Lakes also produce good channel catfish fishing, and the opportunity for this type of catfish fishing continues to improve in our public waters due to an aggressive stocking program with large fingerling fish. Stocked fish grow rapidly and to a large size. In fact, the largest catfish caught in the state each year are invariably taken from lakes and ponds. Fish caught in our man-made lakes in excess of 10 pounds are quite common.
Like catfish that inhabit rivers, lake-dwelling catfish are not evenly dispersed but concentrate into specific locations. The major cause of this concentration is the thermal and chemical stratification that is in place in Iowa lakes during the summer. Most ponds and fishing lakes stratify into three distinct thermal layers 10 to 15 feet below the surface, and water in the lower strata contains no oxygen – and consequently no fish. As a result, it is a waste of time and effort to fish in the deeper water during summer. Restrict your angling to depths above this stratification level. In many recreation lakes this depth will be posted near access points. Or if you desire, a temperature profile at the deepest point will give the definite answer of where to fish. Streams that inflow into the upper ends of lakes also have the tendency to concentrate catfish, as does submerged structure such as timber, rock protected shorelines and drop-offs. The best advice is to look for diverse habitat – the more diverse the habitat, the more attractive it is to catfish.