Browns Lake

Boat Ramps: 1
Access Points: 3
Species: 8

Browns Lake in Woodbury County is a natural oxbow lake formed when the Missouri River meandered freely across the river valley. This 580-acre lake is managed by the Iowa DNR and located at Bigelow Park near Salix, offering a diverse warmwater fishery. The lake serves as a popular destination for both anglers and recreational boaters, with infrastructure supporting various activities including a handicap-accessible fishing pier, boat ramp, and multiple fishing jetties. As an oxbow lake, Browns Lake features the unique characteristics of former river channels, creating varied habitat that supports healthy populations of game fish.

Iowa licenses and regulations4 to check before you go

Species & education

Learn what type of fish are at Browns Lake and what's needed to catch them.

Find which waters have the species you want to catch

Largemouth Bass

Micropterus salmoides

Northern Pike

Esox lucius

Walleye

Sander vitreus

Black Crappie

Pomoxis nigromaculatus

Bluegill Sunfish

Lepomis macrochirus

Channel Catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

Paddlefish

Polyodon spathula

Shortnose Gar

Lepisosteus platostomus

Fishing spots, boat ramps & amenities

Learn how to get on Browns Lake. Uncover great fishing access points, boat ramps, and all the facilities you need for an unforgettable day on the water. Some locations shown may border or include private property. Always check property boundaries and applicable regulations before visiting. onWater's Public & Private Land layer can help you plan your access with confidence.

Brown's Lake Wildlife Area

Access Point

Bigelow Park Access

Access Point

Know where you can legally fish on Browns Lake

See public and private land boundaries along the water, turn on private parcels with owner details to know where permission is required, and find land-trust parcels that offer permitted fishing access.

Iowa licenses and regulations

Iowa Boating Regulations

When using any type of watercraft to access a body of water, it is important to follow all federal, state, and local rules and regulations. These rules and regulations include boat permitting and licensing, invasive species inspections and stamps, life jacket and PFD rules, motor size and horsepower restrictions, noise limitations, restrictions on personal watercraft, and many more. Visit the web link below for the most current rules and regulations for this body of water.

Learn more

Iowa Fishing License

All anglers 16 years and older must have a fishing license to fish Iowa waters. Anglers under the age of 16 may fish Iowa waters without a fishing license and may fish for and keep their own limit of fish, except when fishing for trout they must share their limit with a licensed adult or buy their own trout fee to keep their own limit of trout.

Learn more

Iowa Fishing Regulations

This river has a variety of species and regulations, including potential floating and/or watercraft restrictions. Because this river is specially managed for species, seasons, angling methods, and watercraft, it is strongly encouraged you check all federal, state, and local regulations before fishing. Visit any of the links below, inquire locally, or contact a local fly shop to learn current regulations and restrictions.

Learn more

Iowa Stream Access Laws

If a waterway can support a vessel capable of carrying one or more people during a total of six months in one out of every ten years, it is considered navigable and is open to fishing, swimming and wading, regardless of streambed ownership.

Learn more

Take Browns Lake with you

The onWater Fish app keeps this water's access points, species and conditions in your pocket, with the tools you use once you're there.

Use the map without signal
Download the map around Browns Lake to use it offline when coverage drops.
Log your catches here
Keep a private fishing journal for Browns Lake to find where and when fish are biting for you.
HD depth charts from Garmin
Find drop offs, ledges, channels, points and shallow flats with Garmin depth charts in the app.