Fort Des Moines Pond
General Information
County: Polk
Location:
Acres: 13.60
Maximum Depth: 25 ft. (2015)
Motoring Restrictions:
Nearby Parks
Amenities
Amenities at Fort Des Moines Pond include:
- Fishing Jetty
- Picnic Area
- Trails
- Playground
- Restrooms
- Good/Excellent Shorefishing
- Hard Surface Boat Ramp
- Community Fishing Location
- 09/20/2021 - 241 Channel Catfish (9.2)
- 09/18/2019 - 226 Channel Catfish (8.8)
- 09/28/2015 - 240 Channel Catfish (8")
- 07/10/2015 - 50 Black Crappie (7")
- 06/24/2014 - 1,300 Largemouth Bass (2")
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.
- 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:
- 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:
A fishery survey in 2022 found Bluegills reaching sizes to just over 8-inches. Largemouth Bass are very abundant between 9.5- and 13.5-inches. Black Crappies were surveyed from 5- to 9-inches, marking the first year they were present in enough numbers to show up in surveys since the pond was renovated. Channel Catfish were not targeted in the 2022 survey, but a population is present. Expect the larger catfish to be 20- to 26-inches.(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.