Anvil Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin · WBIC 968800
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
398 acres
Max depth
32 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Cool, clear water color
Water clarity
7 ft
Moderate, measured Aug 2024
A cool-water lake type: the DNR groups it with lakes that stay cooler through summer. This describes the lake type in general, not this lake in particular.
Outline
Numbered dots are boat landings; tap one for directions. The list below has the same numbers. Drawn from the DNR's 24K hydrography (surveyed 1991), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
7 ft Secchi depthModerate
Last measured Aug 31, 2024. 377 readings on record, 1986 to 2024.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 10.2 ft, clear, from 69 readings (2012 to 2024).
Secchi depth is how far down a white disk stays visible. A bigger number means clearer water. Clear means a Secchi depth of 10 feet or more, moderate 5 to 10 feet, low under 5 feet.
Wisconsin DNR water monitoring (volunteer and staff), via the Water Quality Portal; station Anvil Lake - Deep Hole. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
Last measured Jun 25, 2024, too long ago to show as the current temperature.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 17 (Apr 8 to Apr 23)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 1 (Apr 22 to May 7)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 25 (May 21 to May 29)
- June surface71°F, usually 69 to 72°F
- July surface76°F, usually 75 to 78°F
- August surface74°F, usually 72 to 76°F
Forms a warm top layer around May 15, lasting about 108 days.
A computer model of this lake's typical weather and water, built from 15 years, 2005 to 2019. Ranges show the middle half of years. The model was calibrated against measured temperatures for this lake. It is an estimate, not a measurement.
Measured: Wisconsin DNR via the Water Quality Portal (checked Oct 23, 2026). Modeled: U.S. Geological Survey lake temperature data release (doi:10.5066/P9CA6XP8).
Today at the lake
Forecast: National Weather Service (no endorsement implied). Sunrise, sunset and moon phase are calculated. The moon phase can be a day off.
Stocking history
- Walleyelast stocked 2024 (large fingerling and small fingerling); stocked in 4 years since 2010
Stocking shows what was added to the lake, not what is in it now.
Wisconsin DNR annual fish stocking summary. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Fish recorded near this lake
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus2006; 3 records
- Blacknose Shiner Notropis heterolepis2006; 1 record
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus2006; 4 records
- Bluntnose Minnow Pimephales notatus2006; 2 records
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides2006 to 2007; 5 records
- Mimic Shiner Notropis volucellus2006; 1 record
- Northern Pike Esox lucius2006 to 2007; 5 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus2006; 4 records
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris2006; 4 records
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu1981 to 2007; 9 records
- Walleye Sander vitreus1981 to 2007; 9 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii2006 to 2007; 3 records
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens2006; 4 records
Recorded in open fish survey and museum records (GBIF). A record shows a fish was found near this lake in that year, not that it is there now, and says nothing about how many. Most coordinates are rounded to about 1 km, so a record is attached only when one lake is the clear match.
Open fish survey and museum records from GBIF; datasets are listed on the sources page. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Boat landings
- 1Anvil Lake AccessBoat ramp · Concrete Panels surface · Federal
Directions - Anvil Lake - Landing Road AccessBoat ramp · Township
Some landings are matched to this lake by name only, because the DNR list gives no location for them. They have no pin.
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water level and flow
- ANVIL LAKE NEAR EAGLE RIVER, WIGage height, Lake or reservoir elevation (NAVD 1988)
U.S. Geological Survey gauges at or beside this lake. Readings are provisional and fetched when you open the page.
More lakes in Vilas County
- Imogene Lake3.4 miles away
- Whispering Lake3.8 miles away
- Bass Lake3.8 miles away
- Tinsel Lake3.9 miles away
- Dewey Lake3.9 miles away
- Lower Ninemile Lake4.0 miles away
Where this comes from
- Size, depth and lake typeWisconsin DNR lake classifications, checked Oct 23, 2026
- OutlineWisconsin DNR 24K hydrography, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Stocking historyWisconsin DNR annual fish stocking summary, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Regulations linkWisconsin DNR fishing regulations (linked, not restated), checked Oct 23, 2026
- Boat landingsWisconsin DNR public boat access sites, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Water clarityWisconsin DNR water monitoring, via the Water Quality Portal, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Typical-year temperatureU.S. Geological Survey lake temperature model (modeled estimate), checked Oct 23, 2026
- Fish recordedOpen fish survey and museum records, via GBIF, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Water level and flowU.S. Geological Survey gauges (readings are live), checked Oct 23, 2026
- VHS statusWisconsin DNR VHS status by watershed, checked Oct 24, 2026
- Depth map linkWisconsin DNR lake maps list, checked Oct 24, 2026
See data sources for what each source covers, and about for how the numbers are matched to lakes.
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