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Union Grove Lake

General Information

County: Tama
Location: 4 miles South of Gladbrook
Acres: 100.00
Maximum Depth: 20 ft. (2017)
Motoring Restrictions: No Size Limit at No Wake

Nearby Parks

Union Grove State Park

Amenities

Amenities at Union Grove Lake include:
  • Boat Access
  • Fishing Jetty
  • Picnic Area
  • Beach
  • Restrooms
  • Camping
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing
  • Hard Surface Boat Ramp
  • Accessible Shoreline

For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.
The west boat ramp dock has been removed for the year.
Bluegill - Fair: Fish have moved offshore and are near the bottom.

Lake Maps

Download Printable Lake Map
Download Printable Fishing Structures Map

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

  • 09/14/2021 - 2,065 Channel Catfish (8.8)
  • 03/19/2020 - 100,000 Bluegill (2)
  • 10/01/2019 - 1,400 Channel Catfish (9.6)
  • 09/05/2019 - 29,544 Redear Sunfish (1.4)
  • fall 2018 - 4,404 Channel Catfish (8.4)
  • 5/8/2017 - 165 Black Crappie (7" - 9")
  • 5/11/2017 - 355 Black Crappie (7" - 9")
  • 6/7/16 - 10,000 Channel Catfish (1.8")
  • 5/5/16 - 14,000 Bluegill (Fingerling)
  • 10/11/16 - 1,113 Channel Catfish (9.3")
  • 09/17/2014 - 1,402 Channel Catfish (8")

  • 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.
  • 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:
  • 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
  • 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.
  • Yellow Bass
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Yellow Bullhead
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: unlimited
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:

The lake is planned to be renovated starting after Memorial Day. The lake will be drawn down, shorelines deepened and rocked, the bottom dredged, fish habitat placed, and fish eliminated and eventually restocked at the completion of the project. The presence of yellow bass and abundance of common carp are the reason for removing fish. Anglers will still have the upcoming spring to fish. Bluegill numbers are moderate with many 6- to 8-inch fish. Crappie numbers are good with most 8- to 9-inches. Largemouth bass numbers are fair and most are 11- to 14-inches.(2015)

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.