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Big Woods Lake

General Information

County: Black Hawk
Location: Northwest edge of Cedar Falls
Acres: 55.00
Maximum Depth:
Motoring Restrictions: No wake

Nearby Parks

George Wyth State Park

Amenities

Amenities at Big Woods Lake include:
  • Boat Access
  • Fishing Jetty
  • Picnic Area
  • Trails
  • Restrooms
  • Camping
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing
  • Hard Surface Boat Ramp

Interior water levels have fallen and are providing catches of smallmouth bass, walleye and channel catfish. Check the USGS website (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ia/nwis/rt) for most recent river levels. Lakes in and around Cedar Falls/Waterloo have been hot for crappie, bluegill and largemouth bass during the spring spawn. Trout streams are in excellent condition, for further information contact your local bait shop for most recent reports.
Anglers have been catching crappie and bluegill during this spring spawn, concentrate efforts near the north shore around structure.
Black Crappie - Good: Cast lighter jigs tipped with plastics for some great action or fishing a minnow under a slip bobber.
Bluegill - Good: Cast lighter jigs over spawning beds or small piece of crawler under a slip bobber near structure.

Lake Maps

Download Printable Lake Map
Download Printable Fishing Structures Map

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

  • 09/29/2021 - 992 Channel Catfish (9)
  • 06/29/2021 - 891 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.7)
  • 09/10/2019 - 1,006 Channel Catfish (9)
  • 9/6/2017 - 989 Channel Catfish (8.3")
  • 09/22/2015 - 993 Channel Catfish (8")
  • 09/30/2013 - 989 Channel Catfish (8.9")

    No known aquatic invasive species have been found

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:
  • Common Carp
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: May be taken by hand fishing, by snagging, by spear or by bow and arrow, day or night.
  • 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:
  • Northern Pike
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: 3 fish
    • Possession Limit: 6 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • 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

Big Woods Lake provides a good option for fishing in the Cedar Falls/Waterloo metro area. The lake has good shoreline and boat access and the fishery currently provides opportunities for bluegill, black crappie, channel catfish, largemouth bass and northern pike.(2020)

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.