Big Lake
Big Lake is a 827-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin, up to 61 feet deep, with 58 waterfront parcels on its shore. Fish include musky, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye. It has 2 public boat landings and public land or a park on the shore.
- Size: 827 acres
- Deepest point: 61 ft
- Bottom: 60% sand, 15% gravel, 15% muck, 10% rock
- Fish: Musky, Panfish, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Northern pike, Walleye
- Public access: 2 public boat landings and public land or a park on the shore
- Boating: Full recreation: over 50 acres, so open to water-skiing and boating at speed under state law
- Local boating ordinances on record: a motorboat prohibition, slow-no-wake areas and a speed limit
- Drive time without traffic: Green Bay 3 hr 25 min, Eau Claire 3 hr 25 min, Appleton 3 hr 30 min, Madison 4 hr 5 min, Twin Cities 4 hr 30 min, Milwaukee 4 hr 45 min, Waukesha 4 hr 45 min, Rockford 5 hr, Chicago 6 hr
- Invasive species on record: Banded Mystery Snail, Chinese Mystery Snail, Purple Loosestrife, Rusty Crayfish, Yellow Iris
- Waterfront parcels: 58 waterfront parcels
Questions about Big Lake
How many waterfront properties are on Big Lake?
58 waterfront parcels front Big Lake in Vilas County. That counts parcels on the water from county parcel maps, not homes for sale.
How big is Big Lake?
Big Lake covers 827 acres in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
How deep is Big Lake?
Big Lake is 61 feet deep at its deepest point.
What fish are in Big Lake?
The Wisconsin DNR lists musky, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye in Big Lake.
Is there public access to Big Lake?
Yes. Big Lake has 2 public boat landings and public land or a park on the shore.
Can you water-ski or run a boat at speed on Big Lake?
Big Lake is over 50 acres, so Wisconsin's slow-no-wake rule for small lakes does not apply and boats may run at speed, staying slow within 100 feet of shore, docks and swimmers. Local ordinances on record include a motorboat prohibition, slow-no-wake areas and a speed limit; the ordinance itself says which part of the lake or the day each covers.
How long is the drive to Big Lake?
By car, Big Lake is about 3 hr 25 min from Green Bay, 3 hr 25 min from Eau Claire, 3 hr 30 min from Appleton, 4 hr 30 min from the Twin Cities and 6 hr from Chicago. Those are typical times without traffic, to the nearest road at the lake.
What is the bottom of Big Lake like?
The lake bottom is 60% sand, 15% gravel, 15% muck, 10% rock, by the Wisconsin DNR's record.