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Big Crooked Lake

Boulder Junction, Wisconsin — Vilas County.

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666Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 69884686).

Location & fast facts

Where Big Crooked Lake is in Wisconsin

The red circle marks Big Crooked Lake.

Fast facts

About Big Crooked Lake

  • County: Vilas
  • Town: Boulder Junction
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 231 mi from Milwaukee and 82 mi from Wausau, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.

Fishing in Wisconsin

Official Wisconsin DNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Fishing. Walleye, Musky, Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass
  • Camping. 47 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Rusty Crayfish recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • Cold water. Water stays cold well into late spring and turns cold again in fall. Wear a life jacket when paddling in the shoulder seasons.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Official lake data (Wisconsin DNR)

34 ftMaximum depth
682Acres (state figure)

Fish species listed by the Wisconsin DNR (with DNR abundance rating): Walleye (abundant), Musky (common), Smallmouth Bass (common), Panfish (present), Largemouth Bass (present), Trout (present).

Average depth not published.

DNR lake class: Complex - Cool - Clear

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Lake Page for Big Crooked Lake (WBIC 2338800); maximum depth and acreage from the DNR lake classification data. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

Lake map

Big Crooked Lake shoreline

½ mileN

No public access sites are listed for this water in the Wisconsin DNR boat access sites data.

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 69884686), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Wisconsin DNR boat access sites. Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Campgrounds near Big Crooked Lake

We found 47 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Big Crooked Lake, 12 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

14 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in Wisconsin

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (46.1406, -89.6707). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Big Crooked Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Big Crooked Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in CT (America/Chicago), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Big Crooked Lake

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Big Crooked Lake

    How big is Big Crooked Lake?

    Big Crooked Lake covers about 666 acres in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin (Vilas County).

    How deep is Big Crooked Lake?

    The maximum recorded depth is 34 feet, according to the Wisconsin DNR Lake Pages.

    What fish are in Big Crooked Lake?

    Wisconsin DNR Lake Pages lists Walleye, Musky, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Panfish and Trout.

    Are there campgrounds near Big Crooked Lake?

    Yes. We list 47 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 12 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Big Crooked Lake?

    Big Crooked Lake touches Boulder Junction in Vilas County, Wisconsin.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Big Crooked Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Wisconsin lakes & ponds · All waters in Boulder Junction