Angler's Isle Northwoods Resort
Land O' Lakes
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Lac Vieux Desert covers 4,017 acres on the Wisconsin–Michigan line north of Phelps and is up to 38 feet deep. North Twin Lake, 2,871 acres and 60 feet deep, sits south of it at Phelps, with the 628-acre South Twin beside it. Long Lake (886 acres, 88 feet) and Big Sand Lake (1,427 acres) are east of Phelps.
Land O' Lakes is the town on US 45 at the north end, near Lac Vieux Desert and the Wisconsin end of the Cisco Chain. Conover is to the south, with resorts on the Buckatabon lakes and campgrounds along the upper Wisconsin River. Muskie, walleye, bass, northern pike and panfish are the main fish.
I. The lodges
Where to stay
Stay at Land O' Lakes for Lac Vieux Desert and the Cisco Chain, at Phelps for the Twin lakes, Big Sand and Long Lake, or at Conover for the Buckatabon lakes and the river campgrounds.
11 places to stay
Land O' Lakes & Lac Vieux Desert
Resorts on the west and Michigan shores of Lac Vieux Desert, resorts on Mamie Lake and Big Portage Lake, a motel and lodge in town, and campgrounds on the Wisconsin River and in the national forest.
Bel-Air Motel
Land O' Lakes
From $95–$105 / night · year not stated
Bent's Camp Resort
Land O' Lakes
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Borderline RV Park
Land O' Lakes
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Deerwood Resort
Land O' Lakes
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Gateway Lodge
Land O' Lakes
From $115–$160 / night · year not stated
Lac Vieux Desert Campground (Nicolet National Forest)
Land O' Lakes
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Land O' Lakes Nature RV Resort
Land O' Lakes
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Mamie Lake Lodge & Boathouse LLC
Land O' Lakes
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Sunrise Lodge
Land O' Lakes
From $135–$459 / night · 2026–27 off-season
Wind Drift Resort
Watersmeet (MI)
From $150–$275 / night · year not stated
14 places to stay
Phelps & the Twin Lakes
Resorts on Lac Vieux Desert, North Twin, Big Sand, Long and Spectacle lakes. Most of the area's fishing guides and both ice-house rentals work out of Phelps.
Afterglow Lake Resort
Phelps
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Big Sand Lake Cottages
Phelps
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Big Sand Lake Rentals (Eagle View Rentals)
Phelps
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Great Escape Bar & Resort
Phelps
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Hazen Inn
Phelps
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Jefferson's Landing Resort
Phelps
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Nicolet Shores Resort
Phelps
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North Twin Lake View Resort
Phelps
From $1,800–$2,350 / week · year not stated
Oak Ridge Resort
Phelps
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Phelps Hillside Resort
Phelps
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Phelps Lakeview Lodge
Phelps
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Point of View Lake Resort and Glamping Campground
Phelps
From $165–$543 / night · 2026
The Wilderness Reserve
Phelps
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Thunder Bay Resort
Phelps
From $1,268 / week · year not stated
11 places to stay
Conover & the Buckatabon lakes
Resorts on Lower Buckatabon and North Twin, and county and private campgrounds along the upper Wisconsin River and Torch Lake.
Bauer's Dam Resort
Conover
From $1,650–$3,575 / week · year not stated
Buckatabon Creek Campground
Conover
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Buckatabon Lodge & Lighthouse Pub
Conover
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Darton's Twin Pine Resort
Conover
From $1,140 / week · year not stated
Deer Path Resort
Conover
From $160–$350 / night · year not stated
MNL Resort
Conover
From $125–$150 / night · year not stated
Rohr's Wilderness Tours
Conover
From $15–$45 / night · year not stated
Rummels Road Campground
Conover
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Sandy Shores Resort
Conover
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Tamarack Springs Campground
Conover
From $10 / night · year not stated
Torch Lake Campground & RV Park
Conover
From $35 / night · year not stated
II. On the water
What a guided day costs
| Boat | Full day | Typical | Half day | Typical | Operators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | $450 | $450 | $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 Vierkandt's Musky AdventuresPhelps | $550 | $350 | muskie, walleye, bass, panfish | |
| Colin Crawford's Guide ServicePhelps | Call | – | walleye, northern pike, muskie, bass, panfish | |
| Curtis Guide Service (Captain Mark Curtis)Phelps | Call | – | muskie, walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, bluegill, crappie | |
| Mark Haynes Guide ServiceLand O' Lakes | $500 | – | muskie, walleye, northern pike, bass, perch | |
| Matt Ebert Guide ServicePhelps | $450 | $350 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | muskie, walleye, northern pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, panfish |
| Pertile's Up North Guide Service (Jason Pertile)Three Lakes | Call | – |
III. Hard water
Ice fishing: day houses and sleepers
Two businesses near Phelps rent ice houses on the Twin lakes, and several guides run winter trips.
| Outfitter | Day house | Sleeper | How you get out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lifetime Lift and Dock ice house rentalsPhelps | Heated houses $150/day Mon-Wed, $175/day Thu-Sun; 6x12 skid for North and South Twin, 8x12 Mission Trailer shack for any Vilas County lake; $200 per rental transport to other lakes; add-on gear package $100/day for 4 rods and 4 chairs; 2026 page | – | Delivered; $200 per rental to move to other lakes |
| POV Lake Resort ice shack rentalsPhelps | Shanty only $75/full day; gear package $150/full day for 4 people; Vexilar $30/day; 2026 page | – | Self-haul on a provided sled; walk or drive from boat launch |
IV. The almanac
Seasons at a glance
- May 2, 2026Walleye, pike and largemouth bass seasons open; muskie opens on inland lakes.
- June 1Muskie season opens on Lac Vieux Desert and the other boundary waters.
- June 20Smallmouth bass harvest opens; bass harvest opens on the boundary waters.
- December 31Muskie season closes; bass harvest ends on the boundary waters.
- March 1, 2027Walleye season closes on Lac Vieux Desert and the boundary waters.
- March 7, 2027Walleye, pike and bass seasons close on inland lakes.
- March 14–15, 2027Ice shelters must come off the ice each day when not in use (inland March 14, boundary waters March 15).
Fishing dates are from the Wisconsin DNR's 2026–2027 regulations.
V. 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. Motor trolling is allowed countywide: one hook, bait or lure per person and three lines per boat.
- Lac Vieux Desert, Mamie Lake and Smoky Lake are Wisconsin–Michigan boundary waters. You need a Wisconsin or Michigan license (residents of other states may hold either), you must carry a paper copy, and you follow the rules of the state you are fishing in. Wisconsin's boundary rules: muskie June 1 – December 31, 2026, open water only, 1 a day, 50-inch minimum; bass may be kept June 20 – December 31, 2026, 5 combined, 14-inch minimum; northern pike 5 of any length; 25 panfish combined, open all year.
- Lac Vieux Desert walleye: open in Wisconsin May 2, 2026 – March 1, 2027; 3 a day, 18-inch minimum. Smoky Lake: bass from 14 to 18 inches must be released, and only one over 18 inches may be kept.
- North and South Twin lakes combined: muskie 50-inch minimum; walleye from 15 to under 20 inches, one may be over 24.
- Big Sand Lake: muskie 50-inch minimum; 25 panfish, no more than 5 bluegill and pumpkinseed over 7 inches. Long Lake (the Vilas County entry gives no location): muskie 50-inch minimum, walleye 18-inch minimum. Big Portage Lake: walleye under 14 inches only, except one over 18; one bass, 18-inch minimum. Kentuck Lake: 25 panfish, only 5 perch; one bass, 18-inch minimum.
- Muskie on other inland 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) on inland lakes: largemouth may be kept from May 2 and smallmouth from June 20, 2026, to March 7, 2027; 5 combined, 14-inch minimum, unless a lake rule above says otherwise. 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. On the Wisconsin–Michigan boundary waters the date is March 15.
From the Wisconsin DNR's Guide to Hook and Line Fishing Regulations 2026–2027: general inland waters, Ceded Territory walleye rules, the Wisconsin–Michigan boundary waters table 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.
VI. Asked at the dock
Questions people ask
How much does a fishing guide cost around Land O' Lakes, Phelps and Conover?
A guide boat for 1–2 anglers runs $450–$450 for a full day. Rates are per boat, not per person.
Do I need a Michigan license to fish Lac Vieux Desert?
No. Lac Vieux Desert is a Wisconsin–Michigan boundary water, so a Wisconsin or a Michigan license covers it, and you follow the rules of the state you hold it from. Wisconsin asks you to carry a paper copy of the license on boundary waters.
What are the walleye rules on Lac Vieux Desert?
Under Wisconsin's rules, 3 a day and each must be at least 18 inches. The season runs May 2, 2026 to March 1, 2027, a week shorter than on inland lakes.
How big does a muskie have to be on the Twin lakes?
50 inches on North and South Twin, and also on Big Sand, Long Lake and Lac Vieux Desert. On most other lakes in the county it is 40 inches.
Sources and photo credits
Photos: Long view of Gangster Island on North Twin Lake looking Northwest, Lightburst, CC BY-SA 4.0; Lac Vieux Desert - Source of the Wisconsin River, Markheffron2, CC BY-SA 3.0; North Twin Lake looking north from a private dock on the south shore, Lightburst, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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