Big Arbor Vitae Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin · WBIC 1545600
Size
1,090 acres
Max depth
41 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Cool, dark water color
Water clarity
8.5 ft
Moderate, measured Jul 2026
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 1982), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
8.5 ft Secchi depthModerate
Last measured Jul 26, 2026. 192 readings on record, 1992 to 2026.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 6.5 ft, moderate, from 114 readings (2013 to 2026).
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 BIG ARBOR VITAE LAKE - DEEP HOLE. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
62.7°F surface, measured Sep 25, 2026
Measured near the surface (0.91 m down). A single reading, not a daily value.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 24 (Apr 16 to Apr 30)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 6 (Apr 30 to May 11)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout Jun 3 (May 30 to Jun 8)
- June surface67°F, usually 66 to 70°F
- July surface74°F, usually 72 to 75°F
- August surface72°F, usually 70 to 74°F
Mixes regularly through the summer instead of forming a warm top layer.
A computer model of this lake's typical weather and water, built from 14 years, 2005 to 2019. Ranges show the middle half of years. The model was not 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
- Muskellungelast stocked 2025 (large fingerling); stocked in 5 years since 2010
- Walleyelast stocked 2025 (large fingerling); stocked in 1 year 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
- Blacknose Shiner Notropis heterolepis1925; 1 record
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus1925; 2 records
- Bluntnose Minnow Pimephales notatus1925; 1 record
- Brook Stickleback Culaea inconstans1925; 1 record
- Common Shiner Luxilus cornutus1961; 1 record
- Iowa Darter Etheostoma exile1925; 1 record
- Johnny Darter Etheostoma nigrum1925; 1 record
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides1925; 2 records
- Logperch Percina caprodes1925; 1 record
- Mimic Shiner Notropis volucellus1925; 1 record
- Mottled Sculpin Cottus bairdii1925; 1 record
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1925; 1 record
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris1925; 2 records
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu1925; 1 record
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii1925; 1 record
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1925; 1 record
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
- 1Big Arbor Vitae Lake Boat Launch - SouthBoat ramp · Concrete Plank surface · State(dnr)
Directions - 2Big Arbor Vitae Lake Boat Launch - NorthBoat ramp · Concrete Panels surface · State(dnr)
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Vilas County
- Dry Lake1.1 miles away
- Mielke Lake1.1 miles away
- Erickson Lake1.7 miles away
- Benedict Lake1.8 miles away
- Little Arbor Vitae Lake1.8 miles away
- Hurrah Lake1.9 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
- Measured temperatureWisconsin 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
- 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.
Something wrong on this page? Report a problem.