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East Okoboji Lake

Amenities

Amenities at East Okoboji Lake include:
  • Boat Access
  • Accessible Pier
  • Boat Rental
  • Picnic Area
  • Beach
  • Trails
  • Accessible Facilities
  • Playground
  • Restrooms
  • Camping
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing
  • Hard Surface Boat Ramp

Most lakes are now completely frozen over and have good access at ramp locations. Most area lakes have 7 or more inches of ice, but many of the larger lakes have holes that have frozen over more recently. Recent snows have covered some of these recently frozen areas making it difficult to differentiate. Check ice often when going out.
The lake fully ice covered with around 8 inches of ice in most areas. There was a large open hole on the lower basin straight out from Bridges Bay as well as an open area on the northern most basin that have frozen over only more recently.
Black Crappie - Good:
Bluegill - Good: Many fish have been observed and easily catchable around functional docks.
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Fish are currently a little ways off shore, but some can still be found around docks and other structure.
Yellow Perch - Good: Many fish have been observed, but sorting will most likely be needed.

Lake Maps

Download Printable Lake Map

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

  • November 2022 - 7,913 Walleye (9)
  • 9/23/22 - 19,163 Walleye (7.1)
  • 9/14/22 - 1,000 Channel Catfish (8.6)
  • 5/8/22 - 6,657,701 Walleye (Fry)
  • May 2021 - 7,612,364 Walleye (Fry)
  • Fall 2021 - 57,259 Walleye (4.72)
  • 06/21/2021 - 295 Muskellunge (15.1)
  • May 2020 - 4,680,708 Walleye (Fry)
  • 09/15/2020 - 9,037 Walleye (6.5)
  • 09/10/2020 - 1,001 Channel Catfish (8.1)
  • 06/23/2020 - 295 Muskellunge (13.5)
  • 05/13/2020 - 122 Muskellunge (13.3)
  • October 2019 - 6,589 Walleye (9.1)
  • May 2019 - 7,242,750 Walleye (Fry)
  • 08/31/2019 - 21,093 Walleye (6.05)
  • 06/24/2019 - 386 Muskellunge (11.8)
  • 10/08/2018 - 1,003 Channel Catfish (8.3)
  • 05/16/2018 - 7,769,991 Walleye (Fry)
  • 9/28/2017 - 9,632 Walleye (7.6")
  • 5/4/2017 - 535,000 Walleye (fry)
  • 5/2/2017 - 300,000 Walleye (fry)
  • 5/1/2017 - 6,200,000 Walleye (fry)
  • 10/30/2017 - 667 Walleye (9")
  • 10/30/2017 - 2,922 Walleye (8.9")
  • 10/23/2017 - 1,029 Walleye (9")
  • fall 2016 - 4,585 Walleye (10.0")
  • 9/28/16 - 9,621 Walleye (7.1")
  • 5/3/16 - 8,585,911 Walleye (Fry)
  • 10/29/2015 - 1,956 Walleye (8")
  • 09/24/2015 - 9,627 Walleye (8")
  • 04/29/2015 - 10,682,093 Walleye (Fry)
  • annual 2014 - 7,504,242 Walleye (Fry)
  • 10/30/2014 - 5,498 Walleye (8")
  • 09/15/2014 - 9,176 Walleye (7")
  • 09/09/2014 - 4,483 Channel Catfish (8")

  • Curlyleaf Pondweed
  • Eurasian Watermilfoil
  • Zebra Mussel

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
  • Brown Bullhead
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: unlimited
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • 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.
  • 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:
  • Muskellunge
    • Season: Open from May 21 - November 30
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined: muskellunge and tiger muskellunge, 1 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined: muskellunge and tiger muskellunge, 1 fish
    • Length Limit: 40-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
  • Pumpkinseed
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: No daily limit on private waters
  • Smallmouth Bass
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined black bass, 3 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined black bass, 6 fish
    • Length Limit: 15-inch minimum
    • Other:
  • Walleye
    • Season: May 7, 2022 through Feb. 14, 2023
    • 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:
  • 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:
  • Yellow Perch
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: 50 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:

Good numbers of angler acceptable size yellow perch are currently present in East Okoboji Lake. Continued good growth throughout the summer 2019 will result in numbers of larger acceptable sized fish during the fall 2019 and winter 2019 – 2020 seasons. The untapped channel catfish population is present in good numbers in East Okoboji Lake and will provide excellent angling throughout the upcoming fishing season. Persistence and patience will produce nice catches dominated by angler acceptable size bluegill, black and white crappie. Continued good growth of these fish throughout the summer will result in good numbers of acceptable size fish for the following angling season. Anglers will continue to enjoy excellent yellow bass angling on East Okoboji Lake. Currently large numbers of angler acceptable size fish exists in the lake. (2019)

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.