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West Lake (Osceola)

General Information

County: Clarke
Location: 2 miles west of Osceola
Acres: 320.00
Maximum Depth: 28.7 ft. (2014)
Motoring Restrictions: No Size Limit at No Wake. UPDATE 8/25/23: Boat ramps currently closed due to low water levels.

Nearby Parks

Amenities

Amenities at West Lake (Osceola) include:
  • Boat Access
  • Restrooms
  • Hard Surface Boat Ramp
Mount Ayr district lakes are ice free. Water temperatures are in the upper 40's. For more information, please contact the Mount Ayr Fisheries office at 641-464-3108.
Boat ramps remain closed due to low water conditions.
Download Printable Lake Map

You can zoom in on the map for bathymetric information for some lakes

  • June 2022 - 7,037 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.4)
  • 5/16/22 - 320 Muskellunge (12.8)
  • 09/09/2021 - 1,602 Channel Catfish (8.1)
  • 06/22/2021 - 3,572 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.3)
  • 05/12/2020 - 320 Muskellunge (12.4)
  • 09/17/2019 - 1,598 Channel Catfish (8.6)
  • 06/27/2018 - 3,246 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.64)
  • 05/04/2018 - 320 Muskellunge (11.8)
  • 9/13/2017 - 1,601 Channel Catfish (7.4")
  • 6/29/2017 - 3,654 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (2")
  • 6/16/2016 - 3,384 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.4")
  • 6/16/2016 - 3,881 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.3")
  • 09/24/2015 - 1,593 Channel Catfish (8")
  • 06/29/2015 - 3,363 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.7")
  • 06/16/2015 - 3,232 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (479/lb)
  • 06/17/2014 - 4,458 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (2")
  • 06/17/2014 - 5,296 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (2")
  • Curlyleaf Pondweed
The Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit.

  • Black Bullhead
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: unlimited
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • 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:
  • Green Sunfish
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • 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:
  • Muskellunge
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined: muskellunge and tiger muskellunge, 1 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined: muskellunge and tiger muskellunge, 1 fish
    • Length Limit: 40-inch minimum
    • Other:
  • White 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
Spring electrofishing indicated good numbers of Largemouth Bass up to 18 inches. Bluegill and Crappie species were also sampled in high abundance. Most of the Bluegill were 6-8 inches in length and crappies were 6-10 inches in length, but some larger crappie are available to anglers. Channel Catfish were sampled in low abundance, but some large (27 inch) catfish are available to anglers.(2022)
Tip: Click the arrow in the lower right corner to view the Fish Survey Data tool in full-screen mode.

Contacts

Iowa-Caught Fish Are Safe to Eat, In Almost All Cases

The vast majority of Iowa’s streams, rivers and lakes offer safe and high-quality fish that pose little or no threat to human health if consumed. Some limitations may apply for young children and pregnant women. Here’s a Fish Consumption Fact Sheet from the Iowa DNR and the Iowa Dept. of Public Health for more information. Here is a list of current fish consumption advisories for Iowa lakes and rivers.