Des Moines area bass???

Are there any bass within 100 square miles of Des Moines? My significant other is going down Sat to look at some houses and I’m not too pumped about moving.

Just curious what I have to look forward to or am I going to have to drive to the river every weekend? What pool is the closest and how long of a drive is it?

Ton of good bass fishing in the Des Moines area…A ton…

There is a big lake north of des moines, I would think that it would have a few bass in it. Would be worth checking out.

Great bass fishing around Des Moines.Big Creek and Brushy Creek are 2 good bass lakes.
What else guys?
Does 3 mile or 12 mile hold bass? What about Don Williams?

Ryan Hale

saylorville..I think that is the name..
I work there three months a year usually..there are a ton of small 3-10 acre lakes that hold a lot of big bass..

Saylorvill, Red Rock, Big Creek, 3 Mile, 12 Mile, all the small inner city lakes,and about every farm pond or small lake in Iowa holds bass. Des Moines river holds wipers to those are a blast, plus the river holds eyes, northerns, muskies and big flatheads.

Believe it or not, the fishing around Des Moines is not too bad. The bass fishing in these southern Iowa lakes just keeps getting better (anywhere from 1 to 1.5 hrs from Des Moines). The crappie fishing is excellent and the walleye fishing is also pretty decent.

2 years on board and Congrats on your 1st post Kskin

I just drove to Des Moines this weekend- from the river pool 14 (closest probably) it is just under 3 from house to ramp. Hawthorne is a good lake and pretty close-lots of brush and wood, the others listed above most of which ive never seen, the Ia Great Lakes and Clear Lake are probably within 2 hours (not sure about this distance) since I am an “easterner”.

3.5 to 4 hours to the IGL’s from Des Moines. I have a friend that comes up 2 times a month to fish from Des Moines.

Head west to lake anita. Its about an hour drive towards Omaha but it sees very little pressure and I have caught some piggies in there. South a couple hours and you are at Truman. Head north to Boji’ or back towards CR and hit up Rock Creek. A smallie but a goodie.
jc

12 mile and Anita have been drained. I have heard Anita has water back in it and 12 mile is still empty. Camera time. They were really good fisheries, I hope they come back just as good. 3 mile is a good lake, lots of pressure, but maintained very well (bass, walleye, crappie and skis). West Lake Osceola is a good lake,35 miles south of Des Moines, pressure is high, good fishin though. Lake Icaria should be ready to go this year, drained as well. Green Valley is down by 3 mile, that “lake” is a no wake restriction with a 19″ or 21″ size limit, it has some hogs in it. Pretty good fishing from around the Des Moines area.

What, When, and Why did they drain Anita?
I haven’t been there since I lived in Council-Tucky but when I did make the venture I always caught a pile with many really good ones in the mix.
jc

Anita was drained in 02, I thought it was more recent than that. It was restocked in the fall of 02 with bass fingerlings and some 5-6 inchers, channel cats and bluegill.
Crappie in 05. Anita should have some good #’s of 15-16 inchers and maybe a few bigger. I don’t know why they drained it, I can only assume b/c of carp and other rough fish.
J.C. did you ever fish Lake Manawa when you lived in Council Tucky?? There are some NICE fish in that small 700 acre sleeper lake.

Jason

Is that the small lake over by the Nissan dealership on the IA side of the river? If I remember correctly the fishing was outstanding in the canals early on and then the east end after some of the veggies started comming up. I also remember the thousands of jet-ski’s and ski boats keeping me off the water in the summer. I did manage to figure out the smallmouth in the Missouri river though… -grin- You don’t even have to go up as far as Desoto to really get into them.
jc