LakeList
FavoritesStateWisconsin
Crab Lake
Enhanced dataInteractive depth contours
Crab LakeVilas County, WI
Contours load with map Access
Interactive depth contours5-foot typical interval · Sonar-derived depth (C-MAP Genesis) · Gaps interpolated · Not for navigation
Source: C-MAP Genesis community sonar (derived)high confidence · QA passed · Select a contour to inspect its mapped depthDepths decoded from C-MAP Genesis Social Map community sonar recordings (used with permission), covering 95% of the lake. Small gaps between recordings are smoothly connected; larger unrecorded areas follow the lake's depth model calibrated to the DNR-documented 60-ft maximum depth. More accurate than a pure model, but still an estimate. Not for navigation.LakeList assistant
Plan your lake day
Fishing spots, food, lodging, marinas, and rentals around Crab Lake.
Start here
Fishing forecast
Best windows for Crab Lake
Weather-based planning built from the National Weather Service hourly forecast near this lake.
Loading latest forecast…
Checking wind, precipitation, and near-term weather windows.
Water temperature
Crab Lake water temperature today
Modeled surface-temperature estimate built from seasonal climate, lake depth, and live National Weather Service air temperatures near this lake.
71°FWarm
Seasonal estimate. Checking current National Weather Service air temperatures…
Comfortable summer pattern. Bass and panfish are active; early and late hours beat the midday heat.
Estimates are modeled, not measured. Actual temperatures vary with depth, wind mixing, and recent weather — verify conditions before swimming, boating, or heading onto ice.
DNR water check
Water quality quick take
From Wisconsin DNR / Citizen Lake Monitoring readings at Crab Lake - Deep Hole.
Sampled Aug 2025Volunteer monitoring since 1992
Clear, low-algae water — summer clarity of 12.5 ft is clearer than most monitored Wisconsin lakes.
Based on July–August volunteer averages from 2022–2025; each value shows its own year.42Mesotrophic5-yr summer TSI
Moderately clear with moderate nutrients — a typical profile for good swimming lakes.
Water claritySecchi disk depth
12.5 ftJul–Aug 2022 avg (2 readings)
ClearImproving — up ~25% vs earlier years
Clearer than 74% of 596 monitored Wisconsin lakes with current readings.
AlgaeChlorophyll-a
2.5 µg/LJul–Aug 2025 avg (2 readings)
Very lowStable since 2017
NutrientsTotal phosphorus — fuels plant & algae growth
10 µg/LLatest single sample · 2023-06-30
Very lowVery low phosphorus means very light plant/algae growth pressure.
All readings by year · station details · methodology
Summer averages (July/August)
July/August means; counts in parentheses show how many samples went into each average.
| Year | Secchi | Chlorophyll-a | Total phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | 2.5 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2024 | — | 4.0 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2023 | 13.0 ft (1) | 4.0 µg/L (1) | — |
| 2022 | 12.5 ft (2) | 5.0 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2020 | 8.7 ft (3) | 3.5 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2019 | 8.5 ft (2) | 2.5 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2018 | 8.8 ft (2) | 2.5 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2017 | 10.0 ft (1) | 2.5 µg/L (2) | 11.0 µg/L (1) |
| 2016 | 9.0 ft (2) | 2.5 µg/L (2) | — |
| 2015 | 11.5 ft (2) | 3.0 µg/L (2) | — |
Latest individual samples: Secchi 13 ft (2023-07-23), chlorophyll-a 2 µg/L (2025-08-31), and total phosphorus 10 µg/L (2023-06-30).
Secchi clarity is how deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface — more feet means clearer water.
Chlorophyll-a is an algae pigment; higher values signal more algae in the water column.
Total phosphorus is a nutrient that feeds algae and aquatic plants. It is not a weed survey — depth, bottom type, water movement, and management change the actual lake experience.
Crab Lake - Deep HoleStation 643407 · TSI based on chlorophyll
Modeled from DNR/CLMN monitoring — not a safety or swim-condition report. Verify current conditions locally. LakeList verified 2026-07-12.Official Wisconsin information
Plan with DNR sources
LakeList links to the authoritative record so you can verify maps, rules, and current notices before leaving.
Historical DNR depth maps3 converted map sheetsView DNR depth mapHistorical map · not for navigationFishing regulationsVerify current seasons, limits, and restrictionsOfficial DNR lake pageFacts, advisories, boating, and water qualityWater quality reportsMonitoring stations, clarity, and DNR reportsInvasive speciesVerified, observed, and historical AIS recordsBoating ordinancesLocal slow-no-wake and water-use restrictionsFish consumption advisoriesStatewide and waterbody-specific health guidance
Historical depth maps are not for navigation. Verify regulations and access at the official source before your trip.
Historical Wisconsin DNR maps
Crab Lake depth maps
3 converted map sheets. These historical surveys are not for navigation.
Navigable depth map
Crab Lake · sheet 1
Pan, zoom, and inspect the converted Wisconsin DNR historical map image in the browser. Historical survey — not for navigation.
Source: Wisconsin DNR · WBIC 2953500 · image navigation only; spatial alignment pending · Historical lake maps are not for navigation.
Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Converted for browser access with source URLs, checksums, and retrieval dates retained. Historical lake maps are not for navigation.
Wisconsin DNR fisheries survey
Fish population survey
Structured LakeList extraction from the 2024 DNR fisheries survey. Population estimates, density, and catch-rate indices use different units, methods, and scopes, so each value is presented in its original form rather than normalized against a different measure.
Survey indicatorsValues keep their source unit and method; unlike measures are not scaled or compared.
Management contextLake-specific April-May 2024 multi-gear assessment; adult/juvenile definitions, size thresholds and gear-specific indices remain explicit.
DNR estimated 1,867 adult walleyes, documented naturally supported walleye, supplemented muskellunge, abundant smallmouth and rock bass, and low panfish electrofishing catch rates.
- Means for bass and panfish retain the report's printed adult or stock-size threshold.
- No chart-bin counts, unprinted minima or other-species counts are inferred.
- The regulation table is not ingested as survey metrics.
Black crappie
1 fishTotal captured · p. 49.7 inchesCaptured fish length · p. 4
Bluegill
300 fishTotal captured · p. 326 fish/mileSurvey CPUE · p. 35.4 inchesMean captured length · p. 38.7 inchesMaximum captured length · p. 3
Largemouth bass
45 fishTotal captured · p. 21.9 adult fish/mileSurvey CPUE · p. 214.8 inchesMean captured length · p. 219.9 inchesMaximum captured length · p. 2
Muskellunge
64 fishAdults captured · p. 228 fishJuveniles captured · p. 217 fishAdults at least 40 inches · p. 227 percentAdults at least 40 inches · p. 2
Northern pike
70 fishAdults captured · p. 37 fishJuveniles captured · p. 318.4 inchesAdult mean captured length · p. 326.4 inchesAdult maximum captured length · p. 3
Pumpkinseed
69 fishTotal captured · p. 310 fish/mileSurvey CPUE · p. 35.3 inchesMean captured length · p. 37 inchesMaximum captured length · p. 3
Rock bass
394 fishTotal captured · p. 46.2 inchesMean captured length · p. 49.7 inchesMaximum captured length · p. 4
Smallmouth bass
275 fishTotal captured · p. 218.9 adult fish/mileSurvey CPUE · p. 211.9 inchesMean captured length · p. 218.5 inchesMaximum captured length · p. 2
Tiger muskellunge
1 fishJuvenile tiger muskellunge captured · p. 2
Walleye
629 fishAdult walleyes marked · p. 1255 fishAdult walleyes captured during recapture run · p. 187 fishMarked adults recaptured · p. 134 percentRecapture-run fish bearing the mark · p. 1
Yellow perch
52 fishTotal captured · p. 47.7 inchesMean captured length · p. 410 inchesMaximum captured length · p. 40.3 fish at least 5 inches/net liftCPUE for fish at least 5 inches · p. 4
2024 Fisheries Information Sheet: Crab Lake, Vilas CountyMatched by exact wbic name county · WBICs 2953500 · verified 2026-07-19Wisconsin DNR fisheries survey report; LakeList operator documented permission to leverage this report with source attribution.
909surface acres
60max depth feet
1public access points
46.1957, -89.7239latitude, longitude
Access
Public access points
Boat launchCrab Lake Access46.20331, -89.72921Managed by TOWNSHIPTOWN OF PRESQUE ISLERamp surface: GravelADA-accessible feature: NoVerified 2026-07-12
Nearby
Trip-planning places
No nearby trip-planning places yet
Fishery
Notable species
MuskyPanfishWalleyeLargemouth BassNorthern PikeSmallmouth Bass
Wisconsin DNR stocking
Fish stocking history
The latest published year is 2022, when 227 fish were recorded across 1 entry.
2022
MuskellungeGreat Lakes Spotted · Large Fingerling
2279.5 in average
2018
MuskellungeUpper Wisconsin River · Large Fingerling
23711.3 in average
2016
MuskellungeUpper Wisconsin River · Large Fingerling
23710.8 in average
2014
MuskellungeUpper Wisconsin River · Large Fingerling
23811.3 in average
2012
MuskellungeUpper Wisconsin River · Large Fingerling
47410.2 in average
2010
MuskellungeUpper Wisconsin River · Large Fingerling
35612.8 in average
Depth FAQ
How deep is Crab Lake?
Crab Lake is 60 feet deep at its deepest point and averages about 22 feet, according to Wisconsin DNR records.
Is there a free depth map of Crab Lake?
Yes. LakeList publishes a free interactive depth contour map of Crab Lake at a typical 5-foot interval, with an optional 3D underwater view, derived from C-MAP Genesis community sonar (derived) survey data.
Where does the Crab Lake depth map come from?
The interactive depth contours are derived from C-MAP Genesis community sonar (derived). Each contour set passes a visual QA review against the source document before it is published. The depths are derived from community sonar recordings (C-MAP Genesis Social Map, used with permission), with gaps between recordings interpolated; not for navigation.
Trust and freshness
Where this lake data comes from
Wisconsin DNR Lake Mapsname, coordinates, county, source identifiers
LakeList record updated 2026-07-14
Keep exploring