| As of February 19, lakes and ponds in Central Iowa had 6-11 inches of ice. Ice is more variable south of Interstate 80. For information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers contact Ben Dodd at 641-891-3795 or Andy Otting at 515-204-5885. |
| As of February 19 Ada Hayden had 10 to 11 inches of ice. |
| Rainbow Trout - Fair: Trout were stocked through the ice on January 30. Catch trout with jigging spoons or panfish jigs tipped with waxworms. Trout at Ada Hayden typically school within 20 to 30 yards from shore during ice cover. |
Sampling in 2022 showed Bluegills from 3- to just under 8-inches. Most Bluegill were 5- to 7-inches. The most common sizes of Largemouth Bass surveyed were 9- to 10.5-inches and 12- to 14-inches with fish up to 16.5-inches. Larger bass over 18-inches are present, but were not captured during the surveys. White and Black Crappies were surveyed. The Black Crappies were mostly 6.5- to 9-inches with some up to 11.5-inches. The largest White Crappies were 9- to 10-inches. There is a good group of 20.5- to 22-inch Hybrid Striped Bass and a younger group of 14.5- to 15.5-inch fish following them. Ada Hayden has a quality Channel Catfish population with sizes surveyed from 10- to 23-inches. A unique trout fishery exists as fall and winter stocked Rainbow Trout are surviving and growing year round. Trout are most often caught in the spring, fall and winter when water temperatures are below 70 degrees. Other species present in lower numbers that can provide the occasional catch include Walleye and Yellow perch.(2022)
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 .