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Fishing Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake): what the data says
3,097-acre lake near Storm Lake. The lake tops out around 17 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Walleye fishing at Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 5 to 17 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 17 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 10 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
White Bass fishing at Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
Spring white bass on Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake) hold shallow, usually 2 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 17 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 17 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 17 ft, rated prime for winter white bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | see map |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | see map |
| Fall | 4 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | see map |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday | see map |
Channel Catfish fishing at Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. They move out to 5 to 17 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 17 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 17 ft that scores prime in winter. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday |
Crappie fishing at Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 17 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 17 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 17 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft | dawn & dusk | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | dawn | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Freshwater Drum fishing at Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
Start shallow in spring: freshwater drum sit in 4 to 17 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 5 to 17 ft, and winter fish hold in 5 to 17 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 17 ft that scores prime in winter. Plan around the evening in the warm months. Tie on a jig + crawler combo or a small crankbait (slow) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 17 ft | midday & dawn | Jig + curly tail (bounced), Small blade bait |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft | dusk | Jig + crawler combo, Small crankbait (slow) |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Blade bait (vertical), Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (slow) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 17 ft
- Deepest basin: deep basin, around 17 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 10 ft
- Sharp break: drop-off, around 6 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 2 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 2 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
- Gravel shoal: gravel shoal, around 2 ft
- Gravel shoal: gravel shoal, around 2 ft
- Gravel shoal: gravel shoal, around 2 ft
- Gravel shoal: gravel shoal, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)?
Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake) is about 17 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)?
Anglers target walleye, white bass, crappie, channel catfish, freshwater drum on Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake).
Where is the best fishing spot on Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)?
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Arrowhead Lake · Black Hawk Lake · Moorehead Park Pond · Black Hawk Pits · Pickeral Lake · Dog Creek (Lake)
See how Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake) stacks up: best walleye lakes in Iowa · best white bass lakes in Iowa · best crappie lakes in Iowa · best channel catfish lakes in Iowa
Browse all Iowa fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.