Bowen

Bowen Lake (DOW # 11-0350, Lake Class 31) is 176-acres with a maximum depth of 25 feet and 49 littoral acres (less than 15 feet deep) located one mile southeast of Backus, Minnesota. Bowen Lake is on the Pine River a state Water Trail Canoe Route. There is a Minnesota DNR-owned public access on the south shore a half mile east of State Highway 371. The DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Bowen Lake is in Lake Class 31. Lakes in this class are generally clear, moderately productive, and moderately deep. Other area lakes in this classification include Child (DOW# 11-0263, Lake Class 31), Widow (DOW# 11-0273, Lake Class 31), and Five Point Lake (DOW# 11-0351, Lake Class 31). Bowen Lake is primarily managed for Bluegill, Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass and Walleye with secondary management species being Northern Pike, Tullibee (Cisco) and Yellow Perch. Bluegill abundance is moderate and met the management goal. Bluegill lengths ranged from 4 to 9 inches with many quality-sized fish present. Black Crappie were sampled in low numbers with lengths ranging from 10 to 12 inches. Past surveys have sampled low numbers of Largemouth Bass, but none were caught in 2024. Walleye abundance was below the management goal of four fish per gillnet despite fry stocking. Lengths ranged from 7-28 inches with an average length of 15 inches. Northern Pike are abundant exceeding the maximum management goal. Sampled Northern Pike averaged 21 inches long with fish 13 to 28 inches present. Anglers are encouraged to harvest the abundant Northern Pike less than 22 inches long in this lake. Yellow Perch are abundant meeting the management goal; sizes are generally small with few fish 8 inches or longer sampled. Other fish species found in 2024 were Bowfin (Dogfish), Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Rock Bass, White Sucker and Yellow Bullhead. People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Bowen lake is listed as infested with Starry Stonewort an aquatic invasive species (AIS) which was discovered in 2022 at the access site. AIS are moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters, and lake shore owners and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local natural resource office. Additional information on all of these topics can be found on the DNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Walker Area Fisheries office.

A targeted survey of the nearshore and littoral fish community, as well as coldwater habitat, in Bowen Lake was conducted by Fisheries Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff from 23-24 August 2022. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 15-foot or 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all ten sites with three sites sampled from the boat due to deep water and dense wild rice and lilies. A 50-foot seine was used to sample four sites, a 15-foot seine was used at four sites, and soft sediments with abundant vegetation and deep water prevented the use of seines at two sampling sites. Nearshore sampling captured 23 native species of fish including eight species that are intolerant of disturbance (Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Logperch, Mimic Shiner, Pugnose Shiner, and Rock Bass) and no species that are tolerant of disturbance. A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted on 23-24 August 2022 by IBI Program Staff. Eight trap nets were set along the shoreline that encompassed multiple habitat types. Yellow Perch and Bluegill comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number and White Sucker, Bluegill, and Northern Pike comprised a majority of the catch by biomass. The number of Bluegill sampled per net was near but above the 25% quartile for similar Lake Class 31 lakes and the average length was 6.1 inches, with 37% over 7 inches. The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a July 2019 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., Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow, and 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. A temperature-dissolved oxygen profile was collected in the deepest basin on Bowen Lake on August 8th, 2022, to evaluate the amount of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee. Based on the profile, the top of the thermocline (i.e., the location in the water column with the sharpest transition from warm to cold water) occurred at approximately 19 feet. Dissolved oxygen decreased to below 3.0 mg/L at 12.2 feet, which was above the thermocline, at the time of sampling. The temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to below 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 22.2°C (72.0°F). A TDO3 value warmer than 21.5°C indicates that oxythermal conditions are stressful for Cisco. Low dissolved oxygen concentrations (less than 3 mg/L) near the thermocline and warm surface temperatures would limit Cisco distribution within the water column. Data collected in 1967 further indicates poor oxythermal habitat. When inadequate oxythermal habitat is available, Cisco are squeezed into unfavorable, warmer water conditions and experience higher levels of stress. Results from this survey indicate that the warmwater fish community in Bowen Lake is in good health as indicated by an exceptionally high FIBI score above the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. However, the TDO3 value indicated coldwater habitat conditions were stressful and not favorable to support Cisco at the time of the survey. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community, and the coldwater habitat, to the Pine River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

A targeted survey was conducted on Bowen Lake on July 10, 2019 by Fisheries Lake Index of Biological Integrity (FIBI) program staff. Sampling methods targeted nearshore, small-bodied fish and included seining and backpack electrofishing. Sampling stations were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at ten sampling stations, with three sites surveyed from the boat due to deep water and soft substrate. A 50-foot seine was used to sample four stations, a 15-foot seine was used at three stations, and a substantial community of wild rice and soft substrates prevented the use of seines at three sampling sites. Nearshore sampling captured 19 native species of fish including five species that are intolerant of habitat disturbance (Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass). Data from this targeted survey is combined with data from a standard gill net and trap net survey conducted during the same week to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. Fish community diversity and composition metrics 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 Bowen Lake is healthy as indicated by an exceptionally high 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 Pine River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Northern Pike, Walleye, Black Crappie, Rock Bass, and Bluegill in Bowen. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Minnesota DNR records list public access for Bowen. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.

Bowen has a maximum depth of 25 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Bowen is from 2024.

Yes — Bowen has confirmed starry stonewort and zebra mussel. Clean, drain, and dry your equipment to avoid spreading invasives to other waters.