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Terra Lake

General Information

County: Polk
Location: Within city of Johnston south of Pioneer Parkway.
Acres: 7.30
Maximum Depth:
Motoring Restrictions:

Nearby Parks

Amenities

Amenities at Terra Lake include:
  • Accessible Pier
  • Picnic Area
  • Trails
  • Accessible Facilities
  • Playground
  • Restrooms
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing
  • Carry Down Boat Launch
  • Community Fishing Location
For information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers contact Ben Dodd at 641-891-3795 or Andy Otting at 515-204-5885.
Rainbow Trout - Fair: Catch trout using ice fishing panfish jigs tipped with waxworms under a float or casting small plastics, spoons, spinners and blade baits.
For information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers contact Ben Dodd at 641-891-3795 or Andy Otting at 515-204-5885.
Rainbow Trout - Fair: Catch trout using ice fishing panfish jigs tipped with waxworms under a float or casting small plastics, spoons, spinners and blade baits.

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

  • Winter 2022 - 3,693 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Winter 2021 - 2,600 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • 09/29/2021 - 130 Channel Catfish (9)
  • Annual 2020 - 1,816 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • annual 2019 - 2,032 Rainbow Trout (10.8)
  • 09/12/2019 - 151 Channel Catfish (8.7)
  • October 2018 - 800 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • 10/09/2018 - 153 Channel Catfish (8.3)
  • 9/18/2017 - 150 Channel Catfish (8.2")
  • 09/29/2015 - 150 Channel Catfish (8")
  • 04/15/2015 - 2,550 Bluegill (2")
  • 03/23/2015 - 16 Largemouth Bass (Adult)
    No known aquatic invasive species have been found
The Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit.

  • 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:
  • 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:
  • Rainbow Trout
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 5 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 10 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Anglers must have paid the Trout Fee to fish for or possess trout
The fishery in Terra Lake has developed well since 2015. A fish survey in 2018 showed 6- to 14-inch largemouth bass and bluegills under 5 inches. Larger fish, especially bluegills, are present, but evaded capture due to very clear water at the time of sampling. The originally stocked channel catfish are around 18-inches long. Catchable size trout are here from November through April. (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.