Big Crawling Stone Deep Lake

Big Crawling Stone Deep Lake earns an A — water clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a all rate among the best monitored waters in Vilas County. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

Trophically, Big Crawling Stone Deep Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. At 87 ft of maximum depth, Big Crawling Stone Deep Lake stratifies reliably through the summer — the hypolimnion stays cooler and clearer than the surface layer suggests. At 1,483 acres, Big Crawling Stone Deep Lake is one of the larger lakes in Vilas County, with partial shoreline records supporting multiple distinct use patterns. Big Crawling Stone Deep Lake sits at rank 105 of 202 in Vilas County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

Big Crawling Stone Deep Lake has at least one documented invasive species (Rusty Crayfish), so boaters and anglers should observe clean-drain-dry steps when leaving the lake. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 6 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.