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Bullhead Lake News
updated June 12, 2022. The temporary panfish limits rule that went into effect April 1, 2016 applies through March 31, 2026. The initial 5-year evaluation period ended March 31, 2022… Temporary Panfish Rule in Effect through 2026
Click on the maps to enlarge. Bathymetric Map Courtesy of and Copyright Sportsman’s Connection, based on Wisconsin DNR data. Watershed map courtesy of Manitowoc County Soil and Water Conservation Department. New! Zoom in even closer with this new interactive watershed mapping tool.
MCLA Lake Director: Ron Gerrits
Lake Association website: bullheadlake.com
Directions: County Highway JJ, Town of Rockland. Take County Highway JJ West from Manitowoc, through the un-incorporated area of Collins. Continue West on County Highway JJ approximately 3 miles. Driveway on the East side of the road.
About Bullhead Lake
Lake Health
- 2022 Condition: Poor/Eutrophic read more
Recreation
- Features: Parking for 30 car/trailer units. Boat ramp, port-a-pier and toilet building. Picnic table and grill. No lighting.
- Boat Ramp: Concrete ramp, 4% slope, 3 ft launch depth, boarding dock.
- Launch Fee: The daily fee is $5 and the seasonal fee is $20.
- ADA Accessibility Features: Yes. The boarding dock, and route of travel to it, is ADA accessible.
- Restrictions: 5 mph max, no wake, motorboats and water skiing restrictions posted.
Wisconsin boating handbook - Manitowoc County Map and Photos:
https://manitowoccountywi.gov/departments/parks/lake-access/bullhead-lake/ - Notes: One of the best fish populations in Manitowoc County. The positive effect of shoreland zoning is evident as one travels by boat.
Statistics
- Surface Area: 70 acres
- Depth: Max 40′, Mean 13′
- Bottom: 10% sand, 50% gravel, 0% rock, 40% muck
- Shorelength: 1.3 mi
- Lake type: Deep seepage (no inlet or outlet), stratified. What does this mean?
- Lat/Long: 44° 6′ 9.46″ N / 88° 2’25.31″ W
Aquatic Invasive Species Threats:
- Verified: Banded Mystery Snail (2009), Curly-Leaf Pondweed (2003), Eurasian Water-Milfoil (2005), Giant hogweed (2009).
Fishing
- Fish present: Stocked with yearling yellow perch in 2022. Northern pike, largemouth bass, and panfish common. Walleye rare.
Regulations
- Open All Year:
- Panfish: 15/5 Seasonal. This limit is in effect through 2026.
May 1–June 30: Daily bag limit is 15; only 5 of any one species.
July 1–April 30: Daily bag limit is 25.
No minimum length limit.
Panfish fact sheet - Catfish: Bag limit 10. No min length.
- Panfish: 15/5 Seasonal. This limit is in effect through 2026.
- Open May 6, 2023 – March 3, 2024:
- Largemouth/smallmouth bass: 14″ Limit 5.
- Northern Pike: 26″ Limit 2.
- Walleye: 15″ Limit 5.
- Motor Trolling is allowed with up to 3 hooks, baits, or lures, per angler.
- View Bullhead Lake fishing regulations on DNR website and familiarize yourself with Wisconsin fishing with the WDNR Hook & Line Guide
- Consumption Advisory: General Manitowoc County/Mercury. Click here.
Stocking and DNR Surveys
- Bullhead Lake Comprehensive Survey 2017 [PDF] (archived copy on MCLA website)
- Bullhead Lake Fish Survey 2011 [PDF] (archived copy on MCLA website)
- Comprehensive Survey of Bullhead Lake 1999 [PDF] (on WI-DNR website)
| DNR Species Summary (2017) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April Fyke Netting | April 25 Electroshocking | May 24 Electroshocking | |||||||||
| species | Number | Length range (in.) | Ave. length (in.) | Number | Length range (in.) | Ave. length (in.) | Number | Length range (in.) | Ave. length (in.) | ||
| Walleye | 2 | 20.6-23.5 | 22.1 | 0 | – | – | 0 | – | – | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 100 | 3.3-20.7 | 11.5 | 100 | 5.6-16.7 | 13 | 130 | 5.6-17.5 | 12.1 | ||
| Northern Pike | 94 | 16.1-31.1 | 22.2 | 4 | 18.2-25.6 | 22.3 | 4 | 21.6-26.7 | 23.4 | ||
| Bluegill | 888 | 3.3-9.6 | 6.4 | 47 | 2.6-8.3 | 6 | |||||
| Yellow Perch | 58 | 4.7-10.6 | 6.6 | 2 | 4.4-4.7 | 4.6 | |||||
| Black Crappie | 86 | 4.5-11.4 | 7.9 | 4 | 7.8-9.7 | 8.4 | 5 | 3-9 | 6.1 | ||
| Brown Bullhead | 194 | 7.6-14.7 | 11.6 | 2 | 11-13.3 | 12.2 | |||||
| Common Carp | 1 | – | – | ||||||||
| Total | 1422 | 108 | 191 | ||||||||
DNR Conclusions from 2017 Survey:
- Largemouth Bass were the most abundant gamefish captured; growth below statewide averages.
- Northern Pike were commonly captured; population appears to be increasing.
- Walleye were infrequently captured despite ongoing stocking efforts.
- Bluegill were the most common fish and panfish captured. Growth is at or above statewide averages, could indicate that angler harvest is cropping off large fish.
- Recommend conducting a full comprehensive fish survey every ten years, with a Bass/Panfish survey in between.
- Recommend working with DNR staff, Manitowoc County Soil and Water, MCLA, the Bullhead Lake Association and local residents to monitor water quality and make changes in the watershed to improve water quality.
- Recommend encouraging the Bullhead Lake Association and shoreline owners to improve nearshore fish habitat by incorporating woody debris in their landscape.
| DNR Fish Stocking Data | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Species | Strain | Age Class | Number Stocked | Average Length (inches) |
| 2022 | YELLOW PERCH | UNSPECIFIED | YEARLING | 465 | 7.5 |
| 2019 | WALLEYE | ROCK-FOX | SMALL FINGERLING | 4,633 | 1.80 |
| 2017 | WALLEYE | MISSISSIPPI HEADWATERS | SMALL FINGERLING | 2,432 | 1.70 |
| 2015 | WALLEYE | LAKE MICHIGAN | SMALL FINGERLING | 1,504 | 1.70 |
| 2013 | WALLEYE | MISSISSIPPI HEADWATERS | SMALL FINGERLING | 2,340 | 2.00 |
| 2011 | WALLEYE | LAKE MICHIGAN | SMALL FINGERLING | 2,570 | 1.90 |
| View more history at DNR Fisheries Management | |||||
Condition: POOR (2022) Source
- 2019 Update on Condition of Bullhead Lake by Ron Gerrits
- 5-Year Average Trophic State: 67/Eutrophic
- Secchi Disk: Average summer reading 5.5 ft. (SE Georegion average 6.2 ft.)
Summer (July/Aug) water was reported as MURKY and GREEN. Suggests readings may have been mostly impacted by algae.
Lake monitor volunteers sampled Bullhead Lake 28 different days during the 2022 season.
- Chemistry:
Average summer Chlorophyll 22.5 µg/l (SE Georegion average 24 µg/l).
Average summer total Phosphorus 40.7 µg/l.
May experience noticeable algae blooms.
- Trophic State Index (TSI): 58/Eutrophic. What does this mean?
This suggests decreased clarity, fewer algal species, oxygen-depleted bottom waters during summer, plant overgrowth, warm-water fisheries (pike, perch, bass, etc.) only.
View TSI data graph on the DNR website
Click on the maps to enlarge. Bathymetric Map Courtesy of and Copyright Sportsman’s Connection, based on Wisconsin DNR data. Watershed map courtesy of Manitowoc County Soil and Water Conservation Department. New! Zoom in even closer with this new interactive watershed mapping tool.
What a beautiful sunset photo!