Big Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2334700
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
835 acres
Max depth
61 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Two Story
Water clarity
14 ft
Clear, measured Jul 2026
A deep lake type that can hold a cold layer below the warm surface in 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 1981), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
14 ft Secchi depthClear
Last measured Jul 27, 2026. 347 readings on record, 1986 to 2026.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 11.1 ft, clear, from 88 readings (2012 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 LAKE (T42 R06 S04) - DEEP HOLE. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
Last measured Jul 27, 2026, too long ago to show as the current temperature.
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 25 (Apr 17 to May 1)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 6 (Apr 27 to May 12)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout Jun 1 (May 30 to Jun 9)
- June surface68°F, usually 65 to 69°F
- July surface73°F, usually 72 to 75°F
- August surface71°F, usually 70 to 73°F
Forms a warm top layer around May 28, lasting about 110 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.
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
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 Bullhead Ameiurus melas1995; 1 record
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus2003; 2 records
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus1995 to 2003; 5 records
- Bluntnose Minnow Pimephales notatus1995 to 2003; 4 records
- Burbot Lota lota2003; 1 record
- Cisco Coregonus artedi1982 to 1995; 2 records
- Common Shiner Luxilus cornutus1995 to 2003; 3 records
- Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus1995; 1 record
- Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas1995 to 2003; 3 records
- Hornyhead Chub Nocomis biguttatus1995; 1 record
- Iowa Darter Etheostoma exile2003; 1 record
- Johnny Darter Etheostoma nigrum2003; 1 record
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides1995 to 2006; 12 records
- Logperch Percina caprodes1995 to 2003; 3 records
- Mimic Shiner Notropis volucellus1995 to 2003; 3 records
- Mottled Sculpin Cottus bairdii1995; 1 record
- Muskellunge Esox masquinongy1982 to 2006; 14 records
- Northern Pike Esox lucius1995 to 2003; 7 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1995 to 2003; 4 records
- Redfin Pickerel Esox americanus1995 to 2003; 3 records
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris1995 to 2003; 5 records
- Shorthead Redhorse Moxostoma macrolepidotum1995 to 2003; 2 records
- Silver Redhorse Moxostoma anisurum2003; 1 record
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu1995 to 2006; 11 records
- Trout-Perch Percopsis omiscomaycus1995 to 2003; 2 records
- Walleye Sander vitreus1982 to 2003; 11 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii1995 to 2003; 4 records
- Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis1995; 1 record
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1995 to 2003; 6 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
- 1Big Lake Campground AccessBoat ramp · Concrete Plank surface · State(dnr)
Directions - 2Big Lake - Hwy K AccessBoat ramp · Concrete Panels surface · State(dnr)
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Vilas County
- Keego Lake0.9 miles away
- Anne Lake1.6 miles away
- Big Hurst Lake1.8 miles away
- Red Lake1.8 miles away
- Little Hurst Lake1.9 miles away
- Maple Lake2.0 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
- 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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