Delavan Lake

The Ho-Chunk called the current named Delevan Lake kag-chunk-er-rah or "turtle," while the Potawatomi referred to the body of water as "Wau-be-shaw-bess" or "Swan Lake." 26,000 acres of watershed land surround and drain into Delavan Lake that means that area agricultural land and residential properties runoff impact the health and water quality of Delavan Lake . The watershed is the natural filter and last line of defense against farm fertilizers, and nitrates which are responsible for spikes in phosphorus which causes algae blooms and pollution of the lake's ecosystem. Thankfully, non-profit groups like Lake Delevan Improvement Association are focused and committed to keeping Delevan Lake healthy and clean.

Catch and release fishing on Delavan Lake for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted. Motor Trolling is allowed with up to 3 hooks, baits, or lures, per angler. Delevan Lake is a quaint, quieter alternative to the more touristy Geneva Lake and town of Lake Geneva.

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Delavan Lake In Depth

Lake Info.	Data
Area	1906 acres
Max. Depth	52 feet
Median Depth	21 feet
Boat launches	3
County	Walworth
Fish	Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike and Walleye
Invasive Species	Banded Mystery Snail, Curly-Leaf Pondweed, Eurasian Water-Milfoil, Hybrid Eurasian / Northern Water-Milfoil, Ornamental water lilies (non-native Nymphaea sp.) , Pennywort, Phragmites (non-native), Purple Loosestrife, Sacred Lotus, Yellow Floating Heart, Zebra Mussel. Remember to clean your boat off.

Towns Nearby

Darien - Located southwest of Delavan Lake, Darien's downtown district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places If you are in town around mid-September be sure to check out Darien Cornfest. This three day festival features numerous attractions such as The Cornfest Softball Tournament, Tri-County Pullers, Cornfest Volleyball Tournament, The Cornfest Parade, The Craft Fair, Bingo, a carnival full of midway rides, fireworks and much more.

Delavan - Surrounding the northwest shore of Delavan Lake, downtown is a must see destination if you are visiting the Lake Geneva area. Delavan is living history. Take time to walk around the downtown and see all the circus themed murals. This town was like Baraboo a circus town.

Elkhorn - Six miles west of Delavan Elkhorn at town of 10,000 may be one of the best destinations in Southern Wisconsin for Italian food. Holi Cannoli, Mama T's Italian Eatery, Calabria, and Larducci Pizzaria are recommended on Yelp and Trip Advisor. Luke's Market Street Italian Sandwiches is a great option for get and go.

Williams Bay - Situated on the northwest shore of Geneva Lake and East of Delavan Lake this quaint town is home to the now shuttered, world-famous, Yerkes Observatory. Look for new and exciting programming and events for the observatory in 2022, the site is now owned and operated by non-profit, the Yerkes Future Foundation.