Natural lake

Lake Namekagon

Bayfield, Wisconsin

Lake Namekagon is a roughly 2,900-acre lake in Bayfield County near Cable, in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, fed by the Namekagon River. It has a maximum depth of 51 feet and a mean depth near 16 feet.

Air temp in Cable, WI Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Lake Namekagon (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area2,897 acres

Max depth51 ft

Shoreline44 mi

Boat motorsCheck local ordinances

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Muskellunge●●●●○

Present; musky fishery in the Hayward/Cable area

Walleye●●●○○

Present per lake reports

Northern Pike●●●○○

Present per lake reports

Largemouth Bass●●●○○

Present per lake reports

Smallmouth Bass●●●○○

Present per lake reports

Crappie●●●●○

Cited as a top Wisconsin crappie lake

Bluegill●●●○○

Present per lake reports

Yellow Perch●●●○○

Present per lake reports

Boat launches

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

Lake Namekagon public boat launchesPublic
Lake-Link lists 7 public launchesDirections ↗
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 20-24 in protected; only 1 over 24 in; open May 2, 2026 to Mar 7, 2027	15 in	3 / day
Largemouth Bass May 2 to Jun 19, 2026	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	5 / day
Largemouth/Smallmouth Bass Jun 20, 2026 to Mar 7, 2027; combined bag, only 1 smallmouth and it must be 18 in or longer	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	5 / day
Smallmouth Bass Jun 20, 2026 to Mar 7, 2027; catch and release only May 2 to Jun 19, 2026	18 in	1 / day
Northern Pike Open May 2, 2026 to Mar 7, 2027	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	5 / day
Muskellunge May 2 to Dec 31, 2026; open water only	50 in	1 / day
Panfish Open all year	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	25 / day
Catfish Open all year	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	10 / day
Trout See specific trout regulations	Varies	Varies

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.

Lakewoods ResortNearby
715-794-2561 Directions ↗
Loon Saloon General Store (Cable; sells bait)Nearby
Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Lake Namekagon ↗

Local tips

Fish shallow weed edges in this shallow, mean-depth-16-ft lake
Crappie run about 10 inches per a local guide report
Check WDNR for the current musky length limit

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.

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