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Three Mile Lake

General Information

County: Union
Location: 3 miles northwest of Afton
Acres: 880.00
Maximum Depth: 47 ft. (2019)
Motoring Restrictions: Inboards & personal watercrafts are prohibited. 9/6/24:Lake level lowered 11 feet

Nearby Parks

Green Valley State Park

Amenities

Amenities at Three Mile Lake include:
  • Boat Access
  • Fishing Jetty
  • Accessible Pier
  • Boat Rental
  • Picnic Area
  • Beach
  • Trails
  • Accessible Facilities
  • Playground
  • Restrooms
  • Camping
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing
  • Hard Surface Boat Ramp
  • Fish Cleaning Station

Most Mount Ayr district lakes are mostly covered with ice with pockets of open water. Ice is not thick enough for fishing. Most docks have been removed from lakes for the winter. For more information, please contact the Mount Ayr Fisheries office at 641-931-6031.
Lake level is currently 11 feet below normal pool. Boat ramp lanes are out of the water at the main boat ramp. Lake is mostly ice covered with pockets of open water on the southern end of the lake.

Lake Maps

Download Printable Lake Map
Download Printable Fishing Structures Map

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

  • October 2022 - 6,162 Walleye (8.9)
  • June 2022 - 17,998 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.4)
  • 5/4/22 - 150,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • 10/5/22 - 10,038 Blue Catfish (6)
  • November 2021 - 4,400 Walleye (8.9)
  • June 2021 - 18,471 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.5)
  • Fall 2021 - 9,962 Blue Catfish (6.7)
  • 04/27/2021 - 50,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • 04/27/2021 - 100,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • October 2020 - 18,432 Blue Catfish (5.5)
  • Fall 2020 - 6,183 Walleye (8.8)
  • 04/24/2020 - 157,350 Walleye (Fry)
  • 10/24/2019 - 4,400 Walleye (9.4)
  • 10/20/2019 - 6,465 Blue Catfish (6.6)
  • 06/25/2019 - 8,814 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.3)
  • 04/30/2019 - 100,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • 10/31/2018 - 7,608 Blue Catfish (8.3)
  • 10/29/2018 - 339 Walleye (8.5)
  • 10/29/2018 - 3,742 Walleye (9.2)
  • 07/03/2018 - 9,314 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.81)
  • 05/07/2018 - 100,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • 7/14/2017 - 35,390 Blue Catfish (3.3")
  • 4/24/2017 - 2,640,000 Walleye (fry)
  • fall 2016 - 8,393 Walleye (9.8")
  • 10/14/16 - 15,913 Blue Catfish (6.8")
  • 10/12/16 - 89,959 Bluegill (1.9")

  • Curlyleaf Pondweed

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:
  • Common Carp
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: May be taken by hand fishing, by snagging, by spear or by bow and arrow, day or night.
  • Flathead 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:
  • Green Sunfish
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • 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:
  • 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:
  • White 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
  • Yellow Bass
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Yellow Perch
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: 50 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:

Spring electrofishing indicated a moderate density of Largemouth Bass in 2022 with bass up to 19 inches available to anglers. Good numbers of Bluegill and Crappie were sampled in 2022. Bluegill up to 9 inches and Black Crappie up to 11 inches are available to anglers. Walleye were sampled in moderate abundance in 2022. Average Walleye size is approximately 16 inches with Walleye up to 27 inches available to anglers. Good numbers of hybrid striped bass were sampled in 2022 with fish up to 22 inches available to anglers. Blue Catfish were sampled in low abundance. The largest Blue Catfish sampled in 2022 was 24 inches, however larger fish are available to anglers.(2022)

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.