Minnesota · Itasca County
Little Bowstring Lake Fishing guide
Little Bowstring Lake sits in Itasca County, Minnesota, and covers 327 acres, reaching 33 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 6.5 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 16 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.5per gill net17"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 22 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 1 fish
2022Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 21 fish
2021Lengths measured · 84 fish
2015Lengths measured · 3 fish
2015Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeGood numbers13.3per gill net20"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 88 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 5 fish
2022Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 83 fish
2021Lengths measured · 78 fish
2015Lengths measured · 108 fish
2008BluegillJust a few4.6per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 261 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 74 fish
2022Lengths measured · 179 fish
2021Lengths measured · 8 fish
2021Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 140 fish
2019CrappieJust a few1per trap net11"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 26 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 15 fish
2022Lengths measured · 3 fish
2021Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 8 fish
2021Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 103 fish
2019Yellow perchOne of the best around116.5per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 686 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 24 fish
2022Lengths measured · 662 fish
2021Lengths measured · 158 fish
2015Lengths measured · 548 fish
2008Rock bassGood numbers0.5per seine haul7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 4 fish
2022Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 7 fish
2021Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 15 fish
2015Lengths measured · 5 fish
2008Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rates 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 Little Bowstring Lake through the year
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.
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.
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 | Northern pike | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 23" | 8" | 18" |
| 2021 | 34" | 25" | 15" |
| 2019 | — | — | 18" |
| 2015 | 28" | 27" | 5" |
| 2008 | 32" | 26" | 13" |
| 2002 | 27" | 23" | 14" |
| 1995 | 29" | 23" | 3" |
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:
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
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
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.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 319,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 519,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 319,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 319,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 319,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 351,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Little Bowstring Lake was conducted on July 18-20, 2022 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 10 sampling stations, but one station was sampled from the boat due to site conditions. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample three stations, a 15-foot seine was used to sample five stations, and site conditions prevented the use of seines at two stations. Nearshore sampling captured 19 species of fish including six species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Mimic Shiner, and Rock Bass) and no species that are tolerant of disturbance.
A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted by IBI Program Staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline and in shallow offshore locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Bowfin comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number and Bowfin comprised a majority of the catch by biomass. The number of Bowfin sampled per net was well above the 75% quartile for similar Lake Class 31 lakes.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from an August 2021 survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Data from this survey indicates Little Bowstring Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score, well above the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Big Fork River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Little Bowstring Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Little 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.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Little Bowstring Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Little Bowstring Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Grave Lake · 525 ac · 2.6 mi
- Dead Horse Lake · 105 ac · 3.6 mi
- Day Lake · 49 ac · 3.9 mi
- Island Lake · 285 ac · 4.2 mi
- Kremer Lake · 78 ac · 4.6 mi
- Cottonwood Lake · 133 ac · 4.6 mi
- Caribou Lake · 247 ac · 4.7 mi
- North Star Lake · 832 ac · 5.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Little Bowstring Lake?
Little Bowstring Lake reaches 33 ft at its deepest point; about 35% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Little Bowstring Lake?
Little Bowstring Lake covers 327 acres with about 3.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Little Bowstring Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Little Bowstring Lake average 6.5 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Little Bowstring Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Little Bowstring Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Little Bowstring Lake have a public access?
Yes. Little Bowstring Lake has one public access site: Little Bowstring Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Little Bowstring Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 34"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Little Bowstring Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Little Bowstring Lake in 2022, the most recent of 16 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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