Wisconsin Lake Finder

Lake Mendota

Lake Mendota is a 9,781-acre lake in Dane County, Wisconsin, up to 83 feet deep, with 868 waterfront parcels on its shore. Fish include musky, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, sturgeon and catfish. It has 9 public boat landings, a public beach and public land or a park on the shore.

• Size: 9,781 acres
• Deepest point: 83 ft
• Average depth: 42 ft
• Bottom: 40% muck, 29% sand, 29% gravel, 2% rock
• Fish: Musky, Panfish, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Northern pike, Walleye, Sturgeon, Catfish
• Public access: 9 public boat landings, a public beach and public land or a park on the shore
• Boating: Full recreation: over 50 acres, so open to water-skiing and boating at speed under state law
• Local boating ordinances on record: slow-no-wake areas
• Drive time without traffic: Madison 15 min, Waukesha 1 hr 15 min, Milwaukee 1 hr 25 min, Rockford 1 hr 25 min, Appleton 1 hr 55 min, Green Bay 2 hr 25 min, Chicago 2 hr 30 min, Eau Claire 2 hr 45 min, Twin Cities 3 hr 50 min
• Invasive species on record: Chinese Mystery Snail, Curly-Leaf Pondweed, Eurasian Water-Milfoil, Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), Rusty Crayfish, Spiny Waterflea, Zebra Mussel
• Waterfront parcels: 868 waterfront parcels

Questions about Lake Mendota

How many waterfront properties are on Lake Mendota?

868 waterfront parcels front Lake Mendota in Dane County. That counts parcels on the water from county parcel maps, not homes for sale.

How big is Lake Mendota?

Lake Mendota covers 9,781 acres in Dane County, Wisconsin.

How deep is Lake Mendota?

Lake Mendota is 83 feet deep at its deepest point, and 42 feet deep on average.

What fish are in Lake Mendota?

The Wisconsin DNR lists musky, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, sturgeon and catfish in Lake Mendota.

Is there public access to Lake Mendota?

Yes. Lake Mendota has 9 public boat landings, a public beach and public land or a park on the shore.

Can you water-ski or run a boat at speed on Lake Mendota?

Lake Mendota is over 50 acres, so Wisconsin's slow-no-wake rule for small lakes does not apply and boats may run at speed, staying slow within 100 feet of shore, docks and swimmers. Local ordinances on record include slow-no-wake areas; the ordinance itself says which part of the lake or the day each covers.

How long is the drive to Lake Mendota?

By car, Lake Mendota is about 15 min from Madison, 1 hr 15 min from Waukesha, 1 hr 25 min from Milwaukee, 2 hr 30 min from Chicago and 3 hr 50 min from the Twin Cities. Those are typical times without traffic, to the nearest road at the lake.

What is the bottom of Lake Mendota like?

The lake bottom is 40% muck, 29% sand, 29% gravel, 2% rock, by the Wisconsin DNR's record.