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Lost Island Lake

General Information

County: Palo Alto
Location: 3 miles north of Ruthven
Acres: 1162.00
Maximum Depth: 13.5 ft. (2021 - 13.5 feet)
Motoring Restrictions: none

Nearby Parks

Amenities

Amenities at Lost Island Lake include:
  • Boat Access
  • Accessible Pier
  • Picnic Area
  • Beach
  • Trails
  • Accessible Facilities
  • Playground
  • Restrooms
  • Camping
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing
  • Hard Surface Boat Ramp
  • Accessible Shoreline
  • Fish Cleaning Station
No recent updates
Download Printable Lake Map
Download Printable Fishing Structures Map

You can zoom in on the map for bathymetric information for some lakes

  • 5/5/22 - 1,159,575 Walleye (Fry)
  • 10/11/2021 - 18,249 Walleye (4.7)
  • 05/05/2021 - 1,191,400 Walleye (Fry)
  • 09/24/2020 - 18,380 Walleye (6.1)
  • October 2019 - 5,948 Walleye (9.1)
  • 10/04/2019 - 262 Northern Pike (11.87)
  • 05/06/2019 - 1,269,675 Walleye (Fry)
  • 10/25/2018 - 15,882 Walleye (5.1)
  • 10/08/2018 - 1,404 Channel Catfish (8.3)
  • 09/26/2018 - 904 Northern Pike (10.8)
  • 07/11/2018 - 18,089 Walleye (2.78)
  • 05/14/2018 - 1,173,855 Walleye (Fry)
  • 9/29/2017 - 7,106 Walleye (7.7")
  • 6/15/2017 - 2,690 Northern Pike (4.9")
  • 5/3/2017 - 1,154,000 Walleye (fry)
  • 10/10/2017 - 980 Northern Pike (9.6")
  • fall 2016 - 3,490 Channel Catfish (9.1")
  • 9/30/2016 - 16,544 Walleye (4.5")
  • 9/29/16 - 366 Northern Pike (10.5")
  • 9/28/16 - 3,788 Walleye (7.0")
  • 4/25/16 - 1,150,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • 11/04/2015 - 5,412 Walleye (8")
  • 10/06/2015 - 333 Northern Pike (10")
  • 09/25/2015 - 18,051 Walleye (6" & 8")
  • 06/25/2015 - 90,000 Largemouth Bass (2")
  • 04/30/2015 - 1,150,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • annual 2014 - 33,347 Walleye (6")
  • 09/19/2014 - 1,318 Northern Pike (10")
  • 05/08/2014 - 1,150,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • Eurasian Watermilfoil
  • Zebra Mussel
The Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit.

  • Black Bullhead
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: unlimited
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Black Crappie
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined black and white crappie, 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: No daily limit on private waters
  • Bluegill
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: No daily limit on private waters
  • Channel Catfish
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 8 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 30 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Except for border lakes
  • Largemouth Bass
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined black bass, 3 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined black bass, 6 fish
    • Length Limit: 15-inch minimum
    • Other:
  • Northern Pike
    • Season: Continuous, except for boundary lakes
    • Daily Bag Limit: 3 fish
    • Possession Limit: 6 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Except for border lakes
  • Walleye
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined walleye, sauger and saugeye; 5 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined walleye, sauger and saugeye; 10 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • White Bass
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Yellow Bass
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Yellow Bullhead
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: unlimited
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Yellow Perch
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: 50 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
Walleye anglers will continue to enjoy the “good times “as numbers of angler acceptable size fish will be harvested during the upcoming 2019 season. Catfish anglers will continue to enjoy quality angling as numbers of angler acceptable size and larger fish will comprise the majority of the catch for the upcoming 2019 season. Anglers will continue to notice the influx of panfish species comprised of yellow perch, crappie and bluegill in the 2019 anglers catch. Crappie anglers fishing the shoreline habitat and the canals during the early season will require sorting as anglers will note small fish in the catch; however, persistence will be rewarded with numbers of angler acceptable size fish in the creel. Continued good growth of the small black crappie population in Lost Island Lake will provide good angling opportunities for the fall and upcoming 2020 fishing season. Bluegill anglers, with persistence and patience will be rewarded with numbers of this species in the creel. Anglers will continue to catch the occasional yellow perch; however, anglers will be pleased by the size caught. Temperate bass, comprised primarily of yellow bass will provide plenty of “pole bending” action during the upcoming fishing season. Anglers will note the increased size of the fish population which will provide an upswing during the 2019 fishing season and beyond. Recent surveys reflect good numbers of northern pike in the lake which will provide excellent action during the 2019 season. Black bullheads will provide quality angling with numbers of large fish available for harvest. (2019)
Tip: Click the arrow in the lower right corner to view the Fish Survey Data tool in full-screen mode.

Contacts

Iowa-Caught Fish Are Safe to Eat, In Almost All Cases

The vast majority of Iowa’s streams, rivers and lakes offer safe and high-quality fish that pose little or no threat to human health if consumed. Some limitations may apply for young children and pregnant women. Here’s a Fish Consumption Fact Sheet from the Iowa DNR and the Iowa Dept. of Public Health for more information. Here is a list of current fish consumption advisories for Iowa lakes and rivers.