Lake Hendricks
General Information
County: Howard
Location: Located 0.5 miles northeast of Riceville.
Acres: 47.40
Maximum Depth: 17.6 ft. (2019)
Motoring Restrictions: electric motors only
Nearby Parks
Amenities
Amenities at Lake Hendricks include:
- Boat Access
- Fishing Jetty
- Accessible Pier
- Picnic Area
- Beach
- Trails
- Playground
- Restrooms
- Camping
- Good/Excellent Shorefishing
- Hard Surface Boat Ramp
| Fish activity increasing as water temperatures cool. |
| Water levels on area rivers and streams remain low even with current rainfall events. Temperatures low 80's to 60's though weekend. For more information, please contact the Chuck Gipp Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324. |
| Black Crappie - Good: Find crappie in deeper water. Use a small jig tipped with plastic tail or spinner bait. |
| Bluegill - Fair: Use a small piece of worm under a bobber for best luck. |
| Channel Catfish - Good: Find catfish near woody structure. Use chunk of worm, squished minnow, or liver near lake bottom. |
| Largemouth Bass - Fair: Fish edge of vegetation or use a jig tipped with plastic tail or spinner bait in evening for best luck. |
- 09/08/2021 - 720 Channel Catfish (8.1)
- 10/01/2019 - 898 Channel Catfish (9.6)
- 9/8/2017 - 900 Channel Catfish (7.6")
- 09/22/2015 - 898 Channel Catfish (8")
- 09/30/2013 - 906 Channel Catfish (9.0")
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: 18-inch minimum
- Other:
- Yellow Perch
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: 25 fish
- Possession Limit: 50 fish
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
The extension of rock reefs in the north arm in 2020 provide additional places for fish to hang around. Bluegills, mostly 6- to 8-inches, are common with some exceeding 8-inches. The Largemouth Bass population is balanced, with fish up to 18-inches. Channel Catfish will be stocked this year. Fish from 9- to 25-inches are ready to be caught. Nice numbers of Black Crappie are available. See more at http://co.howard.ia.us/offices/conservation/lakehendricks.htm.(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.