Reservoir Number One, Iowa: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Out in Jefferson County, Iowa, sits Reservoir Number One. Elevation runs to 732 feet. Around 25 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. The bank runs about 1.1 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. It is a small entry by Jefferson County standards. Fairfield is the closest place, 0.9 miles off. Then Maharishi Vedic City, 3 miles, and Mount Pleasant, 21 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Reservoir Number One

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Across Jefferson County, recorded fish include bluegill, green sunfish, smallmouth bass and grass carp. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Read Reservoir Number One for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 21°F and July at about 76°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Once it clears, about mid March, the fishing comes on quickly. Open water usually runs from mid March until about mid December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Reservoir Number One fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. A picnic spot sits 140 yards from the bank. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Should this one be busy, Reservoir Number Two is 0.4 miles off. Treat Reservoir Number One as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.