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Crystal Lake

General Information

County: Hancock
Location: north edge of Crystal Lake
Acres: 264.00
Maximum Depth: 18.6 ft. (2021 - 18.6 feet)
Motoring Restrictions: none

Nearby Parks

Amenities

Amenities at Crystal Lake include:
  • Boat Access
  • Fishing Jetty
  • Picnic Area
  • Beach
  • Trails
  • Playground
  • Restrooms
  • Camping
  • Hard Surface Boat Ramp
  • Accessible Shoreline
  • Fish Cleaning Station

For information on the lakes and rivers in north central Iowa, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
Black Crappie - Fair: Drift fish or troll small jigs in the dredge cut.
Bluegill - Slow: Fish a jig tipped with a piece of crawler near vegetation.
The courtesy docks have been removed for the season.
Walleye - Slow: Fish near the vegetation edge and along the old roadbed.

Lake Maps

Download Printable Lake Map

You can zoom in on the map for bathymetric information for some lakes

  • 9/15/22 - 2,602 Channel Catfish (8.6)
  • 6/3/22 - 1,446 Northern Pike (1.8)
  • 5/9/22 - 606,475 Walleye (Fry)
  • 4/22/22 - 96,655 Northern Pike (Fry)
  • 10/11/2021 - 3,565 Walleye (4.7)
  • 10/06/2021 - 60,000 Bluegill (2)
  • 10/05/2021 - 1,337 Largemouth Bass (3.8)
  • 04/08/2021 - 63,331 Northern Pike (Fry)
  • 09/15/2020 - 1,658 Channel Catfish (8)
  • 07/16/2020 - 10,000 Walleye (1.8)
  • 05/13/2019 - 1,436 Northern Pike (1.22)
  • 09/17/2018 - 1,580 Channel Catfish (8.4)
  • 07/05/2018 - 2,645 Walleye (2.59)
  • 06/04/2018 - 1,330 Northern Pike (2.7)
  • 5/23/2017 - 1,330 Northern Pike (2.4")
  • spring 2016 - 4,410 Northern Pike (2.1")
  • fall 2016 - 1,580 Channel Catfish (9.3")
  • 7/22/16 - 3,519 Walleye (3.2")
  • 7/21/16 - 3,519 Walleye (3.2")
  • 10/5/16 - 2,731 Walleye (4.5")
  • 10/18/16 - 2,702 Largemouth Bass (4")
  • 11/03/2015 - 2,601 Walleye (8")
  • 10/22/2015 - 300 Largemouth Bass (11")
  • 10/13/2015 - 4,026 Walleye (6")
  • 10/01/2015 - 130,000 Bluegill (1.2")
  • 10/01/2015 - 2,304 Channel Catfish (8")
  • 05/18/2015 - 1,320 Northern Pike (2.9")
  • 09/19/2014 - 822 Northern Pike (10")
  • 09/18/2014 - 1,645 Channel Catfish (8")
  • 07/31/2014 - 5,455 Walleye (2-3")
  • 06/03/2014 - 1,398 Northern Pike (2-3")

  • Curlyleaf Pondweed
  • Eurasian Watermilfoil
  • Zebra Mussel

The Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit.

  • Black Crappie
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined black and white crappie, 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: No daily limit on private waters
  • Bluegill
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: No daily limit on private waters
  • Channel Catfish
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 8 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 30 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Except for border lakes
  • Largemouth Bass
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined black bass, 3 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined black bass, 6 fish
    • Length Limit: 15-inch minimum
    • Other:
  • Northern Pike
    • Season: Continuous, except for boundary lakes
    • Daily Bag Limit: 3 fish
    • Possession Limit: 6 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Except for border lakes
  • Walleye
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined walleye, sauger and saugeye; 5 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined walleye, sauger and saugeye; 10 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:

Crappie population is excellent with decent sized fish up to 11 inches. Walleye population has a couple age classes with the largest sized fish around 14-15 inches. Black Bullhead population is good with 9-10 inch fish available. Largemouth Bass population has improved since the 2021 summer kill.(2024)

Tip: Click the arrow in the lower right corner to view the Fish Survey Data tool in full-screen mode.

Contacts

Iowa-Caught Fish Are Safe to Eat, In Almost All Cases

The vast majority of Iowa’s streams, rivers and lakes offer safe and high-quality fish that pose little or no threat to human health if consumed. Some limitations may apply for young children and pregnant women. Here’s a Fish Consumption Fact Sheet from the Iowa DNR and the Iowa Dept. of Public Health for more information.