Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres Fishing
A 827-acre Wisconsin lake in Vilas County, down to 61 feet.
Pick for muskyPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Eagle River: Chris Rycroft, CC BY 4.0
Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres at a glance
Find a Lake puts Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres at 827 acres, inside Vilas County. Maximum depth on file is 61 feet. Boulder Junction is the nearest community, about 6 miles away. The DNR manages it from the Northern Region. Biologists sort it into the complex two story lake class.
Musky anglers will find it on the DNR list, natural reproduction plus stocking (cat. 2). For walleye the WDNR notes natural reproduction only. Ceded territory walleye rules apply here. Species on record are muskellunge, panfish, smallmouth bass, walleye, largemouth bass and northern pike. You can put in at 2 public boat landings. Satellite readings put average clarity near 10.2 feet (2017).
For the musky herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 Fish the WDNR rates in Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres
For Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres, Find a Lake gives each fish group an abundance rating.
| Fish group | WDNR abundance |
|---|---|
| Musky | Common |
| Panfish | Common |
| Smallmouth Bass | Common |
| Walleye | Common |
| Largemouth Bass | Present |
| Northern Pike | Present |
Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres walleye recruitment, per WDNR: natural reproduction only. The DNR files Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres musky as natural reproduction plus stocking (cat. 2).
The class profile behind Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres
“Complex two story lakes are able to support coldwater species – primarily cisco, and occasionally lake trout or lake whitefish. They have the potential to produce action and quality walleye 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 Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres
- Big Lake – Hwy K Access1 lane, 11 to 15 trailer stalls, boarding dock, NHAL Recreation Team Leader
- Big Lake Campground Access1 lane, 1 to 5 trailer stalls, boarding dock, NHAL Recreation Team Leader
Landings within a short drive of Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres
- Anne Lake AccessAnne Lake, 1 mile northwest
- Rice Creek AccessRice Creek, 1 mile southeast
- Clear Lake Carry-in AccessClear Lake, 2 miles west
- Papoose Lake AccessPapoose Lake, 2 miles northwest
- Van Vliet Lake Public AccessVan Vliet Lake, 2 miles north
- Clear Lake Access near HurleyClear Lake, 3 miles west
WDNR Boat Access and Shore Fishing layers and Find a Lake landing table, checked October 2026.
Clarity, bottom and depth at Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres
Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres has a bottom that is 60% sand, 15% gravel, 10% rock, 15% muck, according to WDNR.
The DNR calls Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres a drainage lake (a stream flows in and out).
WDNR records these invasives in Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres: banded mystery snail, chinese mystery snail, purple loosestrife, rusty crayfish and yellow iris. Drain water and remove plants at the landing.
Local boating ordinances on Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres cover loon nesting area protection, motorboat prohibition, slow-no-wake areas, speed limits (mph), water exhbitions and races.
WDNR Find a Lake page, WDNR Landsat lake clarity layer, checked October 2026.
Keeper rules for Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres
Seasons, size limits and daily bags below are copied from the WDNR entry for Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres.
| Species | Season | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye, sauger and hybrids | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | No minimum length limit, but only 1 fish over 14" is allowed and 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 | Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only). |
| Largemouth bass | May 2, 2026 to June 19, 2026 | Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only). |
| 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 Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres: 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 Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres: 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 Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres
Between 2023 and 2025, 2 recorded releases put 405 fish into Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres.
| Year | Species | Size | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 12.2 in | 200 |
| 2023 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 12.3 in | 205 |
WDNR Fish Stocking Summary, stocking years 2023 to 2025. Wisconsin stocking.
How Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres compares nearby
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth ft | Landings | WDNR class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres | 827 | 61 | 2 | complex two story | |
| Keego Lake | under a mile east | 23 | 18 | 0 | simple warm dark |
| Anne Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 34 acres | 2 miles northwest | 34 | 77 | 1 | simple cool clear |
| Big Hurst Lake | 2 miles northeast | 47 | 44 | 0 | complex warm clear |
| Red Lake, Vilas County | 2 miles north | 42 | 25 | 0 | simple warm dark |
| Clear Lake, Vilas County | 2 miles west | 515 | 45 | 2 | complex two story |
WDNR Find a Lake, lake classification and boat access layers.
Around Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres
Lakes a few miles from Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres
- Keego Lakeunder a mile east
- Anne Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 34 acres2 miles northwest
- Big Hurst Lake2 miles northeast
- Red Lake, Vilas County2 miles north
- Clear Lake, Vilas County2 miles west
Bait and gear stops around Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres
- Greer's Pier Marinamarina, Manitowish Waters, 4 miles
- Townline Sportssporting goods store, Manitowish Waters, 4 miles
- River's Edge Lodge & Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Manitowish Waters, 4 miles
- Jacks Jigsbait and tackle shop, Boulder Junction, 6 miles
- We Tie It Fly Shopfly shop, Boulder Junction, 7 miles
- Northern Highland Sports LLCsporting goods store, Boulder Junction, 7 miles
Towns close to Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres
- Boulder Junction6 miles
- Mercer13 miles
- Lac du Flambeau15 miles
The county side of Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres
- Vilas Countyseat: Eagle River
A Piscifun kit for Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres
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Sport fish found around Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres
Photo: James Mann from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Thefishingnomad youtube, CC BY-SA 4.0
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 Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres, the short answers
Where is Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres on a Wisconsin map?
The lake lies in Vilas County, WDNR Northern Region, about 6 miles from Boulder Junction.
What maximum depth does the WDNR list for Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres?
Find a Lake gives 827 acres and 61 feet at the deepest.
How many landings does Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres have?
2 mapped landings; Big Lake – Hwy K Access is the largest.
What species are in Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres?
muskellunge (common), panfish (common), smallmouth bass (common), walleye (common), largemouth bass (present) and northern pike (present), per the WDNR.
What are the walleye rules on Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres?
Walleye, sauger and hybrids rule: No minimum length limit, but only 1 fish over 14" is allowed and the daily bag limit is 3.
What does a Wisconsin license cost for a trip to Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 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 bottom of Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres like?
Satellite clarity about 10.2 feet (2017). Bottom: 60% sand, 15% gravel, 10% rock, 15% muck. WDNR class: complex two story. Type: drainage.
Is there a tackle store near Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres?
Greer's Pier Marina is nearest at 4 miles.
Is Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres a stocked lake?
Yes; the latest WDNR record is 2025: 200 muskellunge.
Make a weekend of Big Lake near Boulder Junction, Vilas County, 827 acres
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