| Area water temperatures are in the upper 70s to mid 80s. Most fish species have finished spawning and have moved off beds towards deeper waters. Most lakes are above crest level. Panfishing has continued to be very good even with the higher temps. For the most up to date information, call 712-330-2542 |
| Black Bullhead - Good: Many quality sized fish can be caught just off shore. |
| Walleye - Fair: The bite has been hit or miss. |
Silver Lake is a 1,065-acre lake located near Lake Park in Dickinson County, Iowa. Maximum depth is 9.4 feet. An electrofishing survey was conducted over three days (June 2, June 4, and June 5, 2025) as part of the Iowa DNR comprehensive survey protocol. Black Bullheads were highly abundant (121.8 fish/hour) and should offer great angling opportunities in Silver Lake. Black Bullhead length averaged 11.8 inches and ranged from 9.2 to 13.9 inches in the electrofishing survey. Black Bullhead weight averaged 1.2 pounds and ranged from 0.6 to 1.8 pounds. Mean relative weight of Black Bullheads was 112, indicating that the average fish had a healthy weight relative to its length. Yellow Bass were moderately abundant in the electrofishing survey (28.9 fish/hour) and should provide decent angling opportunities in Silver Lake. Yellow Bass length averaged 6.9 inches and ranged from 4.1 to an impressive 12 inches. Yellow Bass weight averaged 0.6 pounds and ranged from 0.1 to 1.0 pounds. Mean relative weight of Yellow Bass was 98, indicating that the average fish had a fairly healthy weight relative to its length. Fish species observed in low abundance in the electrofishing survey included Bluegill (N = 5, length range = 5.7–9.1 inches, weight range = 0.4–0.9 pounds), Channel Catfish (N = 1, length = 15.3 inches), Common Carp (N = 3, length range = 28.4–29.3 inches, weight range = 11.8–12.3 pounds), Largemouth Bass (N = 1, length = 14.2 inches), Spottail Shiner (N = 1, length = 3.7 inches), Walleye (N = 3, length range = 7.9–17.8 inches, weight range = 0.2–2.0 pounds), White Bass (N = 5, length range = 14.7–15.9 inches, weight range = 1.2–1.6 pounds), Yellow Bullhead (N = 10, length range = 9.7–12.8 inches, weight range = 0.6–1.4 pounds), and Yellow Perch (N = 1, length = 5.8 inches). Overall, the electrofishing sample was dominated by Black Bullheads, which are present in high abundance and should represent a large portion of angler catch. A hoop-net survey was conducted at Silver Lake between June 24 and July 3, 2025 as part of the Iowa DNR comprehensive survey protocol. Overall, the hoop-net survey confirmed fish community trends observed in the electrofishing survey. The takeaway for anglers is straightforward: Silver Lake is a great destination for anglers interested in catching Black or Yellow Bullheads. As in the electrofishing survey, Black Bullheads were highly abundant in hoop nets (N = 620 total, 62/series-night) and represented more than 84% of the fish captured with this gear type. Black Bullhead length averaged 11.3 inches and ranged from 0.8 to 13.6 inches in the hoop-net survey. Black Bullhead weight averaged 1.0 pounds and ranged from 0.6 to 1.8 pounds. Mean relative weight of Black Bullheads was 112. Yellow Bullheads were abundant in hoop nets (10/series-night). Yellow Bullhead length averaged 10.7 inches and ranged from 7.9 to 13.7 inches. Yellow Bullhead weight averaged 0.7 pounds and ranged from 0.3 to 1.7 pounds. Mean relative weight of Yellow Bullheads was 101. Fish species observed in low abundance in the hoop-net survey included Black Crappie (N = 2, length range = 8.1–8.4 inches, weight range = 0.32–0.34 pounds), Bluegill (N = 1, length = 10.3 inches, weight = 1.1 pounds), Brown Bullhead (N = 1, length = 13.3 inches, weight = 1.6 pounds), Channel Catfish (N = 4, length range = 15.5–27.1 inches, weight range = 1.3–9.0 pounds), Common Carp (N = 1, length = 28.2 inches, weight = 12.0 pounds), Freshwater Drum (N = 3, length range = 7.5–19.1 inches, weight range = 0.2–3.1 pounds), Walleye (N = 2, length range = 11.9–17.5 inches, weight range = 0.5–1.7 pounds), and Yellow Perch (N = 4, length range = 9.4–10.3 inches, weight range = 0.3–0.7 pounds). Importantly, the lone Bluegill observed in the hoop-net survey was a very large individual that would have qualified for an Iowa Master Angler award. All Yellow Perch sampled in hoop nets were large individuals that may provide a unique angling opportunity. An additional Silver Lake fish survey is planned for fall 2025. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about Iowa’s fisheries, please contact Andrew Carlson, Fisheries Biologist, at andrew.carlson@dnr.iowa.gov or (712) 330-3706.(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 .