The Northern Highland Fishery Research Area is an experimental project of the DNR which has been going on since 1946. It includes Escanaba, Nebish, Mystery, Spruce and Pallette Lakes. To fish these lakes, you need to visit the station on Escanaba Lake and fill out a free permit. You will also have to go back to the station at the end of the day to give them the details of what you caught as well as what fish you are taking home.
Escanaba Lake
Escanaba Lake is a 303 acre lake located in Vilas County. It has a maximum depth of 26 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include muskie, walleye, northern pike, largemouth bass and panfish. According to the Wisconsin DNR, walleye are abundant in this lake. Muskie, largemouth bass and panfish are considered common in the lake. Northern pike are listed as present. The DNR website doesn’t mention smallmouth bass, but they are in Escanaba Lake as well.
Lost Canoe Lake
Lost Canoe Lake is a 279 acre lake located in Vilas County. It has a maximum depth of 41 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include muskie, walleye, northern pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and panfish. According to the Wisconsin DNR, walleye, northern pike, largemouth bass and panfish are common in this lake. Muskie and smallmouth bass are listed as present.
Nebish Lake
Nebish Lake is a 93 acre lake located in Vilas County. It has a maximum depth of 52 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include smallmouth bass and panfish. Smallmouth bass are abundant in this lake. It is more of an action lake, but if you’re looking to catch a lot of smallmouth bass, Nebish Lake is a good one to fish.
Pallette Lake
Pallette Lake is a 180 acre lake located in Vilas County. It has a maximum depth of 60 feet. Visitors have access to the lake from a public boat landing. Fish include northern pike, smallmouth bass and panfish. According to the Wisconsin DNR, smallmouth bass and panfish are common in this lake. Northern pike are listed as present.
Spruce lake
Spruce Lake is a 16 acre lake located in Vilas County. It has a maximum depth of 16 feet. Fish include panfish and largemouth bass. Panfish are abundant and largemouth bass are common in the lake. It is a carry-in boat landing at the bottom of a hill. It isn’t the easiest place to get a boat into, but the canoe slide does help you get your canoes and kayaks down to the water.
