Little Crooked Lake
Little Crooked Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 154 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Crooked Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 8.5 ft
- Max depth
- 30 ft
- Area
- 154 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Little Crooked Lake is a 154-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Little Crooked Lake ranks #26 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 16.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16.8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Little Crooked Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Crooked Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
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Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Crooked Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Crooked Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1992. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 154 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Crooked LakePublic
- Whitney LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Crooked Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.124 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.15 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Little Crooked Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Dairymens IncBoulder Junction · 1.2 mi away · NPDES WI0058343
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #26 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Little Crooked Lake
Where is Little Crooked Lake?
- Little Crooked Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Little Crooked Lake?
- Little Crooked Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 154 acres.
Is Little Crooked Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Little Crooked Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Little Crooked Lake?
- Little Crooked Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 154 acres.
What fish are in Little Crooked Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Crooked Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Little Crooked Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Crooked Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Crooked Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Crooked Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Little Crooked Lake?
- Little Crooked Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Crooked Lake, Whitney Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Crooked Lake across LakeQuality
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
73 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX73 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory