Balsam Lake (Polk County)

Polk, Wisconsin

Balsam Lake is a 1,901-acre lake in Polk County, the county's largest, with a maximum depth of 37 feet and a gravel and sand bottom. WDNR lists largemouth bass as abundant and panfish and northern pike as common, with walleye present.

Air temp in Balsam Lake, WI Not available right now.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Balsam Lake (Polk County) (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area1,901 acres

Max depth37 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local ordinances

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Largemouth Bass●●●●○

Listed as abundant by WDNR

Bluegill●●●○○

Panfish listed as common

Crappie●●●○○

Panfish listed as common

Yellow Perch●●●○○

Panfish listed as common

Northern Pike●●●○○

Listed as common by WDNR

Walleye●●○○○

Listed as present by WDNR

Boat launches

2 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Balsam Lake public boat landingsPublic
WDNR lists 6 public landingsDirections ↗
More public accessPublic
See the WDNR lake page for all landingsDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.

Species	Min size	Daily limit
Walleye May 2, 2026-Mar 7, 2027	18 in	3 / day
Largemouth/Smallmouth Bass May 2, 2026-Mar 7, 2027; catch and release open year-round	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	5 / day
Northern Pike May 2, 2026-Mar 7, 2027	26 in	2 / day
Muskellunge May 2-Dec 31, 2026; open water only	40 in	1 / day
Panfish Open all year	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	25 / day
Catfish Open all year	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	10 / day
Lake Sturgeon Closed; no fishing allowed	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	0 / day

Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Wisconsin DNR ↗

Verified October 2026. Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Wisconsin DNR before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

Balsam Lake Hardware & RentalNearby
1005 West Main St, Balsam Lake, WI(715) 485-3267 Directions ↗
Balsam Lake Trading CoNearby
Balsam Lake, WI(651) 329-3102 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Balsam Lake (Polk County) ↗

Local tips

Fish weed edges and docks for bass and panfish
Gravel and sand points hold walleye and pike
Check WDNR regulations before keeping fish

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.

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Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.