Minnesota · Itasca County
Bowstring Lake Fishing guide
Bowstring Lake sits in Itasca County, Minnesota, and covers 9,528 acres, reaching 32 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 5.3 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 29 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeExcellent numbers10.2per gill net14"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 155 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 2 fish
2021Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 153 fish
2021Lengths measured · 2 fish
2017Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 27 fish
2017Largemouth bassJust a few19.9per hr (electrofishing)5"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 12 fish
2021Lengths measured · 5 fish
2015Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1 fish
2008Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeOne of the best around15.6per gill net18"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 252 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 18 fish
2021Lengths measured · 234 fish
2021Lengths measured · 85 fish
2015Lengths measured · 99 fish
2014BluegillJust a few3.4per trap net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 50 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 48 fish
2021Lengths measured · 2 fish
2021Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 8 fish
2014Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 7 fish
2008Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
CrappieJust a few4per trap net9"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 107 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 56 fish
2021Lengths measured · 51 fish
2021Lengths measured · 127 fish
2015Lengths measured · 156 fish
2014Yellow perchGood numbers7.8per gill net6"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 153 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 36 fish
2021Lengths measured · 117 fish
2021Lengths measured · 105 fish
2015Lengths measured · 214 fish
2014Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Bowstring Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Walleye | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24" | 32" | 18" |
| 2017 | 14" | — | — |
| 2015 | 27" | 27" | 5" |
| 2014 | 25" | 26" | — |
| 2013 | 7" | — | — |
| 2012 | 14" | — | — |
| 2011 | 10" | — | — |
| 2010 | 14" | — | — |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Bowstring Lake is located 12 miles northwest of Deer River, Minnesota. Fall, night electrofishing was conducted to sample young-of-the-year (YOY) Walleye. The survey was the first since adult zebra mussels were found in 2020. The surface water temperatures and weather were good for sampling young Walleye.
Water levels were very low and visibility was clear for all stations. The sampling stations that were previously considered very good were now full of vegetation following the introduction of zebra mussels, especially water celery. Lakes with relatively low to no vegetation in the electrofishing stations have consistently been better for sampling YOY Walleye. If these conditions remain, sampling young Walleye will likely become more challenging in the future.
Read the full DNR narrative
Anglers should note that reproduction and recruitment is variable in Walleye populations. Fall electrofishing can be an effective tool to document Walleye reproduction and/or survival to their first fall when conducted as part of a long-term evaluation, but individual electrofishing events are often a poor indicator of year-class strength or future angling success.
Natural reproduction and survival of young Walleye appeared to be poor among area lakes in 2025. The seven stations were sampled for more than 1 hour and 35 minutes and no YOY Walleye were observed. Ten adult Walleye were observed and they appeared in good condition. Substantially more Largemouth Bass and panfish were noted. Some stations had abundant shiners and YOY Yellow Perch, though only one adult perch was observed. A few YOY Burbot, modest numbers of Brown and Yellow Bullhead, and small, skinny Northern Pike were also observed.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Bowstring Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Bowstring Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Open the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report
All Bowstring Lake fishing reports → · Itasca County reports
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Bowstring Lake (NE) (trailer launch)
- Bowstring Lake (NW) (trailer launch)
- Bowstring Lake (S) (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Bowstring Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Jessie Lake · 628 ac · 4.2 mi
- Portage Lake · 715 ac · 4.7 mi
- Jessie Lake · 1,740 ac · 5.4 mi
- Little Cut Foot Sioux Lake · 619 ac · 6.2 mi
- Bird's Eye Lake · 80 ac · 6.5 mi
- Rush Island Lake · 297 ac · 7 mi
- Sand Lake · 3,579 ac · 7.7 mi
- Cut Foot Sioux Lake · 2,771 ac · 7.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Bowstring Lake?
Bowstring Lake reaches 32 ft at its deepest point; about 50% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Bowstring Lake?
Bowstring Lake covers 9,528 acres with about 34.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Bowstring Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Bowstring Lake average 5.3 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Bowstring Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Bowstring Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Bowstring Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Bowstring Lake have a public access?
Yes. Bowstring Lake has 3 public access sites, including Bowstring Lake (NE) (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Bowstring Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 24"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2010.
When was Bowstring Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Bowstring Lake in 2025, the most recent of 29 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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