Lake Manawa
Lake Manawa is a Missouri River oxbow lake in Pottawattamie County listed by Iowa DNR at about 785 acres with a maximum depth of 25.5 feet. Crappie, bass, walleye, wipers and channel catfish anchor the fishing.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Crappie
Black and white; numbers follow year classes (Iowa DNR)
Largemouth Bass
9-19 in. in 2025
Walleye
Iowa DNR
Wiper
Iowa DNR
Channel Catfish
Plentiful, 10-20 in.
Blue Catfish
Recently stocked by DNR
Boat launches
2 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- Hard surface boat rampPublicListed by Iowa DNR; no motoring restrictionsDirections ↗
- More public accessPublicSee the state agency or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Special rules for this lake, confirmed from official state regulations. Minimum size and daily limit.
| Species | Min size | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 15 in min | 3 (black bass combined) |
| Walleye/Sauger/Saugeye | See Iowa rules book ↗ | 5 combined |
| Crappie | See Iowa rules book ↗ | 25 combined |
| Bluegill | See Iowa rules book ↗ | 25 |
| Channel/Blue/Flathead Catfish | See Iowa rules book ↗ | 8 combined |
Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Iowa Department of Natural Resources ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
No shops listed yet for this lake. Use the search link below.
Search more bait shops near Lake Manawa ↗Local tips
- Largemouth bass must be 15 inches or longer with a 3-fish limit.
- Channel catfish are plentiful at 10 to 20 inches.
- Yellow bass are abundant, so expect small bycatch.
View on interactive map
Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.
More Iowa lakes
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Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.