Iowa’s Big Water Largemouth Challenge

Iowa’s Big Water Largemouth Challenge

By Todd Reed

Iowa may be known for its small farm ponds when you go outside our borders, but the large bodies of water in the state can provide some great largemouth bass fishing too.  Not only for numbers of fish, but quality as well. The bigger bodies of water in the state of Iowa all have one very important thing in common; baitfish. Largemouth bass love to gorge themselves on smaller fish and those high protein meals get those bass big and fat from year to year.  This month I will break down some of the largest bodies of water in the state and how you can give them a try to catch your largest bass of 2024.

Lake Rathbun 11,000 acres
Lake Rathbun used to be known as one of the best crappie lakes in all of the upper Midwest.  Those days are long gone and there is a new desired fish by many in the largest lake in the state. The largemouth bass has taken center stage at Rathbun in recent years for the size of the bass that grow there.  Although you may not catch many bass, the ones that you catch could be the biggest ones for the whole year. Like all large bodies of water the seasons will play a more crucial role in what to look for and even what baits to be throwing.  Lure maker and tournament champion on Lake Rathbun Jim Wiegand was kind enough to give an insider look at his favorite lake.

Jim states; “In the spring anglers will want to start at the mouths of the creek arms where bass will be wintering.  As April goes along work your way to the back of the creek as the water warms. It is vital that you make sure and hit any depth change you might see on your electronics.   There is not much structure in the lake so look for sand and gravel that meet each other on the shorelines. These bottom differences can tell you where fish are located.

Favorite baits of Jim’s include crankbaits in shad colors or spinnerbaits.  When the bass have made it to the back of the creek arms as the water gets warmer, you will want to work those areas over with jigs or soft plastics baits. Jim prefers a large Texas-rigged plastic. After the spawn and into summer, head out and start fishing main lake points and rocky banks that move into shallower water.   Usually if you find where the shad are you will be in business, as the bass won’t be too far away. There are some big bass to be caught at Rathbun if you want to put in the time on the water to find these areas bass call home. Summer months can be tough on the lake, but if you can follow the shad the bass won’t be far away.   Fall provides great opportunities as well. The key to the fall is to fish the coves and follow the shad, as the water cools down the shad will migrate back into the coves. Big bass will be sure to follow.” Big bass are swimming in Lake Rathbun, just waiting to make some memories of a lifetime.

Mississippi River Pools Up to 35,000 acres:
The Mississippi River is by far the largest system of water in the state.  If you are searching for largemouth bass then this river should be at the top of your list. The best pools for largemouth can vary from year to year, but in the past decade or so Pool 9 near Lansing, Iowa is by far the most consistent part of the Mississippi River for big largemouth bass.

You won’t find numerous bass over four pounds on a day like you could at Lake Rathbun, but for pure numbers of two and half pound bass and up there is no comparison in the state. When searching out bass on this pool, which is over 35,000 acres, you must pay close attention to the seasons and the river current.  As a general rule in the early spring bass will not want any current around them, after they spawn they will head to the heaviest of current to search out minnows and shad. Once the water temperatures reach the forties in the fall, then they will start to ease back to their wintering holes with little or no current.  There are always exceptions to the rules, but that is what makes fishing so interesting from day to day. During this month of fishing you will want to be around three key elements to catch the biggest bass in the river. These three include; weeds, laydown logs, and current.

Typically combining two of these elements is ideal during the summer months.  A weedy point with current coming down both sides is a favorite of mine, especially when some logs have been washed up on the points during high water times. Combining all three elements almost guarantees the presence of minnows or shad in the area, making it a perfect place for big river largemouth hang out. A lot of people think only of the main channel when fishing the current of the big river, however most of these big largemouth bass come from side channels and weed flats adjacent to the strong current.

Finding areas that the main channel current continues down river in an off-slough is where you want to get your boat to.

Be careful when navigating these side sloughs, but it doesn’t take too long to figure out where the current is flowing and how to get around. When you do, the big green bass will soon follow.

West Lake Okoboji 4,000 acres:
When most bass anglers think of the West Okoboji Lake they think of the beautiful smallmouth bass.  While there are plenty of them in the lake, and some giants too, this lake has a very good population of big largemouth bass too. When visiting in the spring, the coves near the canal systems shine over any other part of the lake.

The bass use these warm water canals to feed up for the spawn. After the spawning season the bass will start to relate to the many main lake docks, weed lines and rocky points. A variety of baits work well here and many should be tried from day to day, as these largemouth bass can be tricky to catch.  The waters of Lake Okoboji are extremely clear, so make sure and have plenty of natural colors when visiting; green pumpkin and brown plastic baits are a favorite of the bass.

Fall fishing can be spectacular at West Lake Okoboji too, they remain in their summer patterns well into October relating to the main lake weeds and points.  Top water fishing is probably my favorite way to catch them during the fall, make sure to cast as far as you can so you don’t spook the fish with your boat and movements. A spinning rod and reel is good for this or a smooth casting QuantumPT baitcaster will do the trick also. Spooks and pop-r baits are among my favorite. Of the three mentioned areas Okoboji has some of the biggest bass and is great for numbers as well.

Catching big largemouth bass in the summer is no easy task.  When the females spawn it is very difficult to trick them into biting and at times you would swear they disappeared.  When chasing these big largemouth around the state have a variety of baits ready to go. A few favorites of mine when going after the big ones include; a jig and jig chunk, Ima jerkbaits, and topwater baits.  While these three bass fishing venues are very different from one another, they all have a good population of big largemouth bass. From the immense Lake Rathbun, to the swift current of the mighty Mississippi to the clear waters of Okoboji, Iowa has something for every angler, especially those that like to chase bass.