Fish Iowa - Lakes, Ponds, and Reservoirs

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About Central Park Lake

Surface Area (acres): 24.00
Maximum Depth (feet): 16.7 ft. (2018)
Motoring Restrictions: Electric motors only
See below for additional location-specific regulations

Location

County: Jones
Description: Constructed lake
Coordinates: 42.11171194, -91.13883507

Nearby Parks

Wapsipinicon State Park

Amenities

Amenities at Central Park Lake include:

Boat Access
Fishing Jetty
Accessible Pier
Boat Rental
Picnic Area
Beach
Trails
Accessible Facilities
Playground
Restrooms
Camping
Good/Excellent Shorefishing
Hard Surface Boat Ramp

What to Fish For

Fishing Report

Ice Condition: Not Recommended
Water Temperature (°F):
Ramp Condition: Not applicable
Comments: ~1" of ice there is an open hole from waterfowl. Last updated on 12/03/2025

- No recent fish updates found

Fishing Summary

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Popular Fish Species

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 .

Where to Go

View Map (.pdf)

Explore the full Fishing Atlas

Stocking and Management

Stocking

9/26/23 - 6,500 Redear Sunfish (3)
10/4/23 - 555 Channel Catfish (8.3)
09/30/2021 - 435 Channel Catfish (9)
09/05/2019 - 7,336 Redear Sunfish (1.4)
06/07/2018 - 1,680 Largemouth Bass (1.6)
06/05/2018 - 4,050 Bluegill (4)

Management

2025 - Stocking-Black Crappie: 3-5" fish were bought and stocked by Jones CCB
2022 - Vegetation-Treatment: 3 to 4 month treatment utilizing systemic herbicide to limit brittle naiad seed production.
2022 - Vegetation-Treatment: 3 to 4 month treatment utilizing systemic herbicide to limit brittle naiad seed production.
2021 - Vegetation-Treatment: 3 to 4 month treatment using systemic herbicide SonarOne for control of brittle naiad.
2020 - Vegetation-Treatment: Brittle naiad management project that treated whole lake for 3 to 4 months with a whole lake system herbicide SonarOne.
2019 - Vegetation-Treatment: Spot treatments in vegetation management zones as directed by management plan. Reward and Cide Kick II used for this treatment.
2019 - Vegetation-Treatment: Spot treatment of brittle naiad utilizing contract herbicide and surfactant.
2018 - Exotic Species-Vegetation: Brittle Naiad reported
2013 - Watershed-Activities: New septic systems (tanks and fields) were installed at the dump station, shower building, campground and rangers residence.
2012 - Watershed-Activities: The lake watershed assessment has been completed. A new waste water system for the Park is completed, with two more wetland pond to be constructed this spring. The County Conservation Board has a final draft design for a whole park restoration proj

Regulations and Who to Talk To

Motoring Restrictions

Motoring Restrictions: Electric motors only

Contacts for this Location

Lucas Dever, Conservation Officer (Jones); 319-480-0397; Lucas.Dever@dnr.iowa.gov
Chris Mack, Fisheries Biologist; 3193508093; chris.mack@dnr.iowa.gov

Fishing Regulations

The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit. Familiarize yourself with the complete Fishing Regulations here: Iowa DNR Fishing Regulations and Laws.

Black Crappie

Season: Continuous
Daily Bag Limit: combined black and white crappie, 25 fish
Possession Limit: unlimited
Length Limit: none
Other: No daily limit on private waters

Bluegill

Season: Continuous
Daily Bag Limit: 25 fish
Possession Limit: unlimited
Length Limit: none
Other: No daily limit on private waters

Channel Catfish

Season: Continuous
Daily Bag Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 8 fish
Possession Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 30 fish
Length Limit: none
Other:

Largemouth Bass

Season: Continuous
Daily Bag Limit: combined black bass, 3 fish
Possession Limit: combined black bass, 6 fish
Length Limit: 15-inch minimum
Other:

Fish Iowa - Lakes, Ponds, and Reservoirs - Central Park Lake