Bear Lake (Barron County)

Barron / Washburn, Wisconsin

Bear Lake is a 1,348-acre lake in Barron and Washburn counties with a maximum depth of 87 feet and low water clarity. WDNR lists panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye as common, with smallmouth bass present.

Air temp in Haugen, WI Loading current temperature…

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Current air temperature at Bear Lake (Barron County) (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area1,348 acres

Max depth87 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local ordinances

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Bluegill●●●○○

Panfish common per WDNR

Crappie●●●○○

Panfish common per WDNR

Largemouth Bass●●●○○

Common per WDNR

Northern Pike●●●○○

Common per WDNR

Walleye●●●○○

Common per WDNR

Smallmouth Bass●●○○○

Present per WDNR

Boat launches

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

Bear Lake public boat landingsPublic
WDNR lists 4 public boat landing(s)Directions ↗
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	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	5 / 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.

Friess's Minnow FarmNearby
740 20th Ave, Cumberland, WI 54829(715) 822-4642 Directions ↗
Long Lake Bait & TackleNearby
W2477 County Highway B, Sarona, WI 54870(715) 635-3260 Directions ↗
Chetek Rod & GunNearby
513 2nd St, Chetek, WI 54728(715) 924-4181 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Bear Lake (Barron County) ↗

Local tips

Stained water: bright or noisy lures help
Deep basin (to 87 ft) vs. shallow weedy bays: match target species
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.