Fence Lake Chain of Lakes

   Often called the Fence Lake, Flambeau, or Lac du Flambeau Chain, this system links ten major lakes in and around the Lac du Flambeau Reservation: Fence, Flambeau, Big Crawling Stone, Little Crawling Stone, Long Interlaken, Moss, Pokegama, To‑to‑tom, North Twin Placid, and South Twin Placid. Combined, they form a nearly 10,000‑acre expanse of spring‑fed water controlled by a fixed dam at the northwest end of Flambeau Lake, with Fence Lake alone covering about 3,483 acres and dropping to 80‑plus feet deep. Channels and narrows connect the basins so that boaters can travel long distances without leaving the water, moving from broad open water on Fence and Crawling Stone to more intimate bays and riverlike stretches near To‑to‑tom and the Twin Placid lakes. The chain is best known for its clear water and well‑rounded fishery. Fence Lake, Crawling Stone, Flambeau, and their neighbors support musky, walleye, smallmouth and largemouth bass, northern pike, and panfish, and are highlighted by guides and tourism sources as crystal‑clear, multi‑species destination waters. Depth and structure vary from deep basins and sharp breaks on Fence and Long Interlaken to shallower bars, points, and weedlines on smaller basins like Moss, To‑to‑tom, and the Twin Placid lakes, giving anglers four‑season options from open‑water trolling to mid‑summer weed casting and late‑fall musky hunting. The chain’s size, water clarity, and mix of basin types make it equally attractive for long pontoon cruises, water sports, and exploring quieter corners by small boat or paddle. Culturally and historically, this chain is central to Lac du Flambeau life. Tribal and local histories describe how logging dams and channels once moved timber from Fence Lake through Big Crawling Stone toward mills on Long Interlaken, and how the lakes have long served as key travel and fishing waters for the Ojibwe community. Today the shoreline blends tribal lands, long‑established resorts, newer lake homes, and public landings that give visitors multiple ways to get on the water while maintaining stretches of relatively undeveloped forested shoreline. For many Northwoods visitors, time on the Fence Lake/Lac du Flambeau Chain—running from wide‑open Fence to the bays around downtown Lac du Flambeau—is the defining “big‑water” experience in Vilas County.