Lac Vieux Desert Fishing
A 4,017-acre Wisconsin lake in Vilas County, down to 38 feet.
Pick for muskyPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo: Markheffron2, CC BY-SA 3.0
Lac Vieux Desert at a glance
Find a Lake puts Lac Vieux Desert at 4,017 acres, inside Vilas County. Maximum depth on file is 38 feet. Eagle River is the nearest community, about 16 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. Under state rules it holds the Outstanding Resource Water label. Ceded territory walleye rules apply here. Species on record are largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, panfish, smallmouth bass and walleye. You can put in at 3 public boat landings. Satellite readings put average clarity near 6.9 feet (2017).
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For Lac Vieux Desert, Find a Lake gives each fish group an abundance rating.
| Fish group | WDNR abundance |
|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Common |
| Musky | Common |
| Northern Pike | Common |
| Panfish | Common |
| Smallmouth Bass | Common |
| Walleye | Common |
Lac Vieux Desert walleye recruitment, per WDNR: stocking plus natural reproduction. The DNR files Lac Vieux Desert musky as natural reproduction plus stocking (cat. 2).
The class profile behind Lac Vieux Desert
“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 Lac Vieux Desert
- Lac Vieux Desert Lake Public Access2 lanes, more than 25 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, Program Supervisor
- Lac Vieux Desert Access1 lane, 16 to 20 trailer stalls, restroom, US Forest Service
- Lac Vieux Desert Carry-In Boat Landingcarry-in, restroom, Wisconsin Valley Improvement
Landings within a short drive of Lac Vieux Desert
- Sugar Maple Lake – North AccessSugar Maple Lake, 3 miles southeast
- Sugar Maple Lake – South AccessSugar Maple Lake, 3 miles southeast
- Wisconsin River Carry-In Boat Landing near Eagle RiverWisconsin River, 4 miles west
- North Twin Lake – Millerville Lane AccessNorth Twin Lake, 5 miles south
- Lake Pleasant RampLake Pleasant, 6 miles southwest
- North Twin Lake – Lakota Road AccessNorth Twin Lake, 6 miles south
WDNR Boat Access and Shore Fishing layers and Find a Lake landing table, checked October 2026.
Clarity, bottom and depth at Lac Vieux Desert
Lac Vieux Desert has a bottom that is 35% sand, 20% gravel, 10% rock, 35% muck, according to WDNR.
The DNR calls Lac Vieux Desert a drainage lake (a stream flows in and out).
WDNR records these invasives in Lac Vieux Desert: banded mystery snail, chinese mystery snail, curly-leaf pondweed, eurasian water-milfoil and rusty crayfish. Drain water and remove plants at the landing.
WDNR Find a Lake page, WDNR Landsat lake clarity layer, checked October 2026.
Lake stage at Lac Vieux Desert
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Lac Vieux Desert Near Land O'lakes, Wi | 80.36 ft gage height, 1,680.32 ft lake elevation | Oct 22 4:45 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 22, 2026 5:34 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Keeper rules for Lac Vieux Desert
Seasons, size limits and daily bags below are copied from the WDNR entry for Lac Vieux Desert.
| Species | Season | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye, sauger and hybrids | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | The minimum length limit is 18" 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. |
| 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. |
| Paddlefish | Closed | No fishing allowed. |
| White perch | Open All Year | The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office. |
| Round goby | Open All Year | The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office. |
| Ruffe | Open All Year | The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office. |
WDNR attaches this general rule to Lac Vieux Desert: 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 Lac Vieux Desert: 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 Lac Vieux Desert
Between 2023 and 2025, 6 recorded releases put 4,653,237 fish into Lac Vieux Desert.
| Year | Species | Size | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 11.2 in | 699 |
| 2025 | Walleye | fry | 0.5 in | 1,800,000 |
| 2024 | Walleye | fry | 0.5 in | 1,800,000 |
| 2024 | Walleye | large fingerling | 7.09 in | 40,136 |
| 2023 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 11 in | 402 |
| 2023 | Walleye | fry | 0.25 in | 1,012,000 |
WDNR Fish Stocking Summary, stocking years 2023 to 2025. Wisconsin stocking.
Wisconsin record fish from Lac Vieux Desert
| Species | Weight | Date | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger Muskellunge | 51 lbs. 3 oz. | 2019-07-16 | hook and line |
WDNR record fish list, revised September 2026; angler names left out. All Wisconsin records.
How Lac Vieux Desert compares nearby
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth ft | Landings | WDNR class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lac Vieux Desert | 4,017 | 38 | 3 | complex cool dark | |
| Eleanore Lake | 2 miles northwest | 28 | 19 | 0 | simple warm dark |
| Kildare Lake | 3 miles southwest | 54 | 35 | 0 | complex warm clear |
| Sugar Maple Lake | 3 miles southeast | 141 | 46 | 2 | simple warm dark |
| Crystal Lake near Eagle River, Vilas County | 3 miles northwest | 96 | 23 | 0 | simple cool dark |
| Afterglow Lake | 4 miles southeast | 32 | 40 | 0 | simple cool clear |
WDNR Find a Lake, lake classification and boat access layers.
Around Lac Vieux Desert
Lakes a few miles from Lac Vieux Desert
- Eleanore Lake2 miles northwest
- Kildare Lake3 miles southwest
- Sugar Maple Lake3 miles southeast
- Crystal Lake near Eagle River, Vilas County3 miles northwest
- Afterglow Lake4 miles southeast
Bait and gear stops around Lac Vieux Desert
- The Tackle Boxbait and tackle shop, Land O Lakes, 5 miles
- The Fishermans Outpostbait and tackle shop, Conover, 9 miles
- Northern Waters Angling & Archerybait and tackle shop, Conover, 9 miles
- Boat Sport Marinamarina, Eagle River, 15 miles
- R & M Musky Shopbait and tackle shop, Eagle River, 18 miles
- Hawks Nest Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Eagle River, 19 miles
Towns close to Lac Vieux Desert
- Eagle River16 miles
- Sayner23 miles
- Three Lakes23 miles
The county side of Lac Vieux Desert
- Vilas Countyseat: Eagle River
A Piscifun kit for Lac Vieux Desert
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Sport fish found around Lac Vieux Desert
Photo: Robert Pos, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Engbretson, Eric / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0
Before a trip to Lac Vieux Desert, the short answers
Where is Lac Vieux Desert on a Wisconsin map?
The lake lies in Vilas County, WDNR Northern Region, about 16 miles from Eagle River.
What maximum depth does the WDNR list for Lac Vieux Desert?
Find a Lake gives 4,017 acres and 38 feet at the deepest.
How many landings does Lac Vieux Desert have?
3 mapped landings; Lac Vieux Desert Lake Public Access is the largest.
What species are in Lac Vieux Desert?
largemouth bass (common), muskellunge (common), northern pike (common), panfish (common), smallmouth bass (common), walleye (common) and tiger muskellunge, per the WDNR.
What are the walleye rules on Lac Vieux Desert?
Walleye, sauger and hybrids rule: The minimum length limit is 18" and the daily bag limit is 3.
What does a Wisconsin license cost for a trip to Lac Vieux Desert?
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 Lac Vieux Desert like?
Satellite clarity about 6.9 feet (2017). Bottom: 35% sand, 20% gravel, 10% rock, 35% muck. WDNR class: complex cool dark. Type: drainage.
Is there a tackle store near Lac Vieux Desert?
The Tackle Box is nearest at 5 miles.
Is Lac Vieux Desert a stocked lake?
Yes; the latest WDNR record is 2025: 699 muskellunge and 1,800,000 walleye.
Make a weekend of Lac Vieux Desert
Wisconsin license costs and limits are one click away.