Bowfin Fishing Guide: 20 Lakes by Water Quality

Bowfin is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 20 lakes carry documentation. Bowfin is narrowly distributed — only 20 lakes in Michigan have a documented record. The constraint is usually habitat: cold water, specific depth profile, or river connection.

Rough-fish-dominant lakes are worth checking the phosphorus and chlorophyll-a readings on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Bowfin lake list below against each lake's clarity, phosphorus and algae readings: lakes with low nutrient readings and Bowfin documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Michigan lakes →

53 ft

Avg. Depth

Best Bowfin Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with bowfin, ranked on nutrient and algae readings.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Depth	Species
1	Murray Lake	Kent	MI	-	29
2	Clear Lake	Jackson	MI	34 ft	17
3	Bass Lake	Leelanau	MI	-	13
4	Clear Lake	Ogemaw	MI	50 ft	16
5	Wall Lake	Barry	MI	36 ft	18
6	Pickerel Lake	Kalkaska	MI	72 ft	29
7	Bass Lake	Livingston	MI	73 ft	2
8	Bass Lake	Montcalm	MI	28 ft	13
9	Jordan Lake	Barry	MI	-	23
10	Portage Lake	Jackson	MI	40 ft	34
11	Lake Oakland	Oakland	MI	64 ft	1
12	Clear Lake	Oakland	MI	-	16
13	Whitmore Lake	Livingston	MI	69 ft	1
14	Diamond Lake	Newaygo	MI	25 ft	25
15	Paw Paw Lake	Hillsdale	MI	-	4
16	Paw Paw Lake	Kalamazoo	MI	50 ft	4
17	Diamond Lake	Osceola	MI	60 ft	25
18	Burt Lake	Cheboygan	MI	73 ft	33
19	Pickerel Lake	Emmet	MI	74 ft	22
20	Donnell Lake	Cass	MI	-	26

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have bowfin?

Bowfin are documented in 20 lakes: 20 in Michigan.

What are the best lakes for bowfin?

The best bowfin lakes by water quality are Murray Lake, Clear Lake, Bass Lake, Clear Lake, Wall Lake. These lakes carry the lowest nutrient and algae readings among all lakes where bowfin have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with bowfin?

Bowfin are most commonly found alongside bluegill, bluntnose minnow, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, iowa darter. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Bowfin Lakes

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 17 lakes · 1,550 total

Bluntnose Minnow Lakes

Found together in 15 lakes · 160 total

Pumpkinseed Lakes

Found together in 13 lakes · 1,328 total

Brown Bullhead Lakes

Found together in 12 lakes · 861 total

Iowa Darter Lakes

Found together in 12 lakes · 126 total

Largemouth Bass Lakes

Found together in 12 lakes · 2,489 total

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality readings from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys. Species profiles are general reference; always check current state regulations before fishing.