Natural lake

Ballard Lake

Vilas, Wisconsin

Ballard Lake is a 503-acre lake in the Star Lake area of Vilas County with a maximum depth of 25 feet and a mean depth of 9 feet. Vilas County tourism lists musky, walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass and panfish, with a paved public boat ramp.

Air temp in Star Lake, WI Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Ballard Lake (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area503 acres

Max depth25 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local ordinances

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Muskellunge●●○○○

Reported present

Walleye●●○○○

Reported present

Largemouth Bass●●○○○

Reported present

Smallmouth Bass●●○○○

Reported present

Bluegill●●○○○

Panfish reported present

Crappie●●○○○

Panfish reported present

Boat launches

2 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

Ballard Lake public boat landingPublic
Lake-Link lists 1 public landingDirections ↗
More public accessPublic
See the WDNR lake page for all landingsDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.

Species	Min size	Daily limit
Walleye Walleye, sauger and hybrids; 20 in to 24 in protected; max 1 over 24 in; May 2, 2026 - Mar 7, 2027	15 in	3 / day
Largemouth Bass May 2 - Jun 19, 2026 (smallmouth catch and release only)	14 in	5 / day
Largemouth/Smallmouth Bass Jun 20, 2026 - Mar 7, 2027	14 in	5 / day
Northern Pike May 2, 2026 - Mar 7, 2027	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	5 / day
Muskellunge May 2 - Dec 31, 2026; open water only	40 in	1 / day
Panfish Open all year	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	25 / day
Catfish Open all year	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	10 / day

Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Wisconsin DNR ↗

Verified October 2026. Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Wisconsin DNR before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

Karsyn's KornerNearby
11610 Co Hwy B, Presque Isle, WI 54557(715) 686-2480 Directions ↗
Up North Sport & GiftsNearby
8293 Main St, Presque Isle, WI 54557(715) 686-2636 Directions ↗
Northern Highland SportsNearby
10369 Main St, Boulder Junction, WI 54512(715) 385-2134 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Ballard Lake ↗

Local tips

Mean depth is shallow: fish weed edges and drop-offs
Walleye hold near deeper structure
Check WDNR regulations before keeping fish

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.

More Wisconsin lakes

Lake Puckaway Lake DuBay Lake Winneshiek Lake Winneconne Willow Flowage Lake Vieux Desert Lac Vieux Desert Trout Lake All Wisconsin lakes →

Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.