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Pink and orange afterglow over the treeline on Slim Lake after sunset

Michigan Bowfin Record 2026: 14 lb

The Michigan state record bowfin weighed 14 lb and measured 35 inches. It was caught in 1981 from Crooked Lake in Livingston County, and the Michigan DNR still recognizes it as the state mark 45 years later.

Weight
14 lb
Length
35 in
Year set
1981
45 years standing
Water
Crooked Lake
Livingston County

Where the record came from

The record came from Crooked Lake in Livingston County. It has no water-quality readings on this site: the lake index covers standing lakes with EPA Water Quality Portal samples, which leaves out rivers and tributaries, Great Lakes water, and smaller ponds that are rarely sampled. Browse the Michigan lakes with readings instead.

How it ranks inside Michigan

12 of Michigan's 20 standing records are heavier than the 14 lb bowfin — unsurprising, since record weight tracks species size more than anything about the water. 11 Michigan records have stood longer, the bowfin mark dating to 1981.

Michigan lakes that hold bowfin

18 Michigan lakes are documented to hold bowfin, ranked here on nutrient and algae readings.

Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township — Kent CountyClear Lake East Basin; Waterloo Township — Jackson CountyBass Lake — Leelanau CountyPortage Lake South Basin; Dexter Township — Washtenaw CountyBass Lake — Livingston CountyBass Lake — Montcalm CountyWhitmore Lake — Livingston CountyWall Lake — Barry County

All Michigan bowfin lakes →

Other Michigan records

Walleye 17 lb 3 ozSauger 6 lb 9 ozNorthern Pike 39 lbMuskellunge 58 lbLargemouth Bass 11 lb 15 ozSmallmouth Bass 9 lb 15 ozLake Trout 61 lb 8 ozBrown Trout 41 lb 7 ozRainbow Trout 26 lb 8 ozBrook Trout 9 lb 8 ozChinook Salmon 47 lb 14 ozCoho Salmon 30 lb 9 ozChannel Catfish 40 lbFlathead Catfish 52 lbBlack Crappie 4 lb 2 ozBluegill 2 lb 12 ozYellow Perch 3 lb 12 ozLake Sturgeon 193 lbCommon Carp 61 lb 8 oz

All 20 Michigan state records in one table →

Record compiled from the official Michigan DNR angling records. Updated 2026. New records are certified year-round — check the agency page before treating any figure here as the current mark. LakeQuality is independent and not affiliated with the Michigan DNR.