Reservoir · Polk, Iowa
Saylorville Lake
Saylorville Lake
Reservoir · Iowa
Information Only
StrikeTracks does not currently provide a live condition rating for this destination. Destination and fishery information is still available.
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Fishery Profile
Documented species you may encounter at Saylorville Lake.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency sources. About fish illustrations
Fishery overview
Saylorville Lake is the Des Moines-metro federal reservoir for white bass, hybrid striped bass, crappie, catfish, and walleye. StrikeTracks publishes complete static Fishery with catalog-visible Unavailable conditions because no same-lake live USGS 00010 exists. Tailwater 05481650 is not lake temperature. This is not Lake Red Rock and not Coralville Lake.
Target species
White Bass
Morone chrysops
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Iowa DNR Saylorville: white bass 8–12 inches are a popular summer target. Not Red Rock white bass as a copy.
Wiper
Morone saxatilis × Morone chrysops
Canonical species: Hybrid Striped Bass
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Stocked
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
Iowa DNR Saylorville: hybrid striped bass over 25 inches are possible. Not Red Rock wiper as a substitute.
Black Crappie
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Iowa DNR Saylorville 2021: black crappie 6.5–11 inches. Not Rathbun crappie.
Channel Catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Iowa DNR Saylorville: channel catfish 8–30.5 inches in 2021 nets. Stream catfish bag at federal flood-control impoundments.
White Crappie
Pomoxis annularis
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Iowa DNR Saylorville 2021: white crappie mostly 7.5–12.5 inches. Combined crappie 25/day.
Largemouth Bass
Micropterus nigricans
- Expectation
- Present
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Iowa DNR Saylorville: decent largemouth groups 8–13 and 15–17.5 inches. 15-inch minimum.
Walleye
Sander vitreus
- Expectation
- Present
- Population
- Stocked
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Iowa DNR Saylorville lists walleye among popular species. Not Rathbun's 5-fish special as a copy.
Fishery characteristics
- Composition
- Mixed wild and stocked
Des Moines River USACE flood-control pool in Polk County with points, flooded timber, and a marina. Catalog coordinates are the Iowa DNR Fish Iowa point, not USGS 05481650 tailwater.
Best seasons
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
Common techniques
- Boat fishing
- Shore fishing
- Spinning
- Trolling
Access and Public Fishing Rights
Iowa DNR and USACE document public ramps, Saylorville Marina, and shoreline. Confirm current pool and ramp status. Catalog coordinates are not a verified launch pin.
Stocking information
Iowa DNR manages white bass / hybrid striped bass and walleye. Confirm current official Fish Iowa stocking records.
- Stocked
Wiper
Stocked · Iowa Department of Natural Resources
- Stocked
Walleye
Stocked · Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Official sources
Inland black bass 15-inch minimum. Stream catfish bag rules apply at this federal flood-control impoundment. Distinct from Rathbun walleye specials and from Red Rock's larger pool. Confirm current Iowa DNR regulations.
conditionPublicationPolicy=static-value-structural-unavailable. Saylorville Lake is the Des Moines-metro USACE reservoir with destination-specific Fish Iowa SAY77 fishery for white bass, hybrid striped bass, crappie, and catfish plus documented public access. inlandHasCompleteStaticFisheryValue passes on official Iowa DNR fishery, access, and regulations. USGS 05481650 is the Des Moines River tailwater, not pool thermal; 05482000 downtown Des Moines is a separate river identity. No new Estimated science is introduced. HIGH plus PATH B does not auto-approve; public catalog-visible Unavailable is approved because Saylorville is the capital-metro reservoir class, not Red Rock and not Coralville. This justification is Saylorville-specific and does not copy Red Rock or Rathbun prose.
Location and Access
Cataloged lake location
Polk, Iowa
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
Lake Details
County
Polk
Management Category
USACE flood-control reservoir
Regulation Scope
Saylorville Lake
Regulation Summary
Saylorville Lake: Iowa DNR inland reservoir rules on the USACE Saylorville project. Confirm current official regulations.
Target Species
White Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass, Channel Catfish, White Crappie, Black Crappie, Walleye, Largemouth Bass
Public Access
Public
Boat Launch
Available
Shore Fishing
Available
Description
Saylorville Lake, Polk County, Iowa. About 4,970-acre USACE Des Moines River flood-control reservoir on the north edge of Des Moines. Catalog-visible Unavailable: USGS 05481650 Des Moines River near Saylorville is the tailwater below the dam, not pool thermal. USGS 05482000 downtown Des Moines is a separate river. Not Lake Red Rock and not Coralville.
