Big Arbor Vitae Lake Fishing
A 1,070-acre Wisconsin lake in Vilas County, down to 41 feet.
Pick for muskyPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo, nearby stand in for Big Arbor Vitae Lake: Gpwitteveen, CC BY-SA 3.0
Big Arbor Vitae Lake at a glance
Find a Lake puts Big Arbor Vitae Lake at 1,070 acres, inside Vilas County. Maximum depth on file is 41 feet, with a mean of 18 feet. Woodruff is the nearest community, about 3 miles away. The DNR manages it from the Northern Region. Biologists sort it into the complex cool dark lake class.
Musky anglers will find it on the DNR list, natural reproduction plus stocking (cat. 2). For walleye the WDNR notes stocking plus natural reproduction. Ceded territory walleye rules apply here. Species on record are muskellunge, walleye, largemouth bass and panfish. You can put in at 2 public boat landings. Satellite readings put average clarity near 6.3 feet (2017).
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For Big Arbor Vitae Lake, Find a Lake gives each fish group an abundance rating.
| Fish group | WDNR abundance |
|---|---|
| Musky | Abundant |
| Walleye | Abundant |
| Largemouth Bass | Common |
| Panfish | Common |
Big Arbor Vitae Lake walleye recruitment, per WDNR: stocking plus natural reproduction. The DNR files Big Arbor Vitae Lake musky as natural reproduction plus stocking (cat. 2).
The class profile behind Big Arbor Vitae Lake
“Complex cool dark lakes can often support quality or action walleye fisheries, and can have great action fisheries for yellow perch, and have the potential to produce quality northern pike and muskellunge fisheries.”
WDNR Find a Lake fish list and abundance, WDNR lake classification and fisheries designation layers, checked October 2026.
Trailering to a landing on Big Arbor Vitae Lake
- Big Arbor Vitae Lake Boat Launch – North1 lane, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, NHAL Recreation Team Leader
- Big Arbor Vitae Lake Boat Launch – South1 lane, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, boarding dock, NHAL Recreation Team Leader
Landings within a short drive of Big Arbor Vitae Lake
- Mielke Lake Carry-In Boat LandingMielke Lake, 1 mile southeast
- Bug Lake Carry-In Boat LandingBug Lake, 1 mile north
- Erickson Lake Boat RampErickson Lake, 1 mile northeast
- Hurrah Lake AccessHurrah Lake, 2 miles north
- Little Arbor Vitae Lake Boat LaunchLittle Arbor Vitae Lake, 2 miles southeast
- Bittersweet Lake Carry-In Boat LandingBittersweet Lake, 2 miles east
WDNR Boat Access and Shore Fishing layers and Find a Lake landing table, checked October 2026.
Clarity, bottom and depth at Big Arbor Vitae Lake
Big Arbor Vitae Lake has a bottom that is 40% sand, 35% gravel, 10% rock, 15% muck, according to WDNR.
The DNR calls Big Arbor Vitae Lake a drainage lake (a stream flows in and out).
WDNR records these invasives in Big Arbor Vitae Lake: banded mystery snail, chinese mystery snail, curly-leaf pondweed, purple loosestrife and rusty crayfish. Drain water and remove plants at the landing.
WDNR Find a Lake page, WDNR Landsat lake clarity layer, checked October 2026.
Keeper rules for Big Arbor Vitae Lake
Seasons, size limits and daily bags below are copied from the WDNR entry for Big Arbor Vitae Lake.
| Species | Season | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye, sauger and hybrids | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | The minimum length is 15", but walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 20" to 24" may not be kept, and only 1 fish over 24" is allowed. The daily bag limit is 3. |
| Muskellunge and hybrids | May 2, 2026 to December 31, 2026 on open water | The minimum length limit is 40" and the daily bag limit is 1. |
| Northern pike | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5. |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | June 20, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | The minimum length limit is 14" and the daily bag limit is 5. |
| Largemouth bass | May 2, 2026 to June 19, 2026 | The minimum length limit is 14" and the daily bag limit is 5. |
| Smallmouth bass | May 2, 2026 to June 19, 2026 | Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only). |
| Panfish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25. |
| Catfish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10. |
| Lake sturgeon | Closed | No fishing allowed. |
| Shovelnose sturgeon | Closed | No fishing allowed. |
| Cisco and whitefish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10. |
| Rock, yellow and white bass | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
| Bullheads | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
| Rough fish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
WDNR attaches this general rule to Big Arbor Vitae Lake: Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted. Motor Trolling is allowed with 1 hook, bait, or lure per angler, and 3 hooks, baits, or lures maximum per boat.
For all of Vilas County the guide reads: Vilas County is in the ceded territory (see page 13 for additional ceded territory information). Motor trolling is permitted countywide (one hook, bait or lure per person; three lines maximum per boat), Northern Bass Zone rules apply (see page 12).
Zone check for Big Arbor Vitae Lake: north of Hwy 10, Northern Bass Zone.
WDNR Lake Regulation search and the 2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations, checked October 2026.
Stocking records for Big Arbor Vitae Lake
Between 2025 and 2025, 2 recorded releases put 16,030 fish into Big Arbor Vitae Lake.
| Year | Species | Size | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 11.4 in | 300 |
| 2025 | Walleye | large fingerling | 6.66 in | 15,730 |
WDNR Fish Stocking Summary, stocking years 2023 to 2025. Wisconsin stocking.
How Big Arbor Vitae Lake compares nearby
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth ft | Landings | WDNR class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Arbor Vitae Lake | 1,070 | 41 | 2 | complex cool dark | |
| Dry Lake, Vilas County | 1 mile northeast | 40 | 12 | 0 | simple warm dark |
| Mielke Lake | 1 mile east | 27 | 34 | 1 | simple cool clear |
| Bug Lake near Woodruff, Vilas County | 1 mile north | 21 | 11 | 1 | simple warm dark |
| Erickson Lake | 2 miles northeast | 110 | 18 | 1 | complex warm dark |
| Little Arbor Vitae Lake | 2 miles southeast | 480 | 32 | 1 | complex cool dark |
WDNR Find a Lake, lake classification and boat access layers.
Around Big Arbor Vitae Lake
Lakes a few miles from Big Arbor Vitae Lake
- Dry Lake, Vilas County1 mile northeast
- Mielke Lake1 mile east
- Bug Lake near Woodruff, Vilas County1 mile north
- Erickson Lake2 miles northeast
- Little Arbor Vitae Lake2 miles southeast
Bait and gear stops around Big Arbor Vitae Lake
- Arbor Vitae Campgroundbait and tackle shop, Arbor Vitae, under a mile
- Walmart Minocquafarm and general store with fishing gear, Minocqua, 4 miles
- Kurts Island Sport Shopsporting goods store, Minocqua, 5 miles
- Sallet's Northwoods Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Minocqua, 5 miles
- Up North Tradersbait and tackle shop, Sayner, 7 miles
- Rollie & Helens Musky Shopbait and tackle shop, Minocqua, 8 miles
Towns close to Big Arbor Vitae Lake
- Woodruff3 miles
- Minocqua4 miles
- Sayner7 miles
The county side of Big Arbor Vitae Lake
- Vilas Countyseat: Eagle River
A Piscifun kit for Big Arbor Vitae Lake
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Sport fish found around Big Arbor Vitae Lake
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey from Reston, VA, USA, CC0 1.0
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Photo: Pacific Southwest Region USFWS from Sacramento, US, Public domain
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Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
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Before a trip to Big Arbor Vitae Lake, the short answers
Where is Big Arbor Vitae Lake on a Wisconsin map?
The lake lies in Vilas County, WDNR Northern Region, about 3 miles from Woodruff.
What maximum depth does the WDNR list for Big Arbor Vitae Lake?
Find a Lake gives 1,070 acres and 41 feet at the deepest.
How many landings does Big Arbor Vitae Lake have?
2 mapped landings; Big Arbor Vitae Lake Boat Launch – North is the largest.
What species are in Big Arbor Vitae Lake?
muskellunge (abundant), walleye (abundant), largemouth bass (common) and panfish (common), per the WDNR.
What are the walleye rules on Big Arbor Vitae Lake?
Walleye, sauger and hybrids rule: The minimum length is 15", but walleye, sauger, and hybrids from 20" to 24" may not be kept, and only 1 fish over 24" is allowed. The daily bag limit is 3.
What does a Wisconsin license cost for a trip to Big Arbor Vitae Lake?
Anglers 16 and older need a Wisconsin fishing license: $20 a year for residents and $55 for nonresidents, with a $5 first-time buyer rate for residents.
What is the bottom of Big Arbor Vitae Lake like?
Satellite clarity about 6.3 feet (2017). Bottom: 40% sand, 35% gravel, 10% rock, 15% muck. WDNR class: complex cool dark. Type: drainage.
Is there a tackle store near Big Arbor Vitae Lake?
Arbor Vitae Campground is nearest at under a mile.
Is Big Arbor Vitae Lake a stocked lake?
Yes; the latest WDNR record is 2025: 300 muskellunge and 15,730 walleye.
Make a weekend of Big Arbor Vitae Lake
Wisconsin license costs and limits are one click away.