Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
General Information
County: Buena Vista
Location: south edge of Storm Lake
Acres: 3097.00
Maximum Depth: 20.3 ft. (2018)
Motoring Restrictions: none
Nearby Parks
Amenities
Amenities at Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake) include:
- Boat Access
- Fishing Jetty
- Accessible Pier
- Boat Rental
- Picnic Area
- Beach
- Trails
- Accessible Facilities
- Playground
- Restrooms
- Camping
- Concessions
- Good/Excellent Shorefishing
- Hard Surface Boat Ramp
- Accessible Shoreline
- Fish Cleaning Station
| The near shore bite has been fair to good. Water temperatures continue to cool down. Most ramp docks have been removed. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638. |
| Walleye - Slow: Anglers have been picking up some walleye from shore. The Chautauqua Jetty and Frank Starr Park attract a lot of walleye in the evenings. If there is flow coming through the inlet it is also worth fishing there. |
| Water levels are below crest. |
- October 2022 - 26,040 Walleye (8.8)
- May 2022 - 14,707,993 Walleye (Fry)
- 9/27/22 - 3,096 Channel Catfish (9.3)
- October 2021 - 33,169 Walleye (4.7)
- May 2021 - 15,925,909 Walleye (Fry)
- October 2020 - 21,363 Walleye (8.4)
- 09/16/2020 - 7,000 Walleye (6.5)
- 09/09/2020 - 3,096 Channel Catfish (8)
- 05/03/2020 - 11,837,975 Walleye (Fry)
- October 2019 - 15,500 Walleye (9.3)
- May 2019 - 14,054,850 Walleye (Fry)
- 10/25/2018 - 12,376 Walleye (9.7)
- 10/12/2018 - 1,265 Walleye (6.7)
- 10/02/2018 - 3,098 Channel Catfish (8.2)
- 05/18/2018 - 7,935,110 Walleye (Fry)
- 05/11/2018 - 8,000,000 Walleye (Fry)
- 4/28/2017 - 5,000,780 Walleye (fry)
- 4/26/2017 - 10,503,532 Walleye (fry)
- 11/6/2017 - 3,157 Walleye (9.3")
- 11/1/2017 - 748 Walleye (9")
- 11/1/2017 - 2,216 Walleye (9")
- 10/30/2017 - 3,878 Walleye (8.9")
- spring 2016 - 19,781,500 Walleye (Fry)
- fall 2016 - 3,097 Channel Catfish (9.1")
- fall 2016 - 15,482 Walleye (9.6")
- 10/19/2015 - 15,511 Walleye (8")
- 04/27/2015 - 16,106,958 Walleye (Fry)
- annual 2014 - 15,534 Walleye (8")
- annual 2014 - 15,134,545 Walleye (Fry)
- 09/18/2014 - 3,000 Channel Catfish (8")
- Rusty Crawfish
- 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 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
- 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
- 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.
- Walleye
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: 3 fish
- Possession Limit: 6 fish
- Length Limit: all 19 to 25-inch walleyes must be immediately released alive
- Other: No more than one walleye longer than 25 inches may be taken per day
- White 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:
There is a strong year class of 21 to 23 inch walleye. These fish are protected by the slot regulation until 22.1 inches, but should provide fun catch and release fishing. Target the shorelines and rocky points where the wind is blowing in throughout April. Popular (and publicly accessible) shore fishing spots include the east shore from the boat ramp at Sunset Park on north to King’s Pointe, and the north shore from the Chautauqua jetty working westward along the high bank. Into May and early June anglers have better success fishing from boats. Trolling crank baits and slow death rigs are among the most popular methods. Target the dredge cuts (new and old) and troll across the points on the southern part of the lake including, Stoney, Schaller and Cassino. Channel catfish numbers are strong with many of the fish ranging from 2 to 5 pounds. Fish windy shorelines after ice out, target rock piles in June, and drift fish later in the summer. The size structure of the white bass population has improved and anglers can expect to find many white bass over 14 inches. White bass are commonly caught while targeting walleye, but anglers can look for baitfish breaking the surface on calm evenings in the summer and cast into those areas to target white bass.(2020)
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.