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Lake Nokomis, Wisconsin, USA

It is no accident that Oneida County’s motto is “Where nature lingered longer.” Wisconsin’s Northwoods are truly inspiring. With over a thousand lakes Oneida County has one of the largest concentrations of water bodies in the world. Lake Nokomis is part of Rice Reservoir which is the largest body of water in the county, so large in fact that it extends into bordering Lincoln County. Its beautiful…
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    • All About Lake Nokomis, WI

    Lake Locations: USA - US Midwest Region - Wisconsin - Lake Superior Northwoods Region, WI -

    It is no accident that Oneida County’s motto is “Where nature lingered longer.” Wisconsin’s Northwoods are truly inspiring. With over a thousand lakes Oneida County has one of the largest concentrations of water bodies in the world. Lake Nokomis is part of Rice Reservoir which is the largest body of water in the county, so large in fact that it extends into bordering Lincoln County. Its beautiful water combines with the Northwoods wilderness to make Lake Nokomis a destination where you are sure to want to “linger longer.”

    Part of a chain of lakes that make up Rice Flowage or Reservoir, Lake Nokomis is an impoundment of the Tomahawk River. The lake along with Bridge Lake and Deer Lake formed in 1912 with the construction of the Bradley Dam in Lincoln County. The dam was built by the Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company for hydroelectric power, flood control, and recreation. Today the Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company operates twenty-one man-made and natural lake reservoirs including Rice Reservoir and Lake Nokomis as the Wisconsin River Headwaters System. Lake levels are drawn down periodically as power generation demands, to maintain levels on the Wisconsin River, and for spring run off storage. Water levels and water quality are very similar for Lake Nokomis and Bridge Lake, both tending to eutrophic. At 62 feet deep, 156 acre Deer Lake is deeper with better water quality that the other two lakes and because it is connected to Bridge Lake by a single shallow channel, when water levels are lowered it essentially becomes isolated from the rest of Rice Reservoir.

    Lake Nokomis is considered a Class A1 musky lake with lots of big fish to challenge anglers. There are also healthy populations of walleye, crappie, northern pike, pan fish and bass. There is plenty of room on Lake Nokomis for boating and water skiing and jet skiing are also popular. There are several public boat launches and places to get bait and provisions along with boat rentals. There are also several restaurants and bars on the water that are accessible by boat. Quiet boaters can explore the islands in Lake Nokomis or the floating bogs which can grow to over an acre.

    Accommodations range from cabins and cottages to resorts. Nearby Harshaw and the city of Tomahawk have additional accommodations, restaurants and shopping along with any other amenities visitors could want. Rice Reservoir with Lake Nokomis is the largest body of water in the Tomahawk area, but Oneida County’s Pelican Lake and Tomahawk Lake are both over 3,000 acres and an easy drive from Lake Nokomis. The area around Lake Nokomis and the city of Tomahawk were settled by the timber companies and in particular by William Bradley. Mr. Bradley who died in 1902 was instrumental in developing the region and along with Bradley Dam there are several things named for him including Bradley Park. The park is a hundred acres of virgin pine set aside within the city of Tomahawk.

    Oneida County has lots of trails for hiking, biking, and cross country skiing along with trails for ATV’s and snowmobiles. The Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest is 225,000 acres for recreation and hunting, including an archery season for deer.

    Dotted with lakes and surrounded by Wisconsin’s beautiful Northwoods, it is obvious that nature lingered in Oneida County. Beautiful Lake Nokomis is the perfect place for you to linger as well.

    Things to Do at Lake Nokomis

    These are some activities in the Lake Nokomis, WI area visitors can enjoy:

    • Vacation Rentals
    • Fishing
    • Boating
    • Jet Skiing
    • Water Skiing
    • Cabin Rentals
    • Hiking
    • Biking
    • Cross-Country Skiing
    • Snowmobiling
    • Hunting
    • Wildlife Viewing
    • State Forest
    • Shopping

    What Kind of Fish Are in Lake Nokomis?

    Lake Nokomis has been known to have the following fish species:

    • Bass
    • Crappie
    • Northern Pike
    • Perch
    • Pike
    • Walleye
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    Find Places to Stay at Lake Nokomis

    If you’re considering a Lake Nokomis lake house rental or hotel, we’ve made it super easy to find the best rates and compare vacation accommodations at a glance. Save time using this interactive map below.

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    More Sites to Book a Lake Nokomis Vacation

    Our interactive Lake Nokomis lodging map above is an easy tool for comparing VRBO rental homes and nearby hotels with Booking.com, but there could be times when you need to expand your search for different types of accommodations. Here are some other lake lodging partners we recommend:

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    Lake Nokomis Statistics & Helpful Links

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    Lake Type: Artificial Reservoir, Dammed

    Water Level Control: Wisconsin Valley Improvement Co.

    Surface Area: 2,433 acres

    Shoreline Length: 35 miles

    Minimum Elevation (Min Pond): 1,448 feet

    Maximum Elevation (Max Pond): 1,463 feet

    Average Depth: 12 feet

    Maximum Depth: 34 feet

    Water Volume: 27,694 acre-feet

    Completion Year: 1912

    Lake Area-Population: 1,052

    Drainage Area: 544 sq. miles

    Trophic State: Eutrophic

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