Nancy Elaine Lake in Clinton County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Nancy Elaine Lake in the Clinton County part of Iowa. This is pine and birch ground. Around 25 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Ground here is low by Iowa standards. Camanche sits 1.6 miles from the bank. For a city, Davenport is 24 miles off. Near neighbours: Willow Lake 0.4 miles off, Hagenson Pond sits 4.6 miles out, Swedes Lake 9.8 miles off, Wares Lake sits 10 miles out and Lake Erie 14 miles off. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Nancy Elaine Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Clinton County include black crappie, gizzard shad and channel catfish. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Anyone new to Nancy Elaine Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 74°F in July and bottom out at 19°F in January. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late March. Ice usually gives way near late March, and forms again about mid December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Anyone fishing Nancy Elaine Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There is a ramp at Swan Slough Boat Access, 0.9 miles out. The closest car park is 0.9 miles away, so pack accordingly. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Willow Lake at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm access to Nancy Elaine Lake locally before you travel.