Smoky Lake
Smoky Lake is a 612-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin, up to 60 feet deep, with 11 waterfront parcels on its shore. Fish include panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and trout. It has a public boat landing.
- Size: 612 acres
- Deepest point: 60 ft
- Bottom: 70% sand, 20% gravel, 10% rock
- Fish: Panfish, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Trout
- Public access: a public boat landing
- Boating: Full recreation: over 50 acres, so open to water-skiing and boating at speed under state law
- Drive time without traffic: Green Bay 3 hr 10 min, Appleton 3 hr 25 min, Eau Claire 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: Chinese Mystery Snail, Eurasian Water-Milfoil, Rainbow Smelt, Rusty Crayfish
- Waterfront parcels: 11 waterfront parcels
Questions about Smoky Lake
How many waterfront properties are on Smoky Lake?
11 waterfront parcels front Smoky Lake in Vilas County. That counts parcels on the water from county parcel maps, not homes for sale.
How big is Smoky Lake?
Smoky Lake covers 612 acres in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
How deep is Smoky Lake?
Smoky Lake is 60 feet deep at its deepest point.
What fish are in Smoky Lake?
The Wisconsin DNR lists panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and trout in Smoky Lake.
Is there public access to Smoky Lake?
Yes. Smoky Lake has a public boat landing.
Can you water-ski or run a boat at speed on Smoky Lake?
Smoky 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. No local boating ordinance that limits motorboats is on record.
How long is the drive to Smoky Lake?
By car, Smoky Lake is about 3 hr 10 min from Green Bay, 3 hr 25 min from Appleton, 3 hr 30 min from Eau Claire, 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 Smoky Lake like?
The lake bottom is 70% sand, 20% gravel, 10% rock, by the Wisconsin DNR's record.