- No recent updates found
Harold Getty Lake (formerly Mitchell Lake) supports populations of bluegill, largemouth bass, crappie and channel catfish. Bluegill and crappie reproduction is good with limited recruitment to larger sizes. Bluegills top out at about 6-7 inches and crappies top out at about 9-inches. Largemouth bass reproduction and recruitment is very good and survey data showed multiple year classes of bass. Growth and recruitment of channel catfish is also good. Harold Getty is connected to the Cedar River during flood flows, so common carp, freshwater drum, yellow bass, walleye, flathead catfish and white bass are occasionally caught. Harold Getty Lake has good shore access and a hard surface boat ramp.(2025)
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 .