Little Bowstring Lake

How big is Little Bowstring Lake?

How deep is Little Bowstring Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Little Bowstring Lake?

Are there topographical lake maps available Little Bowstring 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 Little Bowstring Lake (.pdf format) along with 2,700 more lake maps. For more information on all the benefits of Lake-Link Pro click here.

Little Bowstring Lake

Are there boat launches on Little Bowstring Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Little Bowstring Lake?

What are the fishing regulations for Little Bowstring Lake?

There are specific fishing regulations Little Bowstring Lake that you need to know. For complete fishing regulations visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. To report a violation call (800) 652-9093. Need a Minnesota fishing license?

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.

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.

What is the average air temp for Little Bowstring Lake?

Are there any state parks near Little Bowstring Lake?