Old Reservoir in Ringgold County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Old Reservoir is one of the Ringgold County waters in Iowa. The bank gives way to lake country bush. At 11 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The closest town, Mount Ayr, is 1 mile distant. Des Moines sits 68 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Old Reservoir

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Records held for Ringgold County cover brown trout, white sucker and channel catfish. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. At Old Reservoir the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 75°F in July and bottom out at 22°F in January. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Winter locks it down, and mid March brings it back. Break-up sits around mid March on average, with the water closing again about mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan any trip to Old Reservoir around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. The nearest car park we can see is half a mile out, so expect a walk with your gear. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Loch Ayr, 1.5 miles out. None of that is settled for Old Reservoir in what we hold.