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Prairie Rose Lake

General Information

County: Shelby
Location: 8 miles southeast of Harlan
Acres: 196.10
Maximum Depth: 25 ft. (2015)
Motoring Restrictions: No Size Limit at No Wake

Nearby Parks

Prairie Rose State Park

Amenities

Amenities at Prairie Rose Lake include:
  • Boat Access
  • Fishing Jetty
  • Picnic Area
  • Beach
  • Trails
  • Accessible Facilities
  • Playground
  • Restrooms
  • Camping
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing
  • Hard Surface Boat Ramp
  • Accessible Shoreline
  • Fish Cleaning Station

We will start building ice next week. Be safe and check ice often when venturing out for the first time. For information on lakes in the Cold Springs District call (712) 769-2587
Prairie Rose has provided excellent ice fishing since the renovation. This winter will be no exception with large bluegill and a decent crappie population.
Black Crappie - No Report:
Bluegill - No Report:
Channel Catfish - No Report:
Largemouth Bass - No Report:

Lake Maps

Download Printable Lake Map
Download Printable Fishing Structures Map

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

  • 09/27/2021 - 2,506 Channel Catfish (9.5)
  • 07/18/2020 - 9,628 Walleye (3.8)
  • 09/23/2019 - 2,411 Channel Catfish (9.4)
  • 05/03/2019 - 220,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • 05/07/2018 - 346,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • 9/14/2017 - 2,000 Channel Catfish (7.4")
  • 4/26/2017 - 222,800 Walleye (fry)
  • 09/09/2015 - 2,411 Channel Catfish (8")

  • Brittle Naiad
  • 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:
  • 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:

The fishery at Prairie Rose Lake is really good now 10 years past the 2012 lake restoration effort. The Largemouth Bass are 13 to 15-inches with some quality size 20-inch fish. This is a high density population so expect to do a lot of catch and release bass fishing. The bluegill population has quality 8- to 10-inch bluegills in good numbers. Black Crappies average 10-inches. Look for crappies around the rocks reefs in early May and bluegills on the beds in late May/June. Harvestable size channel catfish are also available in the lake. The quality of the fish in Prairie Rose makes this a great fishing destination.(2022)

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.