Fishing at Spring Lake, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa

• Overview

  Set in Cerro Gordo County, Spring Lake is an Iowa water. It stands 1,132 feet above sea level. It covers about 17 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The closest town, Mason City, is 1.6 miles distant. Rochester is the closest city, 71 miles away. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Spring Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Public occurrence data for Cerro Gordo County names bluegill, yellow perch, yellow bass, black bullhead and black crappie. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Anyone new to Spring Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 14°F in January up to 73°F in July. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early April until roughly early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Spring Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is a launch about half a mile from the bank. Parking is close: a car park sits half a mile from the bank. Toilets are half a mile away, which matters on a long session. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Briarstone Lake, 0.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. What applies at Spring Lake may have changed since it was mapped.