Five Island Lake
General Information
County: Palo Alto
Location: north edge of Emmetsburg
Acres: 973.00
Maximum Depth: 26.1 ft. (2015)
Motoring Restrictions: none
Nearby Parks
Amenities
Amenities at Five Island Lake include:
- Boat Access
- Accessible Pier
- Picnic Area
- Beach
- Accessible Facilities
- Playground
- Restrooms
- Camping
- Good/Excellent Shorefishing
- Hard Surface Boat Ramp
- Accessible Shoreline
- October 2022 - 7,503 Walleye (8.9)
- 5/5/22 - 1,255,093 Walleye (Fry)
- November 2021 - 7,500 Walleye (9)
- 05/05/2021 - 943,600 Walleye (Fry)
- 09/23/2020 - 10,368 Walleye (6.1)
- 06/05/2019 - 227 Largemouth Bass (15)
- 05/06/2019 - 996,300 Walleye (Fry)
- 10/23/2018 - 11,075 Walleye (5.1)
- 07/12/2018 - 15,030 Walleye (2.86)
- 05/14/2018 - 919,495 Walleye (Fry)
- 5/3/2017 - 908,000 Walleye (fry)
- 11/7/2017 - 1,309 Walleye (9.3")
- 11/2/2017 - 3,678 Walleye (9")
- 10/26/2017 - 1,954 Walleye (9")
- 9/21/16 - 5,706 Channel Catfish (9.1")
- 4/28/16 - 954,500 Walleye (Fry)
- 10/5/2016 - 15,007 Walleye (4.4")
- 11/04/2015 - 4,000 Walleye (8")
- 10/13/2015 - 15,033 Walleye (6")
- 04/27/2015 - 486,000 Walleye (Fry)
- annual 2014 - 30,294 Walleye (6")
No known aquatic invasive species have been found
The
Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit.
- 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: 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:
- 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 Bullhead
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: unlimited
- Possession Limit: unlimited
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- Yellow Perch
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: 25 fish
- Possession Limit: 50 fish
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
Good walleye angling will continue at Five Island Lake, with many year classes to sustain the fishery for the next few years. Walleye anglers will continue to catch numbers of quality (15- to 19.9-inch) size fish with preferred (> 20.0 inch) size fish not uncommon in the catch. Some stock (10- to 14.9-inches) size fish from this size group will be angler acceptable and contribute to the overall catch.
Anglers will note the numbers of quality (8- to 9.9-inch) size crappie, mostly black crappie in the catch; persistence and patience will be rewarded with larger angler acceptable size fish in the creel. Continued good black crappie growth will provide an upswing to the fishery for the next few years.
Anglers will continue to catch high numbers of yellow bass from Five Island Lake with anglers noting the increase in the size of fish harvested.
Opportunities to harvest numbers of good sized channel catfish from Five Island Lake for the upcoming 2018 season. Abundant areas on the lake for shore anglers to explore and find those secret hot spots. Use traditional baits for “cats” but, don’t overlook live bait such as nightcrawlers. With this versatile bait you may end the day with a multi species catch.
(2018)
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.