Official State of Iowa Website

LakeDetails

  Fishing   >   Where to Fish   >   Lakes Ponds & Reservoirs   >   LakeDetails

Big Lake (Including Gilbert's Pond)

General Information

County: Pottawattamie
Location: North 25th street exit off interstate 29. Nash Blvd to Big Lake Road. Northeast Council Bluffs.
Acres: 5.00
Maximum Depth:
Motoring Restrictions:

Nearby Parks

Lake Manawa State Park

Amenities

Amenities at Big Lake (Including Gilbert's Pond) include:
  • Boat Access
  • Picnic Area
  • Trails
  • Playground
  • Restrooms
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing
  • Hard Surface Boat Ramp
  • Accessible Shoreline
  • Community Fishing Location

No recent updates

Lake Maps


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

  • Winter 2022 - 1,600 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Winter 2021 - 1,800 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • 10/06/2021 - 201 Channel Catfish (9)
  • Winter 2020 - 1,600 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • winter 2019 - 2,300 Rainbow Trout (10.8)
  • 09/23/2019 - 182 Channel Catfish (9.4)
  • annual 2018 - 1,900 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 1,800 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • 9/13/2017 - 91 Channel Catfish (7.4")
  • Jan 2016 - 1,800 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • 09/15/2015 - 270 Channel Catfish (8")
  • annual 2014 - 6 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2014 - 1,900 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)

    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.

  • Bigmouth Buffalo
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Bluegill
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: No daily limit on private waters
  • 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.
  • 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:
  • Rainbow Trout
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 5 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 10 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Anglers must have paid the Trout Fee to fish for or possess trout

A spring 2022 electrofishing survey sampled largemouth bass, bluegill, common carp, and rainbow trout. It is not good for the fishery that the river fish have re-established populations in Big Lake. Rainbow trout are stocked fall and winter to boost the fishing in this community fishing lake. Fishing will center around a few quality largemouth bass, channel catfish and rainbow trout.(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.