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A comprehensive survey was conducted at Willow Lake in 2024. The largemouth bass population is fairly low in density with the bulk of the fish between 9 and 14 inches. This is a function of slow growth and low density prey population. Willow has fair sized bluegills but no greater than 8-inches were sampled. The channel catfish population is produced by stocking and is heavily used. Multiple flathead catfish were sampled while hoop netting with sizes up to 42 inches. Redear sunfish are common in the lake and sampling data show that the majority of them are in the 7 to 9 inch range. Overall, the steep morphology of the lake coupled with its extreme water clarity make it difficult to sample.(2024)
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 .