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


About Oldham Lake

Surface Area (acres): 12.00
Maximum Depth (feet): 18.3 ft. (2014)
Motoring Restrictions: No Size Limit at No Wake
See below for additional location-specific regulations

Location

County: Monona
Description: Oldham
Coordinates: 42.00842990, -95.78964996

Amenities

Amenities at Oldham Lake include:
  • Boat Access
  • Picnic Area
  • Beach
  • Playground
  • Restrooms
  • Camping
  • Gravel Boat Ramp

Fishing Report

- No recent updates found

Fishing Forecast

Oldham Lake boasts exceptionally clear water, which can make fishing a little more challenging. Oldham lake has good numbers of crappie and bluegill. The bigger bluegill are around 7.5- to 8-inches and can be found along the shore on nests during the spawn. The nests will be close to shore due to the steep sides of the ponds and the narrow band of shallow water around the pond. The majority of the harvest size crappie are around 8- to 10-inches. The largemouth bass population is fair. Channel catfish are stocked on a regular basis.(2020)

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

  • 9/26/22 - 216 Channel Catfish (9.3)
  • 09/08/2020 - 217 Channel Catfish (8)
  • 09/18/2018 - 218 Channel Catfish (8.6)
  • 10/10/16 - 218 Channel Catfish (9.3")

Management

  • 2021 - Exotic Species-Vegetation: Brittle Naiad reported by access point survey, verified with photos
  • 2021 - Exotic Species-Vegetation: Brittle naiad reported from access point survey and verified with photos

Motoring Restrictions

Motoring Restrictions: No Size Limit at No Wake

Contacts for this Location

Fishing Regulations

  • 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:

Aquatic Invasive Species

  • Brittle Naiad
  • Curlyleaf Pondweed

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

Fish Surveys

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