Rathbun Lake
Iowa's largest lake, in the south. It's known for crappie, walleye, channel catfish and white bass, and it has a fish hatchery on site.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Crappie
Brush piles, docks and standing timber. Minnows or small jigs.
Walleye
Points, flats and reefs at low light. Jigs and live bait early, crankbaits and crawler harnesses in summer.
Channel Catfish
Cut bait and nightcrawlers on flats and creek mouths in the evening.
White Bass
Schools chasing shad in open water, and spring river runs.
Largemouth Bass
Weeds, docks and wood in the shallows.
When they bite
Month-by-month activity for each target species.
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie | ||||||||||||
| Walleye | ||||||||||||
| Channel Catfish | ||||||||||||
| White Bass |
Boat launches
1 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- More public accessPublicSee the Iowa DNR 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish Reservoir limit; possession 30 | See Iowa rules book ↗ | 15 / day |
Other species in this lake: look up the limits at Iowa Department of Natural Resources ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.
- Dam Site DepotNearby20875 Co Road J5T, Moravia, IA 52571(641) 799-8383Directions ↗
- Tackle ThisNearby400 Main St, Centerville, IA 52544(641) 647-2050Directions ↗
- Bridgeview Bait & TackleNearby11367 Highway S70, Melrose(641) 724-9820Directions ↗
Local tips
- Water level changes with flood control. Check before you go.
- Honey Creek Resort State Park is on the north shore.
- Crappie stack on brush piles in spring and fall.
Angler reports
Water temp, what's biting, and anything else other anglers should know about Rathbun Lake.
View on interactive map
Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.