Little Spider Lake is a 223-acre lake in Wisconsin’s Lake Superior Northwoods Region. It’s in Vilas County, which has many lakes, woods, and rivers. This lake is special to people who visit often or live there. It used to be called Gaffrey Lake. Many homes and vacation spots are around the lake. Because it’s so far north, some houses are only used in summer.
The lake is not very deep, with the deepest part being 23 feet. The bottom near the shore is sandy, so it’s good for swimming. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) owns some land on the north shore. There’s a hidden boat launch on the northwest side. Another boat launch is on the southern shore, which was improved in 2011 by the Little Spider Lake Association.
Fishing at Little Spider Lake is great. You can catch bass, muskellunge (muskie), walleye, northern pike, perch, bluegill, rock bass, crappie, and panfish. Muskie and walleye are stocked every other year. People can fish all year, even in winter. If you need fishing advice, camp managers can help. There are no bait shops on the lake, but you can find some nearby.
The Black Tern Bog State Natural Area is close to Little Spider Lake, part of the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. This bog has small lakes and many interesting plants and birds. You can see plants like grass sedge, buckbean, sundew, and bog laurel. Birds like the American bittern and black tern live here, too. The state forest has trails for hiking, camping spots, canoe routes, and places to see nature.
