Please contact the local fisheries management biologist for current information.
Although Lake Odessa is more of a wetland complex managed mainly for waterfowl, it provide high quality fishing. Expect to catch about anything that can be caught in the Mississippi River. Crappies are one of the more sought after species with good numbers of 11+ inch black crappies. Concentrate on these fish during their spring spawn, as well as in late fall when the crappies will feed heavily during their fall migration to their overwintering spots. Channel catfish, bluegills, and largemouth bass provide quality fishing in Odessa. Odessa provides a good place to try bowfishing with good water clarity and an abundance of shallow water habitats with rough fish prey. During the summer months the water level in Odessa is lowered to promote vegetative growth to provide waterfowl with food during the fall migration. The water level is brought back up to the normal pool level in September. This summer drawdown, while making boating a little tougher, improves the fishery as it crowds the smaller fish in with the bigger ones promoting the growth of the predator fish (bass, crappies, catfish) while thinning out the prey numbers (bluegills, etc). - Last updated on 01/07/2019.
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 .
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.