Bower

Bower Lake is a small, bass-panfish lake located in northeast Itasca County in the Mississippi River watershed. The lake has a surface area of 89 acres and a maximum depth of 35 feet. The primary management species are northern pike, largemouth bass, black crappie and bluegill. The northern pike gill-net catch in 2010 was within the expected range at 3.0/net. This catch rate was similar to previous assessments and near the lake management plan goal of 3.5/net. Northern pike size structure was good. Sampled pike ranged from 25.0 to 30.6 inches, with a mean length of 27.3 inches. Ages 3 through 7 were represented in the sample. Mean length-at-age was above the statewide average for ages 3 through 5, and similar to the statewide average for all other ages. Northern pike reached 26.3 inches in 5 years. Largemouth bass had been captured in previous test-nettings, but the lake was specifically sampled for bass with night electrofishing for the first time in 2010. This assessment resulted in a catch rate of 36.8 fish/hour of on-time. This was a moderate catch rate compared to other lakes in the area. Sampled largemouth bass had a relatively good size structure, with fish ranging from 5.7 to 19.1 inches and a mean length of 13.3 inches. Ages 2 through 10 were represented in the sample, with age 5 fish (2005 year class) making up 37% of the sample. Mean length-at-age was below the statewide average for ages 1 through 3, and similar to the statewide average for all other ages. Largemouth bass reached 15.1 inches in 6 years. The gill-net catch for black crappie was within the expected range for this lake class at 3.0/net. The trap-net catch rate for crappie was above the normal range at 7.3/net. This was above the lake management plan goal of 4.0/net. As in previous assessments, black crappie size structure was poor. Only one crappie over 9 inches was captured. Trap-net sampled crappie ranged from 4.1 to 10.1 inches with a mean length of 6.8 inches. Ages 2 and 4 through 9 were represented in the sample, with 60% of fish attributed to the 2005 year class. Mean length-at-age was below the lake class average for all ages. Black crappie took 7 years to reach 8 inches. The trap-net catch rate for bluegill was within the expected range for this lake class at 27.6/net. This catch rate was above the long-term average for the lake and above the management plan goal of 9.0/net. A similar trend of increasing bluegill abundance has been noted in other area lakes in recent years. Size structure was poor with no bluegill over 8 inches captured. Trap-net sampled bluegill ranged from 3.3 to 7.0 inches with a mean length of 4.7 inches. Ages 4 through 10 were represented, with age 4 and 5 fish making up 60% of the sample. Mean length-at-age was below the lake class average for ages 3 through 6, and similar to the lake class average for all other ages. Bluegill took 8 years to reach 6.1 inches. The gill-net catch rate for yellow perch was near the lake class median at 5.8/net. This was an increase from the previous assessment when only three were sampled (0.8/net). Size structure of perch was poor with no fish over 7 inches in the sample. Other species sampled in test nets included pumpkinseed, hybrid sunfish, golden shiner, white sucker and yellow bullhead. Near-shore IBI (Index of Biotic Integrity) sampling with a small-mesh seine and back-pack electrofishing was conducted in 2010 in an attempt to capture smaller fishes not normally encountered with standard sampling gear. Additional species captured in near-shore sampling included blackchin shiner, bluntnose minnow, central mudminnow, Johnny darter and tadpole madtom.

Bower Lake is a small bass-panfish lake located in northeast Itasca County. It is an 89 acre lake with 44% of the area less than 15 feet deep. In 1984, the lake was reclaimed to eliminate the fish population that was present at that time with the intent of producing a fishery of only walleye. Fry stocking after the reclamation did produce a modest walleye fishery, however, all species present in the lake prior to the reclamation were sampled in subsequent assessments. Stocking was discontinued in 1994 because of the re-establishment of species previously present and because of low perch abundance. Results of this assessment indicate that yellow perch remain at very low levels, only four were sampled. Walleye are present but in very low numbers. Only one walleye was sampled. Black crappie are abundant, however, they are small. Growth is very slow, well below statewide averages. Most of the crappie sampled were 8 inches in length. Northern pike abundance in this assessment was similar to what was observed in the past. Sampled at 3.5/gill net they varied in length from 18.7-26.8 inches with a mean weight of 2.4 pounds.

The walleye population in Bower Lake, although not high, is still about average for this type of lake. The average length of the walleyes caught in the 1993 assessment was 14.9 inches, and the average weight was 1.3 pounds. Northern pike abundance is also within the range for this type of lake and the fish appear to be of good average size. The average weight of the northern pike caught in the assessment was 3.3 pounds. Bluegill numbers also fall within the expected range for this lake type. The bluegills that were sampled ranged from 2.5 - 8.9 inches and had an average length of 5.5 inches. Yellow perch were also of average abundance and ranged from 5.6 to 9.8 inches long. Black crappies are also present but are hard to sample so it is difficult to say how abundant they are. The black crappies that were sampled ranged from 5.6 to 13.5 inches long.

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

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

Bower has a maximum depth of 35 feet and a mean depth of 20 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Bower is from 2010. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

No invasive species are on record for Bower in Minnesota DNR data. Always clean, drain, and dry your equipment to help keep it that way.