Crab Lake (Vilas)

Vilas, Wisconsin

Crab Lake is a 909-acre lake in Vilas County with a maximum depth of 60 feet and moderately clear water. WDNR lists muskellunge, panfish and walleye as common, with largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike present.

Air temp in Presque Isle, WI Not available right now.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Crab Lake (Vilas) (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area909 acres

Max depth60 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local ordinances

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Muskellunge●●●●○

Common per WDNR

Walleye●●●●○

Common per WDNR

Bluegill●●●○○

Panfish listed as common

Yellow Perch●●●○○

Panfish listed as common

Largemouth Bass●●●○○

Present per WDNR

Smallmouth Bass●●●○○

Present per WDNR

Northern Pike●●●○○

Present per WDNR

Boat launches

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

Crab Lake public boat landingPublic
Single public landing per WDNR and Lake-LinkDirections ↗
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 Only 1 over 14 in; May 2, 2026 - Mar 7, 2027	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	3 / day
Largemouth Bass May 2 - Jun 19, 2026	14 in	5 / day
Largemouth/Smallmouth Bass Jun 20, 2026 - Mar 7, 2027	14 in	5 / day
Smallmouth Bass Catch and release only May 2 - Jun 19, 2026	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	0 / 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.

Northern Highland SportsNearby
10369 Main Street, Boulder Junction, WI 54512715-385-2134 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Crab Lake (Vilas) ↗

Local tips

Many rocky shallows sit out in open-looking water: run slowly and watch the map
Rock and drop-off structure suits musky and smallmouth
Check WDNR regulations for musky before fishing

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

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