Size
1,070ac
Boat Launch
Carry-in Launch
Toilet
No
Boat Dock
Species in Big Arbor Vitae Lake
Perch
Crappie
Smallmouth bass
Largemouth bass
Muskellunge
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
Rock bass
Walleye
Northern pike
Tiger muskellunge
Overview
The largest muskie of the year are taken in late fall along steep sand/gravel dropoffs. Walleye lay adjacent to weeds most of the time. Nice size perch, crappie and bluegill.
Big Arbor Vitae Lake Map
Fishing Regulations
Special Fishing Regulations: This lake has special fishing regulations that differ from statewide or border water regulations for those species identified below and take precedence. Regulations listed below are currently in place. Visit the fishing regulations page for links to upcoming regulations for specific lakes.
Special Waterbody Regulations
- Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted. Motor Trolling is allowed with 1 hook, bait, or lure per angler, and 3 hooks, baits, or lures maximum per boat.
Special Species Regulations
- Shortnose gar: See Rough Fish.
- Hybrid, Striped, Yellow, and White Bass: See Rock, Yellow and White Bass.
- Flathead catfish: See Catfish.
- Crappies: See Panfish.
- Channel catfish: See Catfish.
- Bowfin: See Rough Fish.
- Bluegill: See Panfish.
- Panfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25
- Walleye, Saugers, and Hybrids: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: No minimum length limit, but only 1 fish over 14” is allowed and the daily bag limit is 3
- Bullheads: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Catfish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
- Cisco and whitefish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10
- Lake sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Muskellunge and hybrids: May 24, 2025 to December 31, 2025: The minimum length limit is 40” and the daily bag limit is 1
- Northern pike: May 3, 2025 to March 1, 2026: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5
- Walleye: See Walleye, Sauger, and Hybrids.
- Urban waters gamefish: This waterbody is not considered an urban water, Urban Waters Gamefish regulations do not apply.
- Sauger and hybrids: See Walleye, Sauger, and Hybrids.
- Longnose gar: See Rough Fish.
- White perch: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
- Trout and salmon: See Trout regulations layer.
- Shovelnose sturgeon: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Ruffe: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
- Round goby: Open all year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office
- Rough fish: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Rock, Yellow, and White Bass: Open all year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited
- Paddlefish: Closed. No fishing allowed.
- Smallmouth bass: May 3, 2025 to June 20, 2025: Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only)
- Largemouth bass: May 3, 2025 to June 20, 2025: The minimum length limit is 14” and the daily bag limit is 5
- Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass: June 21, 2025 to March 1, 2026: The minimum length limit is 14” and the daily bag limit is 5
Features
Both Little and Big Arbor Vitae are drainage lakes and offer a quality fishery for a wide variety of fish. The musky fishing couldn’t be better with a fair number of fish in the mid-thirties to low fourties being caught. Both lakes have a good possibility of giving up a fifty-inch fish. If this is the first time fishing musky then Little Arbor Vitae is a good lake to increase the chances of putting a fish in the boat. Aside from musky both lakes have very good walleye populations that allow for a few fish over then 25 inches to be caught. For fisherman who are into panfish these lakes also offer a great fishery for quality sized perch, crappie and bluegill.
For fisherman who want more of a wilderness setting these lakes are perfect but are still within a relative short distance of Minocqua.
On both of these lakes there is some boat traffic from water skiers but most of these water skiers stay away from a majority of the good fishing areas.
Forage
White Suckers and juvenile panfish make up the majority of the forage in both of these lakes.
Seasonal Movements
During May and June walleye will move into the first green vegetation formed and around the rocky shoreline. Luscient Bay by the north boat landing is a popular bay for spawning walleye and muskie. Blue Island Bay in Little Arbor is a popular spring spawning spot for walleye and muskie. The center rockbar is another spring walleye spawning area. During spring around Memorial Day crappie will start their spawn in a little bit deeper water.
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Top Fish Species
Perch
5-9 in
Length Range
7 in
Length Range
2023
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Understanding Abundance
Abundance ratings are based on Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) measurements conducted by the MN DNR, and represent a snapshot of a species population at a given point in time
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey cadence may vary by state and water body.Species Lengths
2023
Sep
2024
Oct
