business and finance | February 15, 2026

Is Lake Rathbun open for swimming?

Is Lake Rathbun open for swimming?

Several areas at Rathbun Lake are permanently closed to swimming because of their inherent risks. The whirlpool in front of Rathbun’s control tower and the heavy boat traffic at the boat ramps, courtesy docks, and the marina boat mooring facilities make those areas too hazardous for safe swimming.

What city is Lake Rathbun in?

Appanoose County
Located at Chariton River mile marker 142, approximately 7 miles north of Centerville, Iowa, in Appanoose County, it is one of the largest lakes in Iowa….

Rathbun Lake
(Army Corps of Engineers)
Rathbun Lake Show map of Iowa Show map of the United States Show all
LocationAppanoose County, Iowa

What is the water level at Lake Rathbun?

906.01 msl
The current lake level is 906.01 msl with 904 msl being recreation pool.

What kind of fish are in Lake Rathbun?

White bass
Channel catfishWalleyeFlathead catfishLargemouth bass
Rathbun Lake/Fish

What is the clearest lake in Iowa?

Clear Lake (Iowa)

Clear Lake
LocationCerro Gordo County, Iowa
Coordinates43°07′32″N 93°25′29″WCoordinates: 43°07′32″N 93°25′29″W
Basin countriesUnited States
Surface area3,684 acres (15 km2)

What are the cleanest lakes in Iowa?

10 Best Lakes in Iowa

  1. East Lake Okoboji & West Lake Okoboji. Lake Okoboji.
  2. Saylorville Lake. Saylorville Lake.
  3. Rathbun Lake. This popular reservoir is sixty miles southeast of Des Moines in south-central Iowa.
  4. Lake Red Rock. Lake Red Rock | Carl Wycoff / photo modified.
  5. Big Spirit Lake.
  6. Lake MacBride.
  7. Clear Lake.
  8. Big Creek Lake.

Is Lake Rathbun man made?

With an area of 84.98 square km, Rathbun Lake is Iowa’s second biggest lake. It is also an artificial lake created for flood control, fish and wildlife enhancement, and for providing recreational opportunities to residents.

How big is Lake Rathbun?

32.81 mi²
Rathbun Lake/Area

Can you fish at lake Rathbun?

Fishing At Rathbun Lake And, there’s over 150 miles of shoreline accessible to anglers fishing from boats. This is an 11,000-acre lake in south-central Iowa that produces big walleye, bass and crappie. The full list of fish species includes bass, catfish, crappie, walleye, sunfish and hybrid stripers.

Is lake Rathbun man made?

What is the deepest lake in Iowa?

West Okoboji
West Okoboji is the second largest in the chain covering 3, 850 acres. It is a glacial lake created by the Wisconsin Glacier 14,000 years ago and has a maximum depth of 134 feet, which makes it the deepest natural lake in Iowa….

LakeMiles of ShorelineAcres
TOTAL71.512,539

Where are the fish biting in Iowa?

In general, walleye populations are strong in the Des Moines, Iowa, Cedar, Raccoon, Little Sioux and Wapsipinicon rivers, Department of Natural Resources staffers say. A half-dozen counties near the Mississippi River boast the best trout fishing: Allamakee, Clayton, Dubuque, Fayette, Jackson and Winneshiek.