Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres Fishing
A 780-acre Wisconsin lake in Vilas County, down to 30 feet.
Pick for muskyPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Crampton Lake: NEON Science, CC BY 2.0
The basics of Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres for anglers
Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres is a lake of 780 acres lying in Vilas County. The bottom drops to 30 feet at most, with a mean of 13 feet. For a home base, Boulder Junction is roughly 12 miles away. It falls in the WDNR Northern Region. Its WDNR lake class is complex cool dark.
WDNR tracks a musky population here (natural reproduction plus stocking (cat. 2)). Walleye numbers rest on natural reproduction only, according to the DNR. Being in the ceded territory, it follows the three-walleye bag. Find a Lake shows walleye, muskellunge, northern pike, panfish, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Public launching comes through 1 public boat landing. About 8.2 feet of clarity, by the 2017 satellite estimate.
For the musky herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 The Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres fishery by species
Abundance labels for Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres come straight from the WDNR lake page.
| Fish group | WDNR abundance |
|---|---|
| Walleye | Abundant |
| Musky | Common |
| Northern Pike | Common |
| Panfish | Common |
| Smallmouth Bass | Common |
| Largemouth Bass | Present |
The walleye layer lists Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres with natural reproduction only. WDNR musky category for Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres is natural reproduction plus stocking (cat. 2).
WDNR on lakes like Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres
“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.
Launching on Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres
- Big Lake Ramp1 lane, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, boarding dock, Town of Land O Lakes
Other launches near Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres
- Deadwood Lake AccessDeadwood Lake, 1 mile west
- Palmer Lake Acccess Boat LandingPalmer Lake, 2 miles west
- Helen Creek RampHelen Creek, 2 miles southeast
- Mamie Lake RampSpring Creek, 3 miles east
- High Lake Ramp near Eagle RiverHigh Lake, 5 miles southwest
- Jute Lake AccessJute Lake, 5 miles southwest
WDNR Boat Access and Shore Fishing layers and Find a Lake landing table, checked October 2026.
Water quality and bottom at Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres
Expect a bottom of 65% sand, 20% gravel, 10% rock, 5% muck on Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres.
By water source, Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres counts as a drainage lake (a stream flows in and out).
Invasive species the WDNR has confirmed in Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres: banded mystery snail, chinese mystery snail, eurasian water-milfoil and rusty crayfish. Clean boats and drain live wells before leaving the landing.
WDNR Find a Lake page, WDNR Landsat lake clarity layer, checked October 2026.
Seasons and bag limits on Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye and sauger (ceded territory) | 3 in total; minimum length 15 inches but less than 20 inches may be kept; one may be over 24 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Northern pike (north of Hwy 10) | 5; no minimum length | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Largemouth bass | 5; minimum length 14 inches | May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Smallmouth bass (Northern Bass Zone) | 5 in total with largemouth bass; minimum length 14 inches | June 20, 2026 – March 7, 2027 |
| Muskellunge | 1; minimum length 40 inches | May 2, 2026 – Dec. 31, 2026 (open water only) |
| Panfish | 25 in total; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Catfish | 10 in total; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Cisco and whitefish | 10 in total; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Rock, yellow and white bass | No bag limit; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Bullheads and rough fish | No bag limit; no minimum length | Open all year |
The WDNR app has no entry for Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres; statewide inland limits apply unless posted.
The Vilas County entry says: 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).
Pike rules here follow the zone north of Hwy 10; bass follow the Northern Bass Zone.
WDNR Lake Regulation search and the 2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations, checked October 2026.
Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres against nearby lakes
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth ft | Landings | WDNR class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres | 780 | 30 | 1 | complex cool dark | |
| West Bay Lake | 1 mile east | 417 | 31 | 0 | complex cool dark |
| Deadwood Lake | 1 mile west | 24 | 29 | 1 | simple warm dark |
| Dalzell Lake | 1 mile west | 25 | 19 | 0 | simple warm dark |
| Crampton Lake | 1 mile northwest | 66 | 31 | 0 | simple warm dark |
| Helen Lake, Vilas County | 2 miles southeast | 102 | 19 | 0 | complex cool dark |
WDNR Find a Lake, lake classification and boat access layers.
Close to Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres
More water to try near Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres
- West Bay Lake1 mile east
- Deadwood Lake1 mile west
- Dalzell Lake1 mile west
- Crampton Lake1 mile northwest
- Helen Lake, Vilas County2 miles southeast
Shops that serve Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres anglers
- We Tie It Fly Shopfly shop, Boulder Junction, 11 miles
- Northern Highland Sports LLCsporting goods store, Boulder Junction, 11 miles
- The Tackle Boxbait and tackle shop, Land O Lakes, 11 miles
- Jacks Jigsbait and tackle shop, Boulder Junction, 11 miles
- The Fishermans Outpostbait and tackle shop, Conover, 13 miles
- Northern Waters Angling & Archerybait and tackle shop, Conover, 14 miles
Communities around Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres
- Boulder Junction12 miles
- Sayner15 miles
- Eagle River21 miles
Counties holding Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres
- Vilas Countyseat: Eagle River
Piscifun reels sized for Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Water close to Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres in photographs
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Chris Rycroft, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Markheffron2, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Gpwitteveen, CC BY-SA 3.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Common questions about fishing Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres
Where in Wisconsin is Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres?
Vilas County holds it, WDNR Northern Region, about 12 miles from Boulder Junction.
How deep does Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres get?
Roughly 780 acres and 30 feet at the deepest.
Which public landing serves anglers on Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres?
There are 1 mapped landing; Big Lake Ramp has the most lanes.
Is Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres good for panfish?
WDNR lists walleye (abundant), muskellunge (common), northern pike (common), panfish (common), smallmouth bass (common) and largemouth bass (present).
Which WDNR rules cover Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres?
Only the statewide inland rows.
Which Wisconsin license covers fishing Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres?
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 water like in Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres?
Satellite clarity about 8.2 feet (2017). Bottom: 65% sand, 20% gravel, 10% rock, 5% muck. WDNR class: complex cool dark. Type: drainage.
Where are minnows sold on the drive to Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres?
Drive 11 miles to reach We Tie It Fly Shop.
Do I need to clean my boat after Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres?
Yes, banded mystery snail, chinese mystery snail, eurasian water-milfoil and rusty crayfish.
Trailer up for Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 780 acres
Check the posted rules before keeping fish.