bowfin (dogfish) Lakes in Minnesota, Wisconsin & Michigan

Other SpeciesFound in 634 lakes

bowfin (dogfish) is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 634 lakes carry documentation. bowfin (dogfish) is widely distributed: 634 lakes in Minnesota. That breadth means anglers across most of the coverage area can find a documented bowfin (dogfish) lake within a reasonable drive.

Rough-fish-dominant lakes are worth checking the grade on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the bowfin (dogfish) lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and bowfin (dogfish) documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

634

Total Lakes

634

Minnesota lakes →

Avg. Grade

49 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of bowfin (dogfish) Lakes

210

33%

173

27%

121

19%

14%

Best bowfin (dogfish) Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with bowfin (dogfish) ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	East Fox Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	65 ft	15
2	North Long Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	97 ft	18
3	Long Lake	Becker	MN	A	61 ft	16
4	Long Lake	Itasca	MN	A	85 ft	12
5	Ossawinnamakee Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	63 ft	18
6	Clear Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	63 ft	15
7	West Fox Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	55 ft	15
8	Spearhead Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	81 ft	17
9	Ida Lake	Douglas	MN	A	106 ft	19
10	Star Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	94 ft	17
11	Upper Maple Lake	Wright	MN	A	76 ft	15
12	Fish Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	69 ft	17
13	Girl Lake	Cass	MN	A	81 ft	18
14	Little Toad Lake	Becker	MN	A	65 ft	15
15	Bass Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	47 ft	14
16	Crooked Lake	Stearns	MN	A	35 ft	10
17	Crooked Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	54 ft	16
18	Cedar Lake	Morrison	MN	A	88 ft	14
19	Pelican Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	55 ft	20
20	Big Pine Lake	Aitkin	MN	A	78 ft	15
21	Alexander Lake	Morrison	MN	A	64 ft	19
22	Gull Lake	Cass	MN	A	80 ft	22
23	Lower Hay Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	100 ft	21
24	Latoka Lake	Douglas	MN	A	108 ft	16
25	Unnamed Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	95 ft	17
26	Maple Lake	Itasca	MN	A	39 ft	13
27	Trout Lake	Itasca	MN	A	135 ft	15
28	Cowdry Lake	Douglas	MN	A	52 ft	19
29	Andrusia Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	60 ft	21
30	Big Mcdonald Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	46 ft	15
31	Island Lake	Cass	MN	A	45 ft	12
32	Island Lake	Becker	MN	A	38 ft	15
33	Island Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	76 ft	19
34	Island Lake	Cass	MN	A	40 ft	13
35	Island Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	32 ft	13
36	Island Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	36 ft	9
37	Lizzie Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	66 ft	21
38	Rice Lake	Itasca	MN	A	68 ft	14
39	Pokegama Lake	Itasca	MN	A	112 ft	19
40	George Lake	Kandiyohi	MN	A	34 ft	15
41	Ox Yoke Lake	Cass	MN	A	42 ft	13
42	West Battle Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	108 ft	17
43	Kimball Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	77 ft	16
44	West Sylvia Lake	Wright	MN	A	97 ft	15
45	Serpent Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	65 ft	17
46	Hand Lake	Cass	MN	A	57 ft	15
47	Miltona Lake	Douglas	MN	A	105 ft	19
48	Hatch Lake	Itasca	MN	A	88 ft	15
49	Stuart Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	49 ft	14
50	Mina Lake	Douglas	MN	A	123 ft	18

Showing top 50 of 634 lakes with bowfin (dogfish).

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have bowfin (dogfish)?

bowfin (dogfish) are found in 634 graded lakes: 634 in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of lakes with bowfin (dogfish) is C (Fair).

What are the best lakes for bowfin (dogfish)?

The best bowfin (dogfish) lakes by water quality are East Fox Lake, North Long Lake, Long Lake, Long Lake, Ossawinnamakee Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where bowfin (dogfish) have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with bowfin (dogfish)?

bowfin (dogfish) are most commonly found alongside bluegill, northern pike, black crappie, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in bowfin (dogfish) Lakes

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 633 lakes · 240 total

Northern pike Lakes

Found together in 632 lakes · 99 total

Black Crappie Lakes

Found together in 629 lakes · 41 total

Largemouth bass Lakes

Found together in 621 lakes · 172 total

Pumpkinseed Lakes

Found together in 614 lakes · 145 total

Yellow bullhead Lakes

Found together in 613 lakes · 78 total

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.