Give your mom the perfect Mother’s Day gift – time with you. Get away for a few hours or stay the whole weekend.
Here's our top picks of fishing spots perfect for celebrating your mom this weekend or any day.
- Green Valley State Park north of Creston – spend a fun family day casting for 14- to 18-inch bass, 6- to 8-inch bluegill, 7- to 9-inch crappies and 12- to 15-inch walleye—some top 20 inches. Enjoy a picnic, walk lakeside trails, swim or rent a pine log cabin.
- Lake Macbride State Park – hook family memories catching bluegill, walleye, channel catfish and crappie. Easy access to limestone shores, numerous fishing jetties and a handicapped accessible fishing pier. Multi-use trails wind for miles around the lake. Pontoon, motorboat, canoe, paddle boat or kayak rentals.
- Lake Ahquabi State Park – a great family destination south of Indianola. A fishing pier, jetties and trails provide access to bluegill, redear sunfish and crappie. Rent a canoe, kayak or stand up paddleboard. Explore the nearby Annett Nature Center or attend outdoor events at the Izaak Walton League clubhouse.
- Black Hawk Lake – two campgrounds make for a perfect family getaway. Keep kids busy catching lots of largemouth bass. Great spring and early summer walleye fishing. Fun playground and new splash pad in Speaker Park, across the street from the lake. Miles of hiking trails within walking distance.
- Backbone State Park – unique experiences for all ages: trout fishing, cabins and camping, paddling and rugged trail hikes. Explore clear, cold-water Richmond Springs with easy trails. Keeper brook and rainbow trout stocked weekly April through October. Easy lake access for small bluegill, crappie, largemouth and white sucker.
