Fish Iowa - Lakes, Ponds, and Reservoirs

Lakes, Ponds, and Reservoirs DNR Homepage

About Crystal Lake

Surface Area (acres): 264.00
Maximum Depth (feet): 18.6 ft. (2021 - 18.6 feet)
Motoring Restrictions: none
See below for additional location-specific regulations

Location

County: Hancock
Description: Crystal
Coordinates: 43.22880270, -93.79118247

Nearby Parks

- No results found

Amenities

Amenities at Crystal Lake include:

Boat Access
Fishing Jetty
Picnic Area
Beach
Trails
Playground
Restrooms
Camping
Hard Surface Boat Ramp
Accessible Shoreline
Fish Cleaning Station

What to Fish For

Fishing Report

Ice conditions are variable across northcentral Iowa lakes. Avoid areas around pressure cracks, points, and reefs. For additional information, contact the Clear Lake Fish Management Office at 641-357-3517.

Aeration system is operating near the boat ramp. Avoid crossing the pressure ridges that have developed variable ice conditions.

Bluegill - Fair: Fish small jigs with insect larvae in the deeper dredge cuts.

Black Crappie - Fair: Small spoons and minnows fished in 10 to 16 foot of water is the best technique. Crappie action has been sporatic with the best opportunity happening at sunset or just after dark.

Popular Fish Species

Fishing Forecast

Crappie population is excellent with decent sized fish up to 11 inches. Walleye population has a couple age classes with the largest sized fish around 14-15 inches. Black Bullhead population is good with 9-10 inch fish available. Largemouth Bass population has improved since the 2021 summer kill.(2024)

Consumption Guidelines

Iowa-Caught Fish Are Safe to Eat, In Almost All Cases

In nearly all cases, Iowa fish are safe to eat. Cleaning and/or preparing the meal causes most of the problems regarding taste or color of fish. Like all living creatures, fish are susceptible to diseases, parasites, and other naturally occurring conditions in the water. If you suspect your fish is affected by any of these conditions, do not eat it. Consider eating smaller and younger fish which usually have lower levels of contaminants than larger ones. Most contaminants accumulate in larger, older fish. For additional information, check out our resources for eating and cooking Iowa caught fish.

To learn more about fish tissue monitoring, visit our Fish Tissue Monitoring page .

Where to Go

Printable Map (PDF)

Explore the full Fishing Atlas

Stocking and Management

Stocking

9/15/22 - 2,602 Channel Catfish (8.6)
6/3/22 - 1,446 Northern Pike (1.8)
5/9/22 - 606,475 Walleye (Fry)
4/22/22 - 96,655 Northern Pike (Fry)
10/11/2021 - 3,565 Walleye (4.7)
10/06/2021 - 60,000 Bluegill (2)
10/05/2021 - 1,337 Largemouth Bass (3.8)
04/08/2021 - 63,331 Northern Pike (Fry)
09/15/2020 - 1,658 Channel Catfish (8)
07/16/2020 - 10,000 Walleye (1.8)
05/13/2019 - 1,436 Northern Pike (1.22)
09/17/2018 - 1,580 Channel Catfish (8.4)
07/05/2018 - 2,645 Walleye (2.59)
06/04/2018 - 1,330 Northern Pike (2.7)
5/23/2017 - 1,330 Northern Pike (2.4")
spring 2016 - 4,410 Northern Pike (2.1")
fall 2016 - 1,580 Channel Catfish (9.3")
7/22/16 - 3,519 Walleye (3.2")
7/21/16 - 3,519 Walleye (3.2")
10/5/16 - 2,731 Walleye (4.5")
10/18/16 - 2,702 Largemouth Bass (4")
11/03/2015 - 2,601 Walleye (8")
10/22/2015 - 300 Largemouth Bass (11")
10/13/2015 - 4,026 Walleye (6")
10/01/2015 - 130,000 Bluegill (1.2")
10/01/2015 - 2,304 Channel Catfish (8")
05/18/2015 - 1,320 Northern Pike (2.9")

Management

2025 - Water Sampling-Dissolved Oxygen: Winter dissolved oxygen monitoring. Sample taken in 8 feet of water. 13.0 ppm
2024 - Vegetation-Treatment: Under the ice whole lake treatment with Sonar A.S 6 gal 76 oz.
2024 - Water Sampling-Dissolved Oxygen: Winter dissolved oxygen monitoring. Sample taken in 9 feet of water. 12.5 ppm
2024 - Vegetation-Treatment: whole lake treatment bump for POCR3 after ice out
2024 - Vegetation-Treatment: A bump of Sonar was added after two low Fastest's. 2 gallons + 52 ounces was applied.
2024 - Vegetation-Treatment: Management of POCR3 prior to ice conditions. This is the second year using Sonar (A.S.) in the winter with an application rate of 5 ppb.
2024 - Vegetation-Treatment: 5 ppb treatment to control POCR3 prior to ice up conditions.
2024 - Vegetation-Treatment: 5 ppb treatment to control POCR3 prior to ice up conditions.
2023 - Water Sampling-Dissolved Oxygen: Winter dissolved oxygen monitoring. Reading taken north of Woden blacktop fishing jetty in 8 feet.
2023 - Vegetation-Treatment: POCR3 herbicide treatment subsurface with Tribune and Cide Kick II.
2022 - Water Sampling-Dissolved Oxygen: Winter dissolved oxygen monitoring. Reading taken north of Woden blacktop fishing jetty in 9 feet.
2021 - Water Sampling-Dissolved Oxygen: Winter dissolved oxygen monitoring. Reading taken north of Woden blacktop fishing jetty in 8'.
2021 - Water Sampling-Dissolved Oxygen: Winter dissolved oxygen monitoring. Reading taken north of Woden blacktop fishing jetty in 8'.
2021 - Morphology-Maximum Depth: 18.6 feet
2021 - Morphology-Mean Depth: 7.4 feet
2021 - Morphology-Lake Volume: 1943.3 acre-feet
2021 - Fish Kills-Algae Bloom: A large fish kill event happened in early July. A heavy algae bloom developed after the Curly-leaf Pondweed died back. Good numbers of small Black Crappie survived, but all species were influenced by the fish kill.
2021 - Aeration-Maintenance: A pipe repair clamp was used to cover 3 prop cuts in the aeration air line. The line had floated up due to lost weights. The repaired line was weighted and sunk back to the bottom substrate.
2021 - Vegetation-Treatment: Treated curlyleaf pondweed around boat ramp, jetties and beach.
2020 - Water Sampling-Dissolved Oxygen: Winter dissolved oxygen monitoring. Reading taken north of Woden blacktop fishing jetty in 8'.
2020 - Vegetation-Treatment: Treated Eurasian watermilfoil with whole lake herbicide.
2019 - Exotic Species-Mussels: Zebra Mussels discovered on a monitoring plate sampler hanging from the courtesy dock.
2019 - Ramp-Maintenance: New concrete approach added to both lanes of the boat ramp. This was a water recreation access grant project.
2019 - Vegetation-Treatment: Treated Eurasian watermilfoil and curlyleaf pondweed in lane from ramp to dredge cut. Used Reward at labeled rate.
2018 - Exotic Species-Vegetation: Eurasian Milfoil discovered during fall high water event while cleaning vegetation from fish barrier.
2017 - Ramp-Maintenance: added armor-flex mats to both lanes of ramps. Done to prevent boaters from backing into scour holes. $15,500 project
2017 - Vegetation-Treatment: Treated the boat ramp, jetties, and beach with Reward for curly-leaf pondweed control
2016 - Water Sampling-Dissolved Oxygen: winter monitoring results
2015 - Vegetation-Treatment: Treated 5 acres of curly leaf pondweed with Reward.
2015 - Fish Cleaning Station-Fish Cleaning Station: No electricity or fresh water available. Cleaning table with hand pump for lake water.
2011 - Dredging-Other: Mechanical dredging with a backhoe was used to deepen the area around the boat ramp to improve access to the lake.

Regulations and Who to Talk To

Motoring Restrictions

Motoring Restrictions: none

Contacts for this Location

Ben Bergman, Conservation Officer; 641-425-0823; Ben.Bergman@dnr.iowa.gov
Scott Grummer, Fisheries Biologist; 641-357-3517; Scott.Grummer@dnr.iowa.gov

Fishing Regulations

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:

Fish Iowa - Lakes, Ponds, and Reservoirs - Crystal Lake