Bow Lake

Bow Lake covers 1,145.8 acres in Strafford County, New Hampshire. The recorded maximum depth at the reservoir is 70 feet. The documented storage volume is about 14,933 acre-feet.

The reservoir supports a varied fishing plan built around smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and yellow perch. At this Bow fishery, its size, depth and exact basin shape matter because those fish do not use the same water in the same season.

What Makes Bow Lake Different

The reservoir is a 1,145.8-acre lake with a 70-foot basin, rocky structure and broad protected coves. Its outlet begins the Isinglass River, connecting the lake to the larger Cocheco River system.

Brown and rainbow trout are separately stocked. The reported community also includes both bass species, pickerel, white and yellow perch, pumpkinseed, bullheads and American eel.

Fish and Baits at Bow Lake

Fish reported from the reservoir include american eel, brown bullhead, brown trout, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, white perch, and yellow perch. Stocking also supports brown trout and rainbow trout already reported from the reservoir. On this 1,145.8-acre Bow basin, stocking describes management activity at the reservoir; it does not guarantee those fish at every spot or on every trip.

Bass

For Bow in Strafford County, largemouth bass in the reservoir can be searched with a spinnerbait before a Texas-rigged worm is worked through the best cover. At this Bow fishery, rocky points on the reservoir suit a grub, tube or compact crankbait when smallmouth are the target.

Crappie, Perch and Sunfish

For sunfish at this 1,145.8-acre Bow basin, keep a cricket or tiny jig close to weed edges and shaded wood. For yellow perch at Bow in Strafford County, work a light jig slowly along the first firm-bottom break.

Walleye and Larger Predators

At this Bow fishery, chain pickerel in the reservoir can be found with spoons, spinnerbaits and small swimbaits along vegetation.

Catfish, Bullheads and Carp

On this 1,145.8-acre Bow basin, brown bullheads in the reservoir are best approached with a worm or small piece of cut bait on bottom.

Trout

For rainbow trout and brown trout in the reservoir, use a small spoon, inline spinner, trout magnet or natural bait on light line. For Bow in Strafford County, trout often move from shallow spring water toward cooler or deeper water in the reservoir as temperatures rise.

Reading the Water at Bow Lake

At this Bow fishery, the reservoir has enough depth for fish to separate by temperature and forage. On this 1,145.8-acre Bow basin, identify the working band instead of treating the deepest basin as the automatic target. For Bow in Strafford County, change lure depth before abandoning a promising point or break.

How the Seasons Change Bow Lake

At this Bow fishery, spring at the reservoir favors warming coves, feeder mouths and protected spawning banks. On this 1,145.8-acre Bow basin, once summer heat settles over the reservoir, work the deepest active cover instead of assuming every fish has moved to the bottom. For Bow in Strafford County, windblown points on the reservoir become worth checking when autumn baitfish move shallow.

A Practical Plan for Fishing Bow Lake

Use small spoons around cool breaks for trout, tubes on rock for smallmouth and worms around protected plants for largemouth. Perch take light jigs, while eel and bullheads call for natural bait near bottom.

Useful Tackle for Bow Lake

At this Bow fishery, a medium spinning rod with 8- to 10-pound line handles jigs, small crankbaits and live-bait rigs on the reservoir. On this 1,145.8-acre Bow basin, a medium-heavy rod with 12- to 15-pound line covers bass jigs and bottom rigs at the reservoir.

How to Narrow Down Bow Lake

For Bow in Strafford County, compare incoming water, a channel bend and the first point toward the dam. At this Bow fishery, if water level or current has changed, move with the active edge instead of casting at cover that no longer has useful depth.

Bow Lake FAQs

Which river begins at Bow Lake’s outlet?

Water leaving the lake forms the Isinglass River.

Which Bow Lake trout are separately stocked?

Brown trout and rainbow trout appear in current stocking information.

Which unusual reported fish favors a bottom-oriented approach?

American eel is documented and is best matched with natural bait near bottom after dark.