Koch Lake Fishing Guide, Cedar County, Iowa

• Overview

  In Iowa, Koch Lake falls inside Cedar County. The bank is 761 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 6 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Tipton lies 4.5 miles from the water. After that come Wilton at 9.3 miles and Durant at 12 miles. If this one is busy: Lamps Pond after 19 miles, West Goose Lake at about 20 miles, East Goose Lake after 20 miles, Dead Slough at about 22 miles and Arab Chute after 23 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Koch Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Cedar County include red shiner and spotfin shiner. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Koch Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 74°F; by January the average is down near 19°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late March. Break-up sits around late March on average, with the water closing again about mid December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Koch Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A light spinning outfit with a small box of lures and some bait covers most of what swims here. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Lamps Pond is 19 miles off. Confirm access to Koch Lake locally before you travel.