(Lewis) Ice fishing season is approaching as the bitterly cold temperatures freeze local lakes and ponds.
Fisheries Biologist John Lorenzen recommends several area lakes for your next ice fishing trip. Lorenzen points out that Little Field Lake near Exira offers a variety of good-sized perch and eight-inch crappies. Meadow Lake also has crappies over eight inches in size, while Prairie Rose boasts crappies exceeding ten inches. Although the crappie population at Viking Lake has decreased, you can still find some nice specimens there. Anita Lake contains a notable number of eight-inch fish.
Prairie Rose is highly regarded statewide if you’re specifically looking for bluegills. Recent sampling data from 2024 revealed that over 19,000 bluegills more than three inches long were sampled throughout the state. Among these, 0.3 percent were over nine inches, with over 25 percent coming from the Lewis Central DNR Officer personnel.
DNR’s Prairie Rose sample. Additionally, about 40 percent of the bluegills were over eight inches. Meadow Lake and Little Field Lake also hold some nice bluegills.
