Fish Iowa - Lakes, Ponds, and Reservoirs - Avenue of the Saints Pond

Fishing Forecast

The fishery in Avenue of the Saints Lake continues to decline due to water quality challenges caused by hyper-eutrophic conditions and summer algae blooms. A fisheries electrofishing survey in spring of 2024 revealed the fishery is currently dominated by small bullhead and crappie, summer fish kill events are not uncommon.(2025)

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 .