All waters · Iowa · Saylorville Lake
Saylorville Lake, IA
Reservoir in Polk County, Iowa. A 5,400-acre USACE reservoir on the Des Moines River just north of Des Moines, central Iowa's most accessible big-water fishery. Known for walleye, white bass and hybrid striped bass runs, plus crappie, channel catfish and largemouth bass. Spring and fall white-bass and wiper action below the river inflow is the headline draw.
Overall bite score
Scored 9 min ago · recomputed every 30 minutes
Each instrument reads 0 to 100. The score is their weighted blend, tuned for lakes and reservoirs. No black box: every reading names its source.
What swims here
8 tracked species in Saylorville Lake, with the months each fishes best.
Water facts
Live water temperature and flow from USGS 05482000 (Des Moines River at 2nd Avenue, Des Moines, below the dam); also reflects the Des Moines River inflow that drives the white-bass run. Ramps: Cherry Glen, Oak Grove, Sandpiper, Lakeview, Saylorville Marina.
See the full forecast for Saylorville Lake in the app: best windows, 7-day outlook, what to bring, and offline regulations. The score and essentials are free.
Not legal advice. Always verify with official state regulations.