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Saylorville Reservoir

General Information

County: Polk
Location: North edge of Des Moines
Acres: 4970.00
Maximum Depth: 44 ft. (1987 - 836 MSL)
Motoring Restrictions: none

Nearby Parks

Big Creek State Park

Amenities

Amenities at Saylorville Reservoir 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

No recent updates

Lake Maps

Download Printable Lake Map
Download Printable Fishing Structures Map

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

  • May 2022 - 10,179,200 Walleye (Fry)
  • 6/3/22 - 31,928 Northern Pike (1.8)
  • 6/16/22 - 110,210 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.3)
  • 5/19/22 - 1,500,000 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (Fry)
  • May 2021 - 1,500,000 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (Fry)
  • 06/22/2021 - 114,972 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.3)
  • 05/04/2021 - 3,765,963 Walleye (Fry)
  • 05/04/2021 - 4,358,158 Walleye (Fry)
  • May 2020 - 9,554,712 Walleye (Fry)
  • 05/19/2020 - 780,000 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (Fry)
  • 04/14/2020 - 375,375 Northern Pike (Fry)
  • May 2019 - 10,153,011 Walleye (Fry)
  • 07/12/2019 - 10,632 Muskellunge (4.22)
  • 06/18/2019 - 114,362 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.6)
  • 05/30/2019 - 12,863 Northern Pike (2.05)
  • 05/03/2019 - 46,019 Northern Pike (Fry)
  • 04/24/2019 - 1,000,000 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (Fry)
  • 07/03/2018 - 23,429 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.81)
  • 06/27/2018 - 117,760 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.64)
  • 06/07/2018 - 10,383 Largemouth Bass (1.6)
  • 06/05/2018 - 60,023 Northern Pike (2.7)
  • 05/16/2018 - 5,066,538 Walleye (Fry)
  • 05/08/2018 - 100,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • 05/08/2018 - 5,000,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • 7/31/2017 - 1,200 Muskellunge (6")
  • 7/11/2017 - 7,632 Largemouth Bass (1.7")
  • 7/11/2017 - 9,270 Muskellunge (4.3")
  • 6/30/2017 - 18,989 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (2")
  • 6/23/2017 - 110,829 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.8")
  • 5/19/2017 - 60,004 Northern Pike (2.2")
  • 5/11/2017 - 68,104 Northern Pike (1.6")
  • 4/27/2017 - 11,034,000 Walleye (fry)
  • spring 2016 - 49,345 Northern Pike (2.2")
  • 6/22/2016 - 245,673 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.4")
  • 6/16/2016 - 51,024 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.4")
  • 5/4/16 - 1,000,000 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (Fry)
  • 5/11/16 - 500,000 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (Fry)
  • 4/5/16 - 405,000 Northern Pike (Fry)
  • 4/29/16 - 102,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • 4/29/16 - 104,500 Walleye (Fry)
  • 4/27/16 - 11,900,917 Walleye (Fry)
  • 07/07/2015 - 15,827 Muskellunge (4.5")
  • 06/23/2015 - 20,000 Largemouth Bass (2")
  • 06/19/2015 - 31,226 Muskellunge (4.0")
  • 06/16/2015 - 188,102 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.5")
  • 05/21/2015 - 18,123 Northern Pike (4.2")
  • 05/20/2015 - 41,607 Northern Pike (2.9")
  • 05/12/2015 - 50,000 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (Fry)
  • 05/12/2015 - 850,000 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (Fry)
  • 05/05/2015 - 50,000 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (Fry)
  • 05/05/2015 - 650,000 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (Fry)
  • 04/30/2015 - 100,000 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (Fry)
  • 04/28/2015 - 10,000,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • annual 2014 - 195,440 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (2")
  • annual 2014 - 209,599 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (Fry)
  • annual 2014 - 2,100,000 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (Fry)
  • 08/14/2014 - 73,125 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (2")
  • 06/24/2014 - 76,500 Largemouth Bass (2")
  • 06/13/2014 - 12,097 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (2")
  • 06/02/2014 - 29,874 Northern Pike (2-3")
  • 05/12/2014 - 76,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • 05/12/2014 - 78,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • 05/09/2014 - 7,000,000 Walleye (Fry)

  • Zebra Mussel

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

  • Bigmouth Buffalo
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Black Bullhead
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: unlimited
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Black Crappie
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined black and white crappie, 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Bluegill
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Channel Catfish
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 15 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, 15 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 30 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Freshwater Drum
    • 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.
  • 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
    • Daily Bag Limit: 3 fish
    • Possession Limit: 6 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Quillback
    • 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.
  • Shorthead redhorse
    • 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.
  • Smallmouth Buffalo
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • 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 Bass
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • 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:
  • White Sucker
    • 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.

A netting survey in 2021 found Black Crappies ranging in size from 6.5- to 11-inches. White Crappies are a little larger with most 7.5- to 12.5-inches. Bluegills were found to be larger than expected with many fish from 6.5- to 8-inches. White Bass and Hybrid Striped Bass were not surveyed in 2021, but are present in good numbers and provide one of the most popular groups of fish to target during the summer. White Bass in Saylorville typically are 8-to 12-inches. Encounters with Hybrid Striped Bass over 25 inches are possible. A decent Largemouth Bass population is present. In past surveys, decent groups of 8-to 13-inch and 15- to 17.5-inch fish were observed. Saylorville is a good spot to catch larger Channel Catfish. Channel Catfish are consistently found in good numbers and size. Sizes observed in 2021 were from 8- to 30.5-inches.(2021)

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.