Lac Vieux Desert
Vilas County, Wisconsin · WBIC 1631900
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
2,853 acres
Max depth
38 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Cool, dark water color
Water clarity
4.9 ft
Low, measured Oct 2022
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
4.9 ft Secchi depthLow
Last measured Oct 19, 2022. 54 readings on record, 1993 to 2022.
Typical summer clarity (June to September): 6.9 ft, moderate, from 13 readings (2012 to 2022).
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 Lac Vieux Desert - Max Depth. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 26 (Apr 17 to May 3)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout May 8 (May 3 to May 13)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout Jun 7 (May 31 to Jun 10)
- June surface68°F, usually 66 to 70°F
- July surface75°F, usually 73 to 76°F
- August surface73°F, usually 71 to 74°F
Forms a warm top layer around Jun 29, lasting about 30 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); stocked in 8 years since 2010
- Walleyelast stocked 2025 (fry, large fingerling and small fingerling); stocked in 15 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 melas2006; 1 record
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus2004 to 2007; 8 records
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus2004 to 2007; 8 records
- Bluntnose Minnow Pimephales notatus1925 to 2007; 4 records
- Burbot Lota lota1925 to 2006; 3 records
- Eastern Blacknose Dace Rhinichthys atratulus1925; 1 record
- Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas2005 to 2006; 2 records
- Iowa Darter Etheostoma exile1925; 1 record
- Johnny Darter Etheostoma nigrum1925 to 2005; 3 records
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides2003 to 2007; 9 records
- Mimic Shiner Notropis volucellus2006; 1 record
- Mottled Sculpin Cottus bairdii1925 to 2005; 3 records
- Muskellunge Esox masquinongy2003 to 2007; 7 records
- Northern Pike Esox lucius2003 to 2007; 10 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1925 to 2007; 9 records
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris1925 to 2007; 9 records
- Shorthead Redhorse Moxostoma macrolepidotum2004; 1 record
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu2003 to 2006; 6 records
- Spottail Shiner Notropis hudsonius2004; 1 record
- Walleye Sander vitreus1925 to 2007; 10 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii2004 to 2007; 4 records
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1925 to 2007; 9 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
- 1Lac Vieux Desert Lake Public AccessBoat ramp · Concrete Panels surface · Accessible features · State(dnr)
Directions - 2Lac Vieux Desert AccessBoat ramp · Concrete Panels surface · Federal
Directions - 3Lac Vieux Desert Carry-InCarry-in access · Gravel surface · Other
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water level and flow
- LAC VIEUX DESERT NEAR LAND O'LAKES, WIGage height, Lake or reservoir elevation (NAVD 1988)
- WISCONSIN RIVER NEAR LAND O LAKES, WIDischarge
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
- Potfish Lake1.9 miles away
- Eleanore Lake2.5 miles away
- Sugar Maple Lake3.1 miles away
- Kildare Lake3.1 miles away
- Weber Lake3.4 miles away
- Crystal Lake3.5 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
- 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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