Storm Lake fishing: Walleye, Channel Catfish

Target species: Walleye, Channel Catfish

The lake

Storm Lake covers 3,065 acres in Iowa, across Buena Vista County. It is a lake: 92.5% of it is 12 feet deep or less; the deepest point measured is at least 17 feet (5.2 m). Our records hold 5 species for this water.

Depth and bottom

Deepest measured point: at least 17 ft (5.2 m). That is the deepest contour line: the bottom goes deeper. 92.5% of the water is 12 feet or shallower. We hold 7 depth contours for this water, drawn from 52 soundings.

  • 0–2 ft: 3.6% of the water
  • 2–4 ft: 5.7% of the water
  • 4–6 ft: 7.5% of the water
  • 6–7 ft: 5.8% of the water
  • 7–8 ft: 16.8% of the water
  • 8–9 ft: 37.5% of the water
  • 9–10 ft: 8.4% of the water
  • 10–12 ft: 7.2% of the water
  • 12–14 ft: 6.9% of the water
  • 14–16 ft: 0.8% of the water

2 target fish, led by Walleye

  • Walleye — Feeding water: 50–75°F.
  • Channel Catfish — Feeding water: 70–85°F.

Also recorded here: Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Common Carp.

Stocking: 123,973,006 fish, 1999–2022

Iowa DNR records list 123,973,006 fish released into this water from 1999 to 2022. The latest stocking on record is from 2022, more than three years ago.

  • Walleye: 123,871,608 in 1999–2020
  • Channel Catfish: 101,398 in 1999–2022

Water and conditions

Our water temperature readings average 72°F; they do not cover the whole year, so this is not a yearly average. pH averages 8.3. These readings span 2017–2024.

What is hard here

With 92.5% of the water 12 feet or less, low level turns the flats into hazards.

Where this data comes from

  • Iowa DNR — Iowa DNR: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
  • U.S. Geological Survey — USGS inland bathymetric surveys: class A, a survey of the bottom, 2006.
  • EPA NLA — EPA National Lakes Assessment: class B, a depth figure measured and published by an agency, without a bottom map.
  • Webster, K.E., McCullough, I.M., Soranno, P.A. LAGOS-US DEPTH v1.0, EDI, doi:10.6073/pasta/64ddc4d04661d9aef4bd702dc5d8984f (CC BY 4.0); Cheruvelil et al. LAGOS-US LOCUS v1.0 (EDI) — LAGOS-US DEPTH v1.0: Lake depth for 17,675 lakes in the conterminous U.S.: class B, a depth figure measured and published by an agency, without a bottom map.