On what was previously the site of the Jackson County Iron Mine, Lake Wazee formed after the quarry's 1983 closure and is now the deepest inland lake in Wisconsin. The hole simply filled with water as time passed and the lake currently has no inlets or outlets. Lake Wazee, part of the surrounding recreation area, is fed by springs and spans approximately 154 acres with a maximum depth of about 355 feet. While the lake currently holds some trout, bass and walleye (previously stocked by the DNR), fishing has been lower than expected due to lake of food for the fish.
The DNR has proposed to stock cisco, a smaller fish that is generally eaten by the more popular game fish, in the lake to improve the fishing overall. If approved, this study would introduce the fish into the lake and then monitor their survival over a three to four year time period. The cisco are not seen as a threat to surrounding waters because they require coldwater habitats to survive. Comments are being accepted by the public on the matter.
For more information about the study, read the WDNR
release. For more information about Lake Wazee, see this
page. Browse our recommended
reading list for book suggestions on fish and fishing in Wisconsin.
Photo credit: Cisco by Cornell University DNR
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