Fishing at Little Storm Lake, Buena Vista County, Iowa

• Overview

  Little Storm Lake is listed under Buena Vista County, Iowa. The country here is mixed forest. Roughly 85 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The bank runs about 1.2 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Buena Vista County. Head to Storm Lake, 1.4 miles away, for anything you forgot. The nearest city of size is Sioux Falls, 98 miles away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Little Storm Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Buena Vista County records list common carp, white bass and walleye among the fish reported. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Little Storm Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 73°F, with January the cold end at about 16°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. Open water usually runs from early April until about early December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Little Storm Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Storm Lake, 1.7 miles out. Rules at Little Storm Lake are worth checking on the day.