Crawling Stone Lake Fishing
A 1,483-acre Wisconsin lake in Vilas County, down to 87 feet.
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About Crawling Stone Lake
Count on 1,483 acres of lake water at Crawling Stone Lake, which sits in Vilas County. Its deepest sounding is 87 feet, with a mean of 31 feet. The closest town on the Census list is Lac du Flambeau, roughly 2 miles off. WDNR places it in its Northern Region. WDNR calls it a complex two story lake by class.
The musky designation reads natural reproduction plus stocking (cat. 2). The ceded territory boundary takes it in. Anglers can look for panfish, walleye, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike and smallmouth bass, per the WDNR. Landsat estimates give about 12.1 feet of clarity (2017).
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The Crawling Stone Lake fish groups below carry their WDNR abundance rating.
| Fish group | WDNR abundance |
|---|---|
| Panfish | Common |
| Walleye | Common |
| Largemouth Bass | Present |
| Musky | Present |
| Northern Pike | Present |
| Smallmouth Bass | Present |
Musky management at Crawling Stone Lake: natural reproduction plus stocking (cat. 2).
What the lake class means for Crawling Stone Lake
“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.
Public ramps at Crawling Stone Lake
There is no mapped landing on Crawling Stone Lake, so check the list of close ones.
More boat ramps around Crawling Stone Lake
- Little Crawling Stone Lake AccessLittle Crawling Stone Lake, 1 mile southwest
- Fence Lake AccessFence Lake, 1 mile northeast
- Flambeau Lake RampFlambeau Lake, 3 miles northwest
- Flambeau Lake AccessFlambeau Lake, 3 miles northwest
- Gunlock Lake AccessGunlock Lake, 3 miles southeast
- Booth Lake AccessBooth Lake, 3 miles southwest
WDNR Boat Access and Shore Fishing layers and Find a Lake landing table, checked October 2026.
The water in Crawling Stone Lake
The WDNR describes the bottom of Crawling Stone Lake as 75% sand, 10% gravel, 5% rock, 10% muck.
In WDNR terms Crawling Stone Lake is a drainage lake (a stream flows in and out).
Confirmed invasive species at Crawling Stone Lake include rainbow smelt and rusty crayfish. Inspect trailers before moving to another lake.
WDNR Find a Lake page, WDNR Landsat lake clarity layer, checked October 2026.
WDNR rules posted for Crawling Stone Lake
This table repeats the WDNR rule set filed under Crawling Stone 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. |
A blanket rule for Crawling Stone Lake: Bag limits are for fish caught in all lakes in the LAC DU FLAMBEAU CHAIN including FENCE LAKE, FLAMBEAU LAKE, LITTLE CRAWLING STONE LAKE, LITTLE SAND LAKE, LONG INTERLAKEN LAKE, MOSS LAKE, PLACID TWIN LAKE, NORTH, PLACID TWIN LAKES, POKEGAMA LAKE, UNNAMED LAKE OR POND T40N-R5E-S18, WHITE SAND LAKE, WHITEFISH 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.
The guide adds for Vilas County: 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).
By map position Crawling Stone Lake sits north of the Hwy 10 pike line and in the Northern Bass Zone.
WDNR Lake Regulation search and the 2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations, checked October 2026.
Measuring Crawling Stone Lake against nearby water
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth ft | Landings | WDNR class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crawling Stone Lake | 1,483 | 87 | 0 | complex two story | |
| Little Crawling Stone Lake | under a mile southwest | 113 | 44 | 1 | complex two story |
| Moss Lake, Vilas County | 2 miles north | 185 | 29 | 0 | complex cool clear |
| Long Interlaken Lake | 2 miles northwest | 380 | 65 | 0 | complex two story |
| Jerms Lake | 2 miles south | 69 | 38 | 0 | complex warm clear |
| Fence Lake, Vilas County | 2 miles east | 3,483 | 86 | 1 | complex two story |
WDNR Find a Lake, lake classification and boat access layers.
Next to Crawling Stone Lake
Nearby lakes to try after Crawling Stone Lake
- Little Crawling Stone Lakeunder a mile southwest
- Moss Lake, Vilas County2 miles north
- Long Interlaken Lake2 miles northwest
- Jerms Lake2 miles south
- Fence Lake, Vilas County2 miles east
Bait counters near Crawling Stone Lake
- Walmart Minocquafarm and general store with fishing gear, Minocqua, 8 miles
- Kurts Island Sport Shopsporting goods store, Minocqua, 10 miles
- Sallet's Northwoods Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Minocqua, 10 miles
- Lets Go Fishin Nowbait and tackle shop, Minocqua, 11 miles
- Rollie & Helens Musky Shopbait and tackle shop, Minocqua, 11 miles
- Arbor Vitae Campgroundbait and tackle shop, Arbor Vitae, 11 miles
Overnight towns handy to Crawling Stone Lake
- Lac du Flambeau2 miles
- Minocqua10 miles
- Woodruff10 miles
Which counties Crawling Stone Lake touches
- Vilas Countyseat: Eagle River
Reels and a scale grip to bring to Crawling Stone Lake
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Photographs from waters near Crawling Stone Lake
Photo: Chris Rycroft, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Gpwitteveen, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Yinan Chen, CC BY 2.0
Crawling Stone Lake, answered in a line or two
What part of Wisconsin holds Crawling Stone Lake?
You will find it in Vilas County, WDNR Northern Region, about 2 miles from Lac du Flambeau.
What size is Crawling Stone Lake on the WDNR record?
1,483 acres and 87 feet at the deepest.
Where is the ramp on Crawling Stone Lake?
None is mapped; see the nearby landings above.
Which fish live in Crawling Stone Lake?
The DNR list shows panfish (common), walleye (common), largemouth bass (present), muskellunge (present), northern pike (present) and smallmouth bass (present).
What daily bag limits does the WDNR post for Crawling Stone Lake?
WDNR lists Walleye, sauger and hybrids as 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.
Do I need a Wisconsin license for Crawling Stone 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 kind of lake is Crawling Stone Lake?
Satellite clarity about 12.1 feet (2017). Bottom: 75% sand, 10% gravel, 5% rock, 10% muck. WDNR class: complex two story. Type: drainage.
Who sells bait near Crawling Stone Lake?
Walmart Minocqua, about 8 miles away.
Is Crawling Stone Lake free of invasives?
Confirmed: rainbow smelt and rusty crayfish.
Mark Crawling Stone Lake on the Wisconsin calendar
Licenses, stamps and statewide rules are on the license page.