Discover the Deepest Lake in Iowa

Key Points:

• Lake Okoboji is one of the Iowa Great Lakes and divided into West Lake and East Lake.
• The deepest lake in Iowa is West Lake Okoboji, which is 136 feet at its deepest point.
• It is a popular fishing destination, and state records for the biggest smallmouth bass, northern pike, and tiger muskie have been pulled from the lake.

Iowa is a Midwest state featuring rolling fields of corn situated along the Mississippi River. There are several small lakes just outside of Des Moines, as well as the good-sized Lake Saylorville, all of which are great for boating, paddle boarding, swimming, and fishing. The popular Iowa Great Lakes, a chain of six connected lakes in northwestern Iowa, bring visitors and locals in for recreational activities from both Iowa and neighboring Minnesota. But which one of these lakes is the deepest? Is the biggest lake in Iowa also the deepest? Are these cool deep lakes good for fishing? Read on to discover all about the deepest lake in Iowa!

What Is the Deepest Lake in Iowa?

Lake Okoboji is one of the Iowa Great Lakes and is divided into the West Lake and East Lake. Both are natural lakes and are some of the clearest lakes in the region. West Lake Okoboji (also known as West Okoboji Lake) is the deepest lake in Iowa. West Lake is a little bigger than East Lake, but all the lakes connect, making lake hopping a fun summer activity.

How Deep Is the Deepest Lake in Iowa?

West Lake Okoboji, the deepest lake in Iowa, is 136 feet deep. It is almost half-a-football field deep, depending on the water levels. Many recreational lakes only need 10-12 feet of water for most boats and watercraft, so at 136 feet, there is room to spare. The East Lake has an average depth of 10 feet, perfect for a day on the lake, but its deepest point is only 22 feet.

Where Is West Lake Okoboji Located on a Map?

West Lake Okoboji is located in northwestern Iowa in Dickinson County. On the lake’s southeastern shore sits the city of Arnolds Park, which is known for Arnolds Park, one of the longest-running amusement parks in the world. The lake is 0.1 miles from Okoboji and around 20 miles from the Spencer Municipal Airport.

What Lakes Are in the Iowa Great Lakes?

The Iowa Great Lakes is a group of connected lakes in northwestern Iowa on the Minnesota border. The lakes are West Okoboji, East Okoboji, Big Spirit Lake, Minnewashta, Upper Gar, and Lower Gar. The Iowa Great Lakes area draws more than a million visitors each year. Besides the sandy beaches and resorts, visitors enjoy Arnold’s Park Amusement Park, the Boji Splash Waterpark, and a variety of campgrounds, some right on the lake.

How Is the Fishing in West Lake Okoboji?

The fishing is excellent in West Lake Okoboji. In fact, the fishing is great on all of the Iowa Great Lakes. Some of the best catches are walleye, muskie, northern, crappie, perch, and bass. In the winter ice fishing is great in many pockets of the lakes.

Are There Any Record Breaking Fish from West Lake Okoboji?

Three state fishing records were pulled from West Okoboji. All three of the biggest fish pulled from West Lake Okoboji were caught on the first of the month. One of the records is more than 45 years old!

• Smallmouth Bass: 7.75 pounds, Rick Gray, September 1, 1990
• Northern Pike: 25.31 pounds, Allen Forsberg, February 1, 1977
• Tiger Muskie: 27.13 pounds, Shannon Green, August 1, 1989

Animals Around the Lake

West Lake Okoboji in Iowa is a wonderful place to explore the outdoors. The wildlife found there include various species of birds, such as loons, ducks, herons, and hawks. Other animals that can be seen include deer, raccoons, muskrats, and squirrels. There are also many fish living in West Lake Okoboji, including walleye, northern pike, bass, and panfish. If you’re lucky enough to spot one of the rarer species, like beaver or otter, on your visit, then you should count yourself very fortunate! With so much diverse wildlife to discover around West Lake Okoboji, it’s definitely worth a visit if you have the chance.

What Is the Biggest Lake in Iowa?

The biggest lake in Iowa is Lake Red Rock. This reservoir is on the Des Moines River, about 85 miles southeast of downtown Des Moines. The surface area of the lake is 15,520 acres, making it bigger than Rathbun and Saylorville. Lake Red Rock is a manmade lake, in contrast to Iowa’s Great Lakes, which are natural lakes. Melting glaciers formed the natural lakes thousands of years ago, while builders completed the Red Rock Dam and Reservoir in September 1969, more than 50 years ago. It was Iowa’s biggest waterway project, and it included building the tallest and longest bridge at the time, the Red Rock Lake Bridge.

Was the Biggest Fish Ever Caught From the Red Rock Lake?

Technically the biggest fish ever caught in Iowa was pulled from the Des Moines River, but the location was between the Red Rock and Ottumwa. Randy Conover caught a 112-pound bighead carp relatively recently, on May 28, 2018. His carp was 60 inches long (that’s 5 feet!). Unsurprisingly, bighead carp have big heads, so a good portion of that weight was front-heavy.

An angler caught a second record-breaking carp in the same stretch along the Des Moines between Red Rock and Ottumwa. Just five days later, Billie Summers caught a silver carp on June 2, 2018. The carp weighed in at 62 pounds, was 49 inches long, and is still the state record.

How Does the Deepest Lake in Iowa Compare to the Deepest Lake in the U.S.?

The deepest lake in Iowa is 136 feet, but compared to the deepest lake in the U.S., it is not very deep. The deepest lake in the U.S. is Crater Lake in Oregon. This lake is an impressive 1,943 feet deep! That makes it 1,807 feet deeper than West Lake Okoboji. However, you cannot catch record-breaking bass, pike, or muskie in Crater Lake.

Crater Lake sits at the top of an old volcano and is an incredible blue color due to its clarity and natural setting. Lake trout and kokanee salmon are the only fish that are currently in this lake. You can fish in Crater Lake, but live bait is not allowed to avoid introducing invasive species. There is only one trail to access the lake, so anglers should be prepared for a hike.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Bella Bender/Shutterstock.com