniferous forest, marsh and swamp lands
• Common activities: Canoeing, kayaking, tubing
• Wildlife includes: Deer, muskrat, beaver, turtles and blue herons, while overhead, eagle and osprey can often be seen

• A “Canadian” feel with interesting shoreline
• Formed by damming of Totogatic River
• Shoreline: 31 miles 
• Common activities:  Fishing, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, boating
• 5 minutes north of Hayward
• 2500+ acres
• Water color: medium brown
• Drainage lake
• Maximum depth 35 feet
• Secchi Disk: 3 feet
• Eutrophic
• Fishery: Walleye, Northern Pike, Bass, Panfish

• Considered a premium lake and very near acclaimed Long Lake.
• Common activities:  Fishing, swimming, boating
• Boating ordinances
• Near Birchwood, WI - 35 minutes south of Hayward
• 1800+ acres
• Drainage lake
• Maximum depth: 53 feet
• Eutrophic
• Fishery:  Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye

• One of the area’s preeminent bodies of water
• Full recreation
• Connects with Little Round via navigable channel
• 10 minutes east of Hayward
• 3000+ acres
• Shoreline: 19 miles
• Water color: Clear
• Seepage lake
• Maximum depth: 74 feet
• Secchi Disk: 18 feet
• Oligotrophic
• Fishery:  Musky (A1), Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Panfish

• Smaller premium lake 
• Located in between Stone, Whitefish and Lac Courte Oreilles lakes
• 12 miles south from Hayward
• Common activities: Swimming, fishing, boating
• 949 acres
• Shoreline: 5 miles
• Water color: clear
• Drainage lake
• Maximum depth: 50 feet
• Secchi Disk: 11 feet
• Mesotrophic
• Fishery:  Musky (A1), Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Panfish

• Located just south of Stone Lake and considered a premium lake
• Just south of Stone Lake, WI and 20 minutes or so from Hayward
• Common activities: Fishing, boating, swimming, canoeing, kayaking
• 800+ acres
• Shoreline: 8 miles (Big), 6 miles (Little)
• Provided link is for Little Sissabagama Lake
• Water color: clear (both)
• Drainage lake
• Maximum depth: 48 feet (Big), 75 feet (Little)
• Secchi Disk: 8 feet (Big)
• Eutrophic
• Fishery:  Musky (A2), Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass,  Walleye

• Highly-esteemed lake chain comprising: Spider, Little Spider, Clear, Fawn and North Lakes
• Common activities: Fishing, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, boating 
• 20 minutes east of Hayward
• 1400+ acres
• Shoreline: 21 miles
• Water color: clear
• Drainage lake
• Maximum depth: 64 feet
• Secchi Disk: 9 feet
• Mesotrophic
• Fishery:  Musky (A2), Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Panfish

• Deepest lake in Sawyer County
• This lake draws similarities to Lac Courte Oreilles...on a smaller scale.
• Common activities: Swimming, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, boating
• 20 minutes south of Hayward
• 900+ acres
• Shoreline: 8 miles
• Water color: clear
• Drainage lake
• Maximum depth: 105 feet
• Secchi disk: 14 feet
• Mesotrophic
• Fishery: Musky (A1),  Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, Panfish

• Wilderness atmosphere (eagles nesting on island) & neighbor to Grindstone and Lac Courte Oreilles Lakes
• Common activities: Fishing, kayaking, canoeing, boating, swimming
• 10 minutes south of Hayward
• 500+ acres
• Shoreline: 9 miles
• Water color: clear
• Seepage lake
• Maximum depth: 51 feet
• Secchi Disk: 10 feet
• Eutrophic
• Fishery:  Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye