| Most area lakes have 14 or more inches of ice, but many lakes still have areas of open water that have persisted throughout the winter. Permanent Ice shelters must be removed from lakes and state property beginning February 20th unless occupied overnight. The Walleye season on the IGL's is now closed until May 3rd. For the most up to date information, call 712-330-2542 |
| The lake still has a handful of areas that are open or have just frozen over recently, most of which are on the northern most basin. There is around 16 inches of ice or more in most areas. The Walleye season is currently closed. |
| Bluegill - Good: |
| Yellow Perch - Good: Many fish have been observed, but sorting will most likely be needed. |
| Black Crappie - Good: |
| Largemouth Bass - Fair: |
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)
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 .