Reservoir (Black River impoundment)

Lake Arbutus

Clark / Jackson, Wisconsin

Lake Arbutus is a 774-acre Black River impoundment straddling Clark and Jackson counties near Hatfield, with a maximum depth of 50 feet. WDNR lists smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye as common, with musky, panfish, largemouth bass and catfish present.

Air temp in Merrillan, WI Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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

Surface area774 acres

Max depth50 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local ordinances

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Smallmouth Bass●●●○○

Listed as common by WDNR

Northern Pike●●●○○

Listed as common by WDNR

Walleye●●●○○

Listed as common by WDNR

Muskellunge●●○○○

Listed as present by WDNR; tiger musky also reported

Largemouth Bass●●○○○

Listed as present by WDNR

Bluegill●●○○○

Panfish listed as present

Crappie●●○○○

Panfish listed as present; ice crappie near the dam per Travel Wisconsin

Channel Catfish●●○○○

Catfish listed as present; inlets per Travel Wisconsin

Boat launches

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

Lake Arbutus public boat landingsPublic
WDNR lists 6 public landings; Lake-Link lists 5Directions ↗
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 Open May 2, 2026 to Mar 7, 2027	15 in	3 / day
Largemouth/Smallmouth Bass Open May 2, 2026 to Mar 7, 2027	14 in	5 / day
Northern Pike Open May 2, 2026 to Mar 7, 2027	26 in	2 / day
Muskellunge May 2 to Dec 31, 2026; open water only	40 in	1 / day
Panfish Open all year	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	10 / day
Catfish Open all year	See Wisconsin rules book ↗	10 / day
Trout See specific trout regulations	Varies	Varies

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.

Hatfield Sports ShopNearby
N451 Cth J, Hatfield, WI 54754(715) 333-5009 Directions ↗
Hardscrabble Bait & TackleNearby
404 E 3rd St, Black River Falls, WI 54615(715) 670-0616 Directions ↗
Moe Hardware Hank & Sporting GoodsNearby
33 E Main St, Black River Falls, WI 54615(715) 284-4621 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Lake Arbutus ↗

Local tips

Heavy summer boat traffic: fish dawn and dusk
Creek channels and the main island area produce walleye per Travel Wisconsin
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

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