Cisco Chain of Lakes

   The Cisco Chain of Lakes straddles the Wisconsin–Michigan border north of Land O’ Lakes and is widely cited as one of the largest connected inland freshwater chains in the world. The system is made up of 15 named lakes—Cisco, Big, Morley, East Bay, West Bay, Mamie, Indian, Poor, Fishhawk, Lindsley, Thousand Island, Clearwater, Big Africa, Little Africa, and Record—that together total roughly 3,990–4,025 surface acres and around 270–271 miles of winding, island‑studded shoreline. On the Wisconsin side in Vilas County, Big Lake, West Bay Lake, and Mamie Lake extend into the state, creating a gateway where boaters can slip from purely Wisconsin waters into a sprawling, cross‑border lake network in a single cruise. The Cisco Chain is known for its spring‑fed clarity, diverse structure, and exceptional multi‑species fishing. Thousand Island Lake, the largest and deepest water in the chain at about 1,009 acres and roughly 40 feet deep, has produced the current Michigan state‑record musky and offers classic big‑lake structure with deep basins, humps, and long points. Cisco Lake itself is a roughly 500‑acre basin with a maximum depth around 20–21 feet, while Big, West Bay, Mamie, and the smaller connecting lakes add a mix of shallow bays, mid‑depth flats, narrows, and rock‑and‑sand shorelines that hold walleye, northern pike, muskies, smallmouth and largemouth bass, and panfish. The sheer size and complexity of the chain mean anglers and boaters can spend multiple days exploring new shorelines, island clusters, and channels without repeating the same water, and many resorts and guides treat the chain as a destination fishery in its own right. The broader setting feels wild and remote even by Northwoods standards. Forests of spruce, balsam, maple, birch, and aspen ring much of the shoreline, and local descriptions highlight frequent sightings of loons, bald eagles, deer, black bear, coyotes, and occasional timber wolves along the lakes. Public launches on key lakes like Cisco and Thousand Island, plus access on Big Lake on the Wisconsin side, make it practical for visiting boaters to get onto the chain while still keeping development relatively low‑density compared to more urbanized resort areas. For Land O’ Lakes–area visitors and cabin owners, the Cisco Chain offers a rare combination of big‑water scale, cross‑border exploration, and a strong sense of wildness just a short drive from town.