Lake Wapello - Iowa DNR

Lake Wapello

General Information

County: Davis
Location: 7 miles west of Drakesville on the west side of V17
Acres: 289.00
Maximum Depth: 35.1 ft. (2015)
Motoring Restrictions: No Size Limit at No Wake

Nearby Parks

Lake Wapello State Park

Amenities

Amenities at Lake Wapello include:
  • Fishing Jetty
  • Accessible Pier
  • Boat Rental
  • Picnic Area
  • Beach
  • Trails
  • Accessible Facilities
  • Playground
  • Restrooms
  • Camping
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing
  • Hard Surface Boat Ramp
  • Accessible Shoreline
  • Fish Cleaning Station
Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions about fishing in south central Iowa. Skim ice is forming along the lake edges and coves. Ice is not thick enough to support anglers.
The lake is skimmed over with ice. Unsafe ice conditions.
Download Printable Lake Map

Iowa Department of Natural Resources |
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You can zoom in on the map for bathymetric information for some lakes

  • September 2022 - 2,905 Channel Catfish (8.9)
  • 09/22/2020 - 289 Channel Catfish (8.3)
  • 09/25/2018 - 2,002 Channel Catfish (9)
  • 9/22/16 - 1,607 Channel Catfish (9.1")
  • 6/16/2016 - 3,130 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.3")
  • 6/16/2016 - 3,132 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.4")
  • 06/29/2015 - 2,715 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (1.7")
  • 06/16/2016 - 2,730 Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) (2")
  • Brittle Naiad
The Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit.

  • 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:
  • Largemouth Bass
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: Catch and release only
    • Possession Limit: Catch and release only
    • Length Limit: Catch and release only
    • Other:
The hybrid striped bass fishery was evaluated in 2017. Fish up to 20 inches were captured. These stockings were part of a statewide research project that ended in 2016; new stockings are not expected.(2017)
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.