Wisconsin Lake Finder

Otter Lake

Otter Lake is a 174-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin, up to 30 feet deep, with 89 waterfront parcels on its shore. Fish include musky, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye. The DNR lists no public boat landing.

• Size: 174 acres
• Deepest point: 30 ft
• Average depth: 12 ft
• Bottom: 60% sand, 30% muck, 5% gravel, 5% rock
• Fish: Musky, Panfish, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Northern pike, Walleye
• Boating: Full recreation: over 50 acres, so open to water-skiing and boating at speed under state law
• Local boating ordinances on record: water-skiing rules and slow-no-wake areas
• Drive time without traffic: Green Bay 2 hr 50 min, Appleton 3 hr, Eau Claire 3 hr 10 min, Madison 3 hr 45 min, Twin Cities 4 hr 10 min, Milwaukee 4 hr 25 min, Waukesha 4 hr 25 min, Rockford 4 hr 40 min, Chicago 5 hr 40 min
• Invasive species on record: Banded Mystery Snail, Chinese Mystery Snail, Eurasian Water-Milfoil, Rusty Crayfish
• Waterfront parcels: 89 waterfront parcels

Questions about Otter Lake

How many waterfront properties are on Otter Lake?

89 waterfront parcels front Otter Lake in Vilas County. That counts parcels on the water from county parcel maps, not homes for sale.

How big is Otter Lake?

Otter Lake covers 174 acres in Vilas County, Wisconsin.

How deep is Otter Lake?

Otter Lake is 30 feet deep at its deepest point, and 12 feet deep on average.

What fish are in Otter Lake?

The Wisconsin DNR lists musky, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye in Otter Lake.

Is there public access to Otter Lake?

The Wisconsin DNR lists no public boat landing, beach or park on Otter Lake.

Can you water-ski or run a boat at speed on Otter Lake?

Otter 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 water-skiing rules and slow-no-wake areas; the ordinance itself says which part of the lake or the day each covers.

How long is the drive to Otter Lake?

By car, Otter Lake is about 2 hr 50 min from Green Bay, 3 hr from Appleton, 3 hr 10 min from Eau Claire, 4 hr 10 min from the Twin Cities and 5 hr 40 min from Chicago. Those are typical times without traffic, to the nearest road at the lake.

What is the bottom of Otter Lake like?

The lake bottom is 60% sand, 30% muck, 5% gravel, 5% rock, by the Wisconsin DNR's record.