Little Arbor Vitae Lake

Little Arbor Vitae Lake

Size
542ac
Boat Launch
Yes
Carry-in Launch
No
Toilet
No
Boat Dock
No
Species in Little Arbor Vitae Lake
Bluegill
Bluegill
Crappie
Crappie
Largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
Muskellunge
Muskellunge
Northern pike
Northern pike
Perch
Perch
Pumpkinseed
Pumpkinseed
Rock bass
Rock bass
Smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Walleye

Little Arbor Vitae Lake 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.

Fishing Regulations in Little Arbor Vitae Lake

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

  • Motor Trolling is allowed with 1 hook, bait, or lure per angler, and 3 hooks, baits, or lures maximum per boat.
  • Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted.

Special Species Regulations

  • Bullheads: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited.
  • Trout: See specific regulations: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/fishing/trout/.
  • Northern pike: May 4, 2024 to March 2, 2025: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5.
  • Muskellunge and hybrids: May 25, 2024 to December 31, 2024: The minimum length limit is 40” and the daily bag limit is 1.
  • Largemouth bass: May 4, 2024 to June 14, 2024: The minimum length limit is 14” and the daily bag limit is 5.
  • Smallmouth bass: May 4, 2024 to June 14, 2024: Fish may not be harvested (catch and release only).
  • Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass: June 15, 2024 to March 2, 2025: The minimum length limit is 14” and the daily bag limit is 5.
  • Panfish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 25.
  • Catfish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
  • White perch: Open All Year: The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a wdnr office.
  • 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.
  • Lake sturgeon: Closed: No fishing allowed.
  • Cisco and whitefish: Open All Year: No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10.
  • Walleye, sauger, and hybrids: May 4, 2024 to March 2, 2025: No minimum length limit, but only 1 fish over 14” is allowed and the daily bag limit is 3.

Little Arbor Vitae Lake 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.
Waterbody poster background

logo

Welcome to onX Fish

Start using onX Fish in Minnesota & Wisconsin today.

Fish Species

Bluegill
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No survey data
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
No Survey Data
Crappie
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No survey data
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
No Survey Data
Largemouth bass
fish
7-18 in
Length Range
14 in
Length Range
2023
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Below Avg.
2023
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
11.3
0Statewide Range133.44

Little Arbor Vitae Lake Largemouth bass abundance

Average range for similar lakes

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
Muskellunge
fish
35-36 in
Length Range
36 in
Length Range
2023
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
High
2023
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
3.91
0Statewide Range6.49

Little Arbor Vitae Lake Muskellunge abundance

Average range for similar lakes

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
Trophy Potential
This lake has a history of supporting trophy sized muskellunge based on past surveys.
Survey YearLargest Fish (in)
201848
Northern pike
fish
22-27 in
Length Range
24 in
Length Range
2023
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Above Avg.
2023
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
4.35
0Statewide Range15.56

Little Arbor Vitae Lake Northern pike abundance

Average range for similar lakes

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
Perch
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No survey data
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
No Survey Data
Pumpkinseed
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No survey data
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
No Survey Data
Rock bass
fish
No survey data
Abundance (CPUE)
No survey data
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
No Survey Data
Smallmouth bass
fish
7-18 in
Length Range
12 in
Length Range
2023
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
High
2023
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
24.35
0Statewide Range28.41

Little Arbor Vitae Lake Smallmouth bass abundance

Average range for similar lakes

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
Walleye
fish
9-22 in
Length Range
12 in
Length Range
2023
Surveyed
Abundance (CPUE)
Outlier
2023
Surveyed
Electro
Catch Method
108.26
0Statewide Range106.53

Little Arbor Vitae Lake Walleye abundance

Average range for similar lakes

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