Star Lake (Vilas County)

Vilas, Wisconsin

Star Lake is a 1,219-acre lake in Vilas County with a maximum depth of 68 feet and an average of about 23 feet. WDNR lists muskellunge, panfish and walleye as common, with bass and northern pike present.

Air temp in Star Lake, WI Loading current temperature…

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

Surface area1,219 acres

Max depth68 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local ordinances

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Muskellunge●●●●○

Common per WDNR

Walleye●●●○○

Common per WDNR

Bluegill●●●○○

Panfish common

Yellow Perch●●●○○

Panfish common

Northern Pike●●○○○

Present

Largemouth Bass●●○○○

Present

Smallmouth Bass●●○○○

Present

Boat launches

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

Public boat landingPublic
WDNR lists 2 public boat landingsDirections ↗
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 May 2, 2026-Mar 7, 2027	None (only 1 fish over 14 in)	3 / day
Largemouth Bass May 2-Jun 19, 2026; Jun 20, 2026-Mar 7, 2027 combined LMB/SMB limit of 1	18 in	1 / day
Smallmouth Bass Jun 20, 2026-Mar 7, 2027 (combined with largemouth); May 2-Jun 19 catch and release only	18 in	1 / 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
Lake Sturgeon No fishing allowed	Closed	0

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.

Star Lake StoreNearby
7697 County Road K, Star Lake, WI 54561(715) 542-3464 Directions ↗
Up North TradersNearby
2977 State Highway 155, Sayner, WI 54560(715) 542-2046 Directions ↗
Up North Sport & GiftsNearby
8293 Main St, Presque Isle, WI 54557(715) 686-2636 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Star Lake (Vilas County) ↗

Local tips

Sand bottom with rock and gravel patches: find the harder bottom
Deep basin holds fish in summer
Clean gear: spiny waterflea and rusty crayfish are present

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.

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