US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsNorthwood · Strafford, New Hampshire — NH Fish & Game Inland Fisheries Division (Concord headquarters).
Source: NH Fish & Game NH Freshwater Fishing Guide layer (2026; depth/area/trophic from NHDES). Depth map: NHFG bathymetry map (PDF).
The red circle marks Bow Lake.
Towns and counties: NHFG, NHDES and U.S. Census town boundaries (shore towns found by overlaying the lake outline).
As of 2026-10-10. Check the official source before you go.
Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.
Shoreline: NHDES Lake Information Mapper lake outline (NH hydrography data). State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: NH Access Sites to Public Waters (NH OPD / NHFG). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (43.2489, -71.1802). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Bow Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.
Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.
NHDES keeps an ice-in / ice-out record for Bow Lake. See the NHDES ice-out dates for Bow Lake.
We link to the record instead of copying it here; check the NHDES page for this year's date.
★ = stocked in 2026. Species list from NHFG Fishing Guide codes: RT, BT, SMB, LMB, ECP, BBH, WP, AE, YP (names decoded by us; NHFG does not publish the legend with the layer). NHFG fishery type: Cold/Warm.
4 stocking trips in 2026, 3,200 fish in total.
| Date | Species | Fish | Lbs | Hatchery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 15, 2026 | Brown trout (1+ yr) | 250 | 100 | Milford |
| Apr 15, 2026 | Rainbow trout (1+ yr) | 1,350 | 964 | Milford |
| May 6, 2026 | Brown trout (1+ yr) | 250 | 96 | Milford |
| May 6, 2026 | Rainbow trout (1+ yr) | 1,350 | 480 | Milford |
NHFG Fish Stocking (2026) feature service · NHFG stocking report
Pulled Oct 10, 2026.
Statewide general rules Bow Lake is not listed as a Lake Trout/Salmon Lake or Trout Pond in the 2026 Digest, so New Hampshire's general lake & pond rules apply to the species found here.
| Species | Season & limits (general rules) |
|---|---|
| Trout | Open water (ice-out to ice-in): 5 fish or 5 lb/day, no length limit. Through the ice: 2/day |
| Black bass | Jan 1–May 14: 2/day · May 15–Jun 15: catch-and-release, artificial lures & flies only · Jun 16–Dec 31: 5/day |
| Chain pickerel | no closed season, 10/day |
| Perch, crappie, sunfish & horned pout | no closed season, 25/day each, 50 total |
2026 NH Freshwater Fishing Digest: Lakes & Ponds General Rules · Lakes & Ponds with Special Rules
Summary only. Check the current Digest before you fish. As of Oct 10, 2026.
4 public access sites listed, 1 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.
| Site | Town | Owner | Type | Parking | Fee | Uses | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bow Lake Boat Ramp | Strafford | Town - Strafford (RTPW) | Ramp · Concrete log ramp | — | Fee | Boating Park at Bow Lake Village; Access: Limited | 43.2406, -71.1554 |
| Bennett Bridge Beach | Northwood | Town - Northwood | Beach | Gravel | Residents only | Swimming Town residents only; Access: Limited | 43.2384, -71.1943 |
| Bow Lake Beach | Strafford | State (Town leases) | Beach · dock | Gravel | Fee | Fishing, Boating, Swimming, Picnic, Restrooms Access: Limited | 43.2413, -71.1527 |
| Mary Waldron Park | Northwood | Town - Northwood | Beach/Ramp · Gravel ramp | Gravel | Residents only | Boating, Swimming, Picnic Town residents only; Access: Limited | 43.2423, -71.1992 |
NH Access Sites to Public Waters (NH OPD / NHFG)
Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.
NH State Police Marine Patrol, Restricted Bodies of Water
These are the restrictions listed for this water. Statewide boating laws (RSA 270, Saf-C 400) also apply. As of Oct 10, 2026.
None documented NHDES lists no known invasive species in Bow Lake.
NHDES Lake Information Mapper · RSA 487:16-d · RSA 487:16-c
As of Oct 10, 2026.
Check before you swim: the NHDES Healthy Swimming Mapper is updated daily. NHDES history: cyanobacteria notices for Bow Lake. If you see a bloom, stay out of the water, keep pets out, and report it to NHDES.
| Trophic class | Mesotrophic (moderate nutrients) |
| Water quality class | Class B (NH surface water classification) |
| NHDES lake surveys | 1978, 1989, 2004, 2008 |
| Fish consumption | NHDES mercury report for Bow Lake |
Straight-line distance between lake centers. All New Hampshire lakes & ponds · All waters in Northwood