has anyone got any inform. on this lake?a couple of my buddies and I are thinking about going over and try it.It should be pretty good(back waters of miss.river?)any information sure will be appreciated thanks and tightlines “walleyetracker”
I’ve fished Odessa for 30 years. Mostly crappie, but also for bluegill and catfish. The levee that separates the lake from the Mississippi has broke a couple of times in the last few years, which made things interesting in the past. It is managed as a wildlife refuge, and is normally very shallow. Never heard anybody Walleye fish this lake. There are inlet tubes at one end and outlet tubes at the other. Alot of ice fishing for crappie and bluegill. Some might have a different opinion, but it is not one of my favorites.
Might be some eyes in Odessa, but certainly not a target fish for that lake. Since the inlet and outlet structure rebuild after the flood of 93, the only way fish can get in from the river is through levee breaks. When they open the outlet structure to let water out, it’s with such force the current is too much for fish to go in. Hail!! to the levee breaks if you want good fishing in Odessa. You should be able to get some panfish now at the current level of the lake. Just go at it as if you were ice fishing. small jigs, waxies, and small minnows.
Also, they drain the lake as low as possible in the summer to plant millet and other duck food and then raise the water if they can, as the plants grow. It’s managed totally for the ducks. Fish are a coincidence.
Nope, never have. Just crappie and gills.
I haven’t bass fished Odessa for about 3 years but it used to be great fishing for both size and numbers. But be carefull first timers to the lake ,it’s shallow and stumpy.
Ya Hey – Tracker, Herbs the resident expert in those parts, so listen to him. Unfortunately, it’s one of Iowa’s prime examples of the DNRs poor management !!!! and a victim of the Mississippi Rivers flooding rath !!!
Yes there was once Walleye in the lake, to be exact “1974” I know this because I won a Bass Tourney. there and was worried because I pulled up to the big island down from Sandrun, 1 bass from a nice limit, with only minutes till weight-in. Started casting a Big O on a point and caught 5 EYE in consecutive casts. I did manage my limit of bass and won ! ( my wife wonders why I cann’t remember our anniversary, but I remember fish from the 70’s—- HA).
Sorry, the lake is terribly silted in, and in summer can get real slimy, with CO2 deprivation in the hot months.
You guys would be better off making a trip to the Muscatine “Brakes” or the Big Timber Area, which is about a mile away as the crow flies from Odessa.
Gofish
Kensyl Reading——-EFN ProStaff
Just wanted to add, catfishing is quite popular in Odessa. But you’d best be a gourmet of rubber.
Help me out. I have fish Odessa in the past but never Big Timber or the breaks. How do I get to each of these from Muscatine. I am looking forward to getting out for the first time. It’s kind of like the little kids waiting for Santa to come. I plan on going to the QCCA sport show this Friday and then to Des Moines for the great swap met.
Thanks for the info in advance.
Yo Fish – sorry ya miss me by a day. I’ll be working in the Berkley booth saturday, I could have drawn ya a map !
Anyway, by river its at mile 443 or down from DayMark 445.1. Land take road x61 there’s a ramp at Kilpeck (look for the Power Plant stacks) or continue down the road till gravel you’ll see the BigTimber sign and road over the dike. All fails stop in at Scotts outdoors/Quik shop and they’ll draw ya a map.
Gofish
Ya hey gofish, the gravel is no more I think. Got paved all the way to Odessa a few years ago.
Yo – Tar & Chip
that be a correct statement there herb
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