Little Trout Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin1,007 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Trout Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 98 ft max depth
- Limited data
Little Trout Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Maximum depth: 98 ft. Surface area: 1007 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Trout Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Trout Lake is a 1,007-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 98 feet. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Little Trout Lake ranks #83 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2024-07-24. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Little Trout Lake covers about 1,000 acres in Vilas County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Little Trout Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Little Trout Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing6 species recorded
- Deep water98 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,007 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Little Trout 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 Trout Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Little Trout Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 13 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 13µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| 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. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Little Trout Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Trout Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Trout Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 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. 5 stations on file (most recent sample 2003).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
98 ft
Surface area
1,007 acres
Recreation & Access
- Little Trout LakeSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Little Trout Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Trout 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Little Trout Lake
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Follow Little Trout Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Trout Lake
- → Little Trout Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Little Trout Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Little Trout Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Little Trout Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2021–2024). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Phosphorus
Stable-0.17 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Little Trout Lake
Where is Little Trout Lake?
- Little Trout 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 Trout Lake?
- Little Trout Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Maximum depth: 98 ft. Surface area: 1007 acres.
Is Little Trout Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Little Trout Lake?
- Little Trout Lake has a maximum depth of 98 feet. The lake covers 1007 acres.
What fish are in Little Trout Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Trout Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Trout, Walleye. Little Trout Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Trout Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Trout Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Trout Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Little Trout Lake?
- Little Trout Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Trout Lake.
Can I fish at Little Trout Lake?
- Little Trout Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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.
Explore Little Trout Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
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Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Compare Little Trout Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians Water Program (Tribal)
LDFWATER20073 samples · 2021–2024
Analytical methods
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
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
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory