Fishing Viking Lake in Montgomery County, Iowa

• Overview

  Viking Lake sits in Montgomery County, out in Iowa. It lies 1,142 feet above sea level. With some 144 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. There is roughly 3.2 miles of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Villisca is the closest town at 4.3 miles. Then Red Oak, 10 miles, and Corning, 15 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Viking Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. County-wide records name bluegill, redear sunfish, black crappie and yellow bass. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Viking Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 75°F on average, January about 21°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid March. The water is typically free of ice between mid March and mid December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. On Viking Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. A boat ramp sits about half a mile from the water. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. A campsite is mapped about 0.9 miles away, which makes an early start easier. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Lake Binder at 17 miles is the nearest alternative. For Viking Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.