Big Crooked Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2338800
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
682 acres
Max depth
34 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Cool, clear water color
Water clarity
14.1 ft
Clear, measured Aug 2000
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
Drawn from the DNR's 24K hydrography (surveyed 1981), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
14.1 ft Secchi depthClearOlder reading
Last measured Aug 29, 2000. 1 reading on record, 2000.
Only one reading is on record.
Nothing has been measured in the last 5 years, so this may not match the lake today.
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 CROOKED LAKE - BIG CROOKED LAKE. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 26 (Apr 17 to May 2)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 7 (Apr 28 to May 13)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout Jun 7 (May 31 to Jun 10)
- June surface67°F, usually 65 to 69°F
- July surface73°F, usually 72 to 75°F
- August surface71°F, usually 69 to 73°F
Forms a warm top layer around Jun 17, lasting about 37 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 not calibrated against measured temperatures for this lake. It is an estimate, not a measurement.
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 and yearling); stocked in 2 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.
More lakes in Vilas County
- Boulder Lake1.1 miles away
- Little Crooked Lake1.4 miles away
- Wolf Lake1.4 miles away
- Wool Lake1.9 miles away
- Bear Lake2.0 miles away
- Little Rice Lake2.5 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
- 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
- VHS statusWisconsin DNR VHS status by watershed, 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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