Fishing near West Des Moines, IA
Straddling Dallas and Polk counties, West Des Moines sits where the Raccoon River system meets a cluster of Army Corps reservoirs. The river runs through town, while Saylorville Lake (4,970 acres, ~20 mi north) and Lake Red Rock (Iowa's largest at 15,000–17,000 acres, ~40 mi SE) anchor the big-water scene. Spring and fall white bass runs and consistent walleye define the local fishery.
Species & education
Learn what type of fish are in West Des Moines, Iowa and what's needed to catch them.
Find which waters have the species you want to catch
American Eel
Anguilla rostrata
Bigmouth Buffalo
Black Bullhead
Ameiurus melas
Black Crappie
Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Bluegill
Lepomis macrochirus
Bluegill Sunfish
Lepomis macrochirus
Brown Trout
Salmo trutta
Channel Catfish
Common Carp
Flathead Catfish
Freshwater Drum
Aplodinotus grunniens
Grass Carp
Green Sunfish
Lepomis cyanellus
Highfin Carpsucker
Carpiodes velifer
Largemouth Bass
Fish smarter with real-time insights
Whether you're en route and conditions shift or you're looking for the best spot based on current flows, we enable you to make informed decisions on the fly.
Iowa licenses and regulations
Explore West Des Moines
Top fishing waters
Loading top waters...
Popular Cities
Loading popular cities...
Smarter Fishing Starts in the App.
onWater Fish gives you everything you need to plan smarter, fish better, and own every trip from first cast to last.