Here’s a further look at the young Iowa fishing hole that was featured in my fishing report earlier this week.
Location: Scott County, IA out in the middle of nowhere kinda between Eldridge and Princeton.
Details: 400 acres, maximum depth 62 feet, mean depth 14 feet
Background: Tough to decipher from the internet info but several news organizations marked the “public grand opening” as August 2014. However, there are a number of fishing reports that predate the opening, occurring prior to the lake reaching full pool.
Maps: There are a number of links on the internet but I honestly don’t recall where I got my map and I haven’t been able to find it again during some brief searches. In 2015 and 2016 when I attended the QCCA Outdoor Show at the QCCA Expo Center in Rock Island, IL there was a booth for Lost Grove with some good info and neat photos. The event runs each February and is definitely worth a visit.
Access: Three boat ramps and several walk-in areas featuring bank fishing, carry in access, fishing piers and jetties.
Crowd: Plenty, as a cruise around the lots before heading home after my first two visits in 2016 showed the following tallies: 6/19 (Sunday morning) – 41 trailers and 49 other vehicles (bank anglers, kayaks, canoes) and 6/28 (Tuesday morning) – 32 trailers and 19 other vehicles. On my outing last week I saw at least a dozen boats in the section of lake where I tried my luck, no surprise on a very nice (although windy) weekend day.
Stocking: Iowa DNR page (http://www.iowadnr.gov/Fishing/Where-to-Fish/Lakes-Ponds-Reservoirs/LakeDetails/lakeCode/LGR82) has all the info dating back to 2006.
Early aerial shot of the lake as it began to fill
Water: My three trips to date have focused on the mid to lower end of the lake with water clarity running from relatively clear midlake (6-8’visibility) to stained on the lower end (about 2’ visibility). Being a young lake it is also what I call “real messy” with an extensive collection of weeds and flooded brush. I suppose as the lake ages this will improve but as of now there are substantial areas that are essentially unfishable, even from an 8’ johnboat, and definitely inaccessible from a more sizable watercraft.
Bass: My haul of 35 bass in 13.75 hours to date has only featured two fish at 12” or better, for what it’s worth or represents. An encouraging sign on trip number two was sighting a fish in the four pound range that I spooked while rowing through a narrow shallow stretch. In addition, the Heartland Outdoors website featured a 22” bass from April 2016 indicating that some brood stock were included beyond the reported 1.5” to 5.3” bass stocked over the last decade. However, the Iowa DNR lake survey from October 2015 is dominated by 8-10” fish with the largest sampled being a lone 12-14” bass. Sure makes me feel a little better about my field data. The vast majority of my fish have come on weightless wacky rigged Senkos or buzzbaits around shallow (under 8’) weed or wood cover. I have also tossed a spinnerbait to no avail albeit on a cold front day but sure figure it is suited to the cover. As far as stuff I like to throw sporting treble hooks such as the Red Eye Shad or various crankbaits it looks to get kinda touchy and would give the lure retriever a workout. It would also be a constant battle cleaning moss form the lure after most every cast.
Other Species: Still early in the game for me and for the lake and the only other population info I have is conversations overheard on the water or at the ramp. Seems there are tons of smaller bluegill, so sounds good for youngsters if you are looking to get bit. As far as crappie, I overheard a pair of bank fisherman commenting that while the species was cooperative it required weeding through a dozen or more 5-6” fish to get one in double digits (not sure on baits/lures). Muskie, walleye and catfish, no clue and will likely only be able to provide any feedback via eavesdropping or bass fishing “accidents.”
Conclusion: Interesting place, a big fishing hole compared to my normal stomping grounds but a bit frustrating so far with the water/structure being kind of a mess on a young lake. However, several anticipated future outings look to access a few more spots on the lake as I have to break it into manageable pieces when rowing around in a small johnboat, so the jury is still out. In addition, a 25 minute drive also adds some appeal when compared to my other haunts (Mautino = 55 minutes, IRAP/Buffalo Pasture = 65 minutes, Snakeden = 70 minutes, Little John = 75 minutes).
Well, there’s my two cents via a bit of a longwinded fishing report but that’s how I roll. Don’t know if it pertains to anyone out there but if so, I hope it provides something to build upon. But if you do visit the area and have a head start on my limited on the water knowledge, feel free to provide some feedback either in the comments section, email or social media as I always dig reading fishing stuff. Talk to you later. Troy