Fishing at Cold Springs, Cass County, Iowa

• Overview

  Out in Cass County, Iowa, sits Cold Springs. It lies 1,099 feet above sea level. At roughly 15 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. You are 8.6 miles from Atlantic. The big place round here is Omaha, 44 miles distant. In the same area: 18 miles out stands Lake Anita, Viking Lake at 22 miles, 23 miles out stands Prairie Rose Lake, Normon Trail Lake at 24 miles and 25 miles out stands Lake Icaria. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Cold Springs

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Survey and observation records for Cass County include bluegill, black crappie, white crappie, largemouth bass and yellow bass. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Take Cold Springs a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 20°F to 75°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid March. Open water usually runs from mid March until about mid December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Cold Springs.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. There is a slipway on the shore, half a mile from the water we list. A pier or jetty stands 170 yards away, which helps on a crowded bank. Hitchcock Park runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, Lake Anita is 18 miles distant. Ask locally about Cold Springs if anything is unclear.