Sunset Lake (Portage County)

Waterbody ID (WBIC): 199700 — permanent page /lakes/199700/.

Sunset Lake is in Portage County; records show 63 acres and 1 DNR access-site record.

Size

63 acres

Lake type

SEEPAGE

Max depth

55 ft

Mean depth

31 ft

• 1 documented public access site record (DNR access inventory)
• 3 fish species/groups with abundance categories (DNR lake page)
• Fish stocking documented through 2024 (DNR stocking records)
• Summer Secchi clarity median 12 ft (field measurements)
• Official DNR depth map available (PDF)

Back to results Show on map Choose access / Directions Depth map (PDF) Check current DNR regulations

Plan your visit

• Lake directory: public landing — Yes
• Lake directory: public beach — Yes
• Lake directory: public park — Yes
• DNR public-access inventory: 1 documented access site record
• DNR public-access inventory: documented developed boat ramp
• 1 site qualify for per-site Directions through the reviewed lake association (load the site details below)

Each statement is bounded to its named source; absence of a record is never evidence of no access. The DNR access database may lag reality; posted signs at the landing are authoritative.

Verify at the DNR public boat access program page.

Fishing

The DNR lake page publishes 3 fish species/groups with abundance categories — categories are source labels, never a population count.

DNR fish labels: Panfish—Abundant; Largemouth Bass—Common; Trout—Present; not population counts.

Stocking records: 54 documented events through 2024, 141,329 fish total. Species: Trout (Frequent). Events in 2015 or later count as recent.

No fisheries survey population estimate is published for this lake in the covered report families.

Fishing limits — 2026-2027 season: 17 normalized rows across 17 species entries. Normalized from the DNR ruleset retrieved 2026-08-04. Source text remains authoritative.

2026-2027 retained fishing rules: 17 published rows for 17 species; effective through 2027-03-07. Check current DNR rules.

Water and setting

• Field-measured summer Secchi clarity: median 12 ft from 28 samples, latest sample 2025-08-22
• Satellite clarity estimate: 13.48 ft (2017) — a remote-sensing estimate, kept separate from field measurements
• Lake directory clarity class: Very Clear

Official DNR depth map (PDF) — Historical lake map; not for navigation. Link checked 2026-07-16.

• AIS record: Banded mystery snail — Verified (vouchered), latest documented 2009-06-15
• AIS record: Curly-leaf pondweed — Verified (vouchered), latest documented 2009-08-18
• AIS record: Eurasian watermilfoil — Verified (vouchered), latest documented 2009-06-15

Occurrence records come from a non-exhaustive DNR inventory; a record documents presence at observation time and a missing record is never evidence of absence.

• Public-land proximity (GIS proxy, not access evidence): none mapped within the search cap; ≈0% of shoreline buffer
• Shoreline development (landcover proxy, 2025 source): ≈14.3% developed land within 300 m, ≈1.9% impervious
• Road proximity (TIGER proxy, 2025 source): nearest local road or city street ≈28 m; ≈1.5 km of road per km² within 1 km

Data & sources

Published data families

• Fish species and abundance (DNR lake pages)
• Fish stocking history
• Fishing regulations (normalized snapshot)
• Directory access facts (landing, beach, park)
• Public access site inventory
• Satellite water clarity estimate
• Field-measured Secchi clarity
• Aquatic invasive species occurrences

Original records: Wisconsin DNR lake page.

Missing values are unpublished, never zero; each fact above is bounded to its named source and date. Full sourcing detail: Data & methods.