Fish Iowa - Lakes, Ponds, and Reservoirs - McKinley Lake


About McKinley Lake

Surface Area (acres): 42.80
Maximum Depth (feet): 4.7 ft. (2022)
Motoring Restrictions: None
See below for additional location-specific regulations

Location

County: Union
Description: in Creston
Coordinates: 41.05308129, -94.38534648

Amenities

Amenities at McKinley Lake include:
  • Picnic Area
  • Accessible Facilities
  • Playground
  • Restrooms
  • Camping
  • Accessible Shoreline
  • Community Fishing Location

Fishing Report

Please contact the local fisheries management biologist for current information.

Fishing Summary

Spring electrofishing indicated good numbers of largemouth bass of all sizes up to 20 inches in length. Good numbers of bluegills were sampled especially in the 5-7 inch length range. Spring electrofishing indicated a moderate abundance of crappies. Most of the crappies were 8-10 inches in length, but crappies exceeding 11 inches are available to anglers. - Last updated on 11/15/2018.

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 .

Stocking

  • 09/16/2015 - 902 Channel Catfish (8")

Management

  • 2018 - Survey-Population: An electrofishing survey was conducted in spring 2018.
  • 2015 - RAFT sampling-RAFT: Common carp collected for fish tissue analysis.
  • 2013 - Survey-Population: A trend survey was done that included electrofishing and fyke netting.
  • 2011 - Survey-Population: A comprehensive survey was done that included electrofishing, hoop netting, and trapnetting.

Motoring Restrictions

Motoring Restrictions: None

Contacts for this Location

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.

Aquatic Invasive Species

    No known aquatic invasive species have been found

To learn more about AIS, visit the Iowa DNR's Aquatic Invasive Species page for more information and resources.

Fish Surveys

Tip: Click the arrow in the lower right corner to view the Fish Survey Data tool in full-screen mode.