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Best walleye lakes in Iowa

146 Iowa waters hold walleye, 136 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Low-light predator with reflective eyes. Feeds on structure edges at dawn, dusk and night.

1. Iowa River — 8 ft max · Walleye, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Freshwater DrumWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 25 public access sites
2. Des Moines River — 11 ft max · Walleye, White Bass, Channel Catfish, Flathead CatfishWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 18 public access sites
3. Cedar River — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Flathead CatfishWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 23 public access sites
4. West Okoboji Lake — 135 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
5. Mississippi River Pool 19 (Keokuk) — 43 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
6. Rathbun Lake — 48 ft max · Walleye, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
7. Mississippi River Pool 13 (Clinton) — 53 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
8. Spirit Lake — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
9. East Okoboji Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites
10. Wapsipinicon River — 10 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Common CarpWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 11 public access sites
11. Clear Lake — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
12. DeSoto Bend at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
13. Desoto Bend — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Big Creek Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
15. Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake) — 17 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
16. Five Island Lake — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
17. Three Mile Lake — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
18. Twelve Mile Creek Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
19. Lake Macbride — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 10 public access sites
20. Brushy Creek Lake — 72 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
21. Lake Icaria — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
22. Lake Sugema — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
23. Black Hawk Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
24. Upper Iowa River — 6 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
25. Rock Creek Lake — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites

…plus 121 more Iowa waters holding walleye.

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When to fish walleye in Iowa

• Spring 4–15 ft — Spawning runs to gravel shoals, rocky shorelines and inflows.
• Summer 15–35 ft — Deep humps and breaklines by day; edges and flats in low light.
• Fall 12–40 ft — Fish steep structure near deep basins; big fish move shallow at night.
• Winter 20–40 ft — Deep basin flats and humps; short dawn/dusk feeding windows.

Also in Iowa: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best white bass lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes

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