Why Vilas County is a great fishing destination
Head to the Northwoods of Wisconsin to find one of the state’s best places to cast a line. Vilas County is home to more than 1,300 lakes filled with a wide variety of fish, from musky and pike to bass and walleye. Here’s what you need to know about this northern Wisconsin fishing hotspot.
Why is Vilas County such a popular spot for fishing?
Vilas County has been welcoming visitors from Wisconsin and across the Midwest to its friendly vacation communities for more than a century, and avid anglers were among the earliest vacationers to travel here to explore the scenic, fish-filled lakes.
Vilas County is home to more than 1,300 lakes and nearly 75 rivers and streams, so there are lots of places to cast a line—in fact, Vilas County is home to one of the largest concentrations of fresh water in the world. And many of these lakes are lightly developed or undeveloped as part of county or state preserves, so it’s a great place for fish populations to thrive.
Some of Vilas County’s waterways have been honored by fishing magazines and website as some of the best places in the Midwest to fish for bass, musky and more, and Boulder Junction in central Vilas County is officially known as the Musky Capital of the World® thanks to more than 50 Class-A musky lakes within 10 miles of downtown.
What kinds of fish can I catch in Vilas County?
Vilas County’s lakes and rivers offer an abundance of fish species, from hard-fighting smallmouth bass to massive musky (Wisconsin’s state fish). Here’s a closer look at a few types of fish you’ll find in Vilas County:
- Musky
- Northern pike
- Walleye
- Smallmouth bass
- Largemouth bass
- Panfish (bluegill, crappie, sunfish, perch)
- Lake trout
Learn more about Vilas County’s fish species (and where to catch them).
When can I go fishing in Vilas County?
All year long! Each season offers a different style of fishing in the Northwoods, but anglers can find success no matter when they visit the Northwoods.
- Winter: Ice fishing is a popular pastime in Vilas County, and anglers will find northern pike, walleye, and panfish
- Spring: The inland season fishing season opens on the first weekend in May and musky season opens in northern Wisconsin a few weeks later, so spring is a popular time on the water and a good time to fish for crappie, bluegill, perch, and musky
- Summer: Hit the lakes early in the morning or in the afternoon; smallmouth and largemouth bass and musky are popular targets in the summer
- Fall: Fall is one of the best times to go fishing in the Northwoods, as fish are looking for food before the winter and crowds on the lakes are generally smaller
What are some of Vilas County’s best fishing lakes?
With more than 1,300 lakes to choose from, Vilas County has many outstanding fisheries. Here’s a look at just a few of them you can explore:
- Trout Lake: This 3,800-acre lake south of downtown Boulder Junction has healthy populations for musky, bass, pike, walleye, and (of course) trout
- Lac Vieux Desert: Spanning the Wisconsin-Michigan border near Land O’ Lakes in northern Vilas County, this sprawling 4,000-acre lake is good for panfish, bass, and walleye fishing
- Eagle River Chain: This lake chain combines with the Three Lakes Chain to the south to form the largest chain of lakes in the world, which contains 29 lakes; popular fishing lakes include Cranberry Lake and Long Lake
And if you don’t have a boat or don’t want to rent one, don’t worry, because there are many shore fishing opportunities in Vilas County, including Upper Gresham Lake in Boulder Junction, Rest Lake in Manitowish Waters, and Star Lake in Sayner-Star Lake.
What do I need to go fishing in Vilas County?
If you’re older than 15 or were born after 1927, you’ll need a fishing license from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Licenses can be purchased online or at DNR Service Centers or sales locations statewide.
Next comes the gear and the boat (if you need one)—Vilas County’s outfitters, outdoors shops and rental providers offer a wide selection of bait, tackle, and boats, and the county also boasts several, knowledgeable guides that will help you find the fish.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources also allows everyone to fish for free without a license on its two Free Fishing Weekends every year, held the third full weekend in January and the first full weekend in June.
