Acorn Lodge & Hotel
Boulder Junction
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Boulder Junction sits among the lakes of the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest in northern Vilas County. Trout Lake, 3,864 acres and 115 feet deep, runs south from town, and Big Crooked, about 665 acres, lies to the west.
West of Boulder Junction, Manitowish Waters sits on the Manitowish chain, ten connected lakes including Rest, Stone, Spider and Island. North toward the Michigan line, Presque Isle Lake covers about 1,165 acres. Lodging is mostly cabin resorts rented by the week. Muskie, walleye, bass and panfish are the main fish.
I. The lodges
Where to stay
Stay around Boulder Junction for Trout Lake and the forest lakes, at Manitowish Waters for the chain, or at Presque Isle for the quieter lakes near the Michigan line.
18 places to stay
Boulder Junction
Resorts, cabins, motels and campgrounds on Trout Lake's north end, Big and Little Crooked, White Sand, Fishtrap, High and the other lakes around Boulder Junction.
Boulder Bear Motor Lodge
Boulder Junction
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Boulder Junction Motor Lodge
Boulder Junction
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Cabins on Trout Lake
Boulder Junction
From $2,200 / week · year not stated
Camp Holiday Campground
Boulder Junction
From $59–$80 / night · 2026
Dorner's Big Bear Hideaway
Boulder Junction
From $140–$400 / night · 2026–27
Fiesta On the Lake and Singwakiki Cabins
Boulder Junction
From $196–$312 / night · year not stated
Fishtrap Resort Cabins
Boulder Junction
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Junebug's Oswego Lake Resort
Boulder Junction
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Loew's Timber Lost Resort
Boulder Junction
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Meadowlark Resort
Boulder Junction
From $920–$940 / week · year not stated
Middle Gresham Cabins
Boulder Junction
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Rustic Roots Yurt Village
Boulder Junction
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The Musky Lodge on High Lake
Boulder Junction
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White Birch Village Resort
Boulder Junction
From $1,050–$4,190 / week · 2026
Wildcat Cabins
Boulder Junction
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Wildwood In Boulder Junction Campground
Boulder Junction
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Wittig's Point Resort & Tavern
Boulder Junction
From $1,300–$2,000 / week · year not stated
9 places to stay
Manitowish Waters
Resorts, lodges and cabins on the Manitowish chain: Rest, Stone, Spider, Island, Clear, Fawn, Alder and the connected lakes.
Aberdeen Cabins
Manitowish Waters
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Alderwood Resort
Manitowish Waters
From $300 / night · year not stated
Chippewa Retreat Resort
Manitowish Waters
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Fawn Lake's Timber Lodge Resort
Manitowish Waters
From $850–$1,300 / week · year not stated
Hillcrest Resort
Manitowish Waters
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Lazy Days Cottages
Manitowish Waters
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Red Feather Lodge
Manitowish Waters
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The Lodge at Manitowish Waters
Manitowish Waters
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Voss' Birchwood Lodge
Manitowish Waters
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7 places to stay
Presque Isle
Resorts, a campground and cabins on Presque Isle, Lynx, Crab and the lakes north toward the Michigan line.
Alpine Resort of Presque Isle
Presque Isle
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Camp Mishike Shores
Presque Isle
From $1,100–$1,925 / week · year not stated
Cedar Bay Resort
Presque Isle
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Lynx Lake Resort & Bar
Presque Isle
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Presque Isle Campground
Presque Isle
From $24–$89 / night · year not stated
Sunrise Resort
Presque Isle
From $800–$900 / week · 2026
Z's Rustic Cabins
Presque Isle
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II. On the water
What a guided day costs
| Boat | Full day | Typical | Half day | Typical | Operators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | $425 | $425 | $325 | $325 | 1 |
| Guide boat, up to 3–4 anglers | $550 | $550 | $350 | $350 | 1 |
"Typical" is the median of published rates. Most operators don't put a year on their rates.
Independent guides
Lodges that run their own guides are listed with the lodges above.
| Guide | Full day | Half day | Boat | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Sherer's We Tie It Fly ShopBoulder Junction | Call | – | ||
| Bob's Manitowish Guide ServiceBoulder Junction | Call | – | all species, musky, northern pike | |
| Erv Keller Guide ServiceBoulder Junction | Call | – | all species | |
| Fox Valley Outdoors Guide ServicePresque Isle | $550 | $350 | Guide boat, up to 3–4 | walleye, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike, musky, panfish, yellow perch, brook trout |
| Last Resort Guide Service (Steve Roginske)Boulder Junction | $425 | $325 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, muskie, northern pike, walleye |
| Michael Katsis Fishing Guide ServiceBoulder Junction | Call | – | musky, bass, panfish, walleye, lake trout | |
| Samsquatch Outfitters (Sam Hiller)Boulder Junction | Call | – | lake trout, walleye | |
| The Angler's Choice Guide Service (John Andrew)Presque Isle | Call | – | musky, northern pike, walleye, bass | |
| Tom Whitman Guide Service (Fish with Tom)Boulder Junction | Call | – | musky, walleye |
III. The almanac
Seasons at a glance
- May 2, 2026Walleye, pike, largemouth bass and muskie seasons open.
- June 13Walleye season opens on Escanaba Lake.
- June 20Smallmouth bass harvest opens.
- December 31Muskie season closes.
- March 7, 2027Walleye, pike and bass seasons close.
- March 14, 2027Ice shelters must come off the ice each day when not in use.
Fishing dates are from the Wisconsin DNR's 2026–2027 regulations.
IV. Regulations
Fishing rules
2026–27 season (May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027)
- Vilas County is in the Ceded Territory. Walleye: May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027; 3 a day from 15 to under 20 inches, and one may be over 24 inches, unless a lake rule below says otherwise.
- Manitowish chain (Alder, Clear, Fawn, Island, Manitowish, Little Star, Rest, Spider, Stone and Wild Rice lakes): 3 walleye a day chainwide, 15 to under 20 inches, and only one over 24. Manitowish River below the Rest Lake Dam (with Benson, Sturgeon and Vance lakes): muskie 50-inch minimum; walleye 12-inch minimum, only one over 15.
- Trout Lake: muskie 50-inch minimum; 1 bass, 18-inch minimum. White Sand Lake (Highway K): walleye 18-inch minimum; 1 bass, 18-inch minimum; muskie 50-inch minimum.
- Presque Isle chain (Presque Isle, Averill and Van Vliet): walleye of any length, only one over 14 inches; 1 bass, 18-inch minimum; muskie 50-inch minimum. Big Muskellunge, Boulder, Crab and Oxbow lakes: walleye of any length, only one over 14 inches; Big Muskellunge and Boulder also allow only 1 bass, 18-inch minimum.
- Escanaba Lake (research lake): open all year for every species except walleye, whose season is June 13, 2026 – March 7, 2027, 15 to under 20 inches with one over 24, until the DNR announces the yearly quota is reached. Lead tackle under 1 inch or 1 ounce is banned on Escanaba and Pallette lakes.
- Muskie on other lakes: May 2 – December 31, 2026, open water only; 1 a day, 40-inch minimum. Northern pike: 5 of any length, May 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027.
- Bass (Northern Bass Zone): largemouth may be kept from May 2 and smallmouth from June 20, 2026, to March 7, 2027; 5 combined, 14-inch minimum. Catch and release at other times.
- After Sunday, March 14, 2027, ice shelters on inland waters north of Highway 64 must come off the ice each day when not in use.
From the Wisconsin DNR's Guide to Hook and Line Fishing Regulations 2026–2027: general inland waters, Ceded Territory walleye rules, and the Vilas County special regulations. Ceded Territory walleye limits can be lowered on single lakes during the year, so check the notice at the landing and the DNR site before you fish.
V. Asked at the dock
Questions people ask
How much does a fishing guide cost around Boulder Junction?
A guide boat for 1–2 anglers runs $425–$425 for a full day. A guide boat for up to 3–4 anglers runs $550–$550 for a full day. Rates are per boat, not per person.
What are the walleye rules on the Manitowish chain?
Three walleye a day across the whole chain, from 15 to under 20 inches, and only one may be over 24 inches.
Why does Escanaba Lake have different rules?
Escanaba is a DNR research lake. It is open all year for every species except walleye, which opens June 13 and closes once the year's quota is reached. Small lead tackle is banned there.
Sources and photo credits
Photos: Allequash Lake and Pines, Joshua Mayer, CC BY-SA 2.0; Lake - Flickr - wackybadger (18), Joshua Mayer, CC BY-SA 2.0; Little Presque Isle Lake - panoramio, Ian Shackleford, CC BY 3.0.
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