Arrowhead Lake

How big is Arrowhead Lake?

How deep is Arrowhead Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Arrowhead Lake?

What are the closest cities to Arrowhead Lake?

Are there topographical lake maps available Arrowhead Lake?

We have an topograpical map for online viewing near the top of this page. Lake-Link Pro users can download an print a topograpical map of Arrowhead Lake (.pdf format) along with 2,700 more lake maps. For more information on all the benefits of Lake-Link Pro click here.

Arrowhead Lake

Are there boat launches on Arrowhead Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Arrowhead Lake?

Arrowhead Lake is located 5 miles north of Spring Lake, MN in the Bigfork River watershed and the Chippewa National Forest. There is a public access with limited parking at the northwest end of the lake, with the remaining shoreline undeveloped.

The lake management plan was last revised in 2007. Northern Pike were considered primary management species and Black Crappie were considered secondary management species. A standard survey was conducted in 2018 to assess the status of the fish community.

Arrowhead Lake has typically produced moderate to high numbers of Northern Pike with poor size quality. The 2018 catch rate was near the historical average for the lake and typical for lakes with similar habitat. Size structure was relatively poor and similar to the previous survey. Northern Pike ranged from 15.5 to 28.4 inches with an average length of 20.1 inches. Ages 1 through 6 were represented with age 3 the most frequently sampled. Northern Pike averaged 22.6 inches at age 4. Poor size quality may limit the popularity of the pike fishery. The north central pike zone regulation implemented in 2018 requires anglers to release pike from 22-26 inches, while allowing for more harvest of small pike. It is hoped that this regulation will improve size quality on Arrowhead Lake.

Gill-net and trap-net catches for Black Crappie were down from the previous survey, but about average for lakes with similar habitats. Size structure was poor; crappie averaged 6.7 inches from gill nets and 8.1 inches from trap nets. Age analysis suggested the population was primarily young fish, ages 1 to 3. Growth appeared relatively fast with crappie averaging 7.9 inches at age 3. Angling opportunities for Black Crappie will likely improve in the coming years as these fish grow to more acceptable sizes.

The trap-net catch for Bluegill was average for the lake and within the typical range for similar lakes. Size structure has generally been poor with few fish over 8 inches sampled in any assessment. Bluegill in the 2018 sample ranged from 3.1 to 8.0 inches with an average length of 5.1 inches.

Bass are not typically sampled well with standard netting, but numbers appear to be increasing in recent surveys. Boat electrofishing was not attempted due to time constraints, though test netting suggests Largemouth Bass are relatively abundant. The gill-net catch was well above the typical range for similar lakes. Sampled bass ranged from 6.3 to 15.9 inches.

Yellow Perch numbers have been quite variable in past surveys, but were generally above average compared to similar lakes. The 2018 gill-net catch was the lowest ever with only one perch captured. The reasons for the steep decline are unclear. Yellow Perch are an important prey species in many lakes, and a lack of perch limits production of predators like Northern Pike and Walleye.

Arrowhead Lake has a low-density Walleye population maintained by natural reproduction. The Walleye gill-net catch remained below average compared to similar lakes.

Other species sampled in test nets included Brown Bullhead and Pumpkinseed Sunfish.

Anglers and boaters are reminded to help slow and/or minimize the spread of invasive species by removing all aquatic plants from boats, trailers and equipment. All drain plugs must be removed and live and bait wells must be drained before leaving the access. Anglers and boaters are encouraged to power wash and thoroughly dry all equipment prior to use in another water body.

What is the average air temp for Arrowhead Lake?

Are there any state parks near Arrowhead Lake?