Little Crab Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin73 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Crab Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 26 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Little Crab Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 73 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Crab Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Crab Lake is a 73-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 26 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Musky, Largemouth Bass, and Walleye. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2020-07-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Little Crab Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11 ft of visibility
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Little Crab Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Little Crab Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Little Crab Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Little Crab Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Crab Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Crab Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2020).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
26 ft
Surface area
73 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
2 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,654 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
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Stays near Little Crab Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Crab Lake
- → Little Crab Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Little Crab Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Little Crab Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Little Crab Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+2.41 µg/L/yr5 years
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Little Crab Lake
Where is Little Crab Lake?
- Little Crab Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Little Crab Lake?
- Little Crab Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 73 acres.
Is Little Crab Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Little Crab Lake?
- Little Crab Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet. The lake covers 73 acres.
What fish are in Little Crab Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Crab Lake include Musky, Largemouth Bass, Walleye. Little Crab Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Crab Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Crab Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Crab Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Little Crab Lake?
- Public access to Little Crab Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
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Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX2 samples · 2020
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes