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  1. #1
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    3 Mile, 12 Mile, and Green Valley

    I'm trying to figure out where my fishing buddy and I can go for a couple days this Spring. We usually go to Lake Wapello and may wind up there again, but it's always nice to try new places or places that you just haven't been to in a long time. I was looking at an Iowa fishing map and saw that these three lakes are close to each other. I like having an option of trying a different lake nearby if we head somewhere and the fishing is terrible at one place. I have been to 3-mile lake twice and 12-mile lake once, but that was 5-10 years ago. I've never been to Green Valley. I know at one point both 3-mile and 12-mile were very popular tournament spots and were kicking out some nice bass. But then, if I remember right, they both kind of fell off a cliff in regards to the fishing. Have any of you fished any of these lakes in the last year? If so, how was the fishing? I remember 3-mile being a very "fishy" looking lake with a lot of visible cover to fish, but not sure if they have done renovations or anything that would have changed that? Just looking for information on any of these three lakes to get an idea of whether any of them would be worth going to. We'd probably be going sometime in mid to late April or early May. Thanks!

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    #2
    Green valley a small lake with mostly grass and planted brush and rock piles. Was super hot for a couple years but certainly still has some fish.

    12-mile lots of standing timber bearing the end of its prime. people thought it was dwindling off up until last year and it put out a few big bags.

    3-mile recently drained and revamped. Healthy population of newer bass. Seemed like it was stingy last year based on tournament results.


    Another place to consider is Okoboji. That lake was on fire last year with 25+lb bags weighed pretty much every weekend all spring, summer and fall.

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    #3
    okoboji is a good lake with both large and small mouth

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    #4
    12-mile and green valley have really been good the first few tournaments in the spring. So I think the fun fishing could be good and a chance at a 6lb+bass. There’s other good lakes as you go to the east. Little river,west lake. I’m not sure if you live close to Waverly, Iowa but have you fished brushy creek much?

  5. Member JACQUART21's Avatar
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    #5
    I’m planning on taking my wife with me to Okoboji in May sometime for a couple days of fishing. Anybody know of some good areas and techniques for Okoboji in May? It’s a sizable chain of lakes which can be tough to breakdown and be successful in 2 days of fishing!

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  6. USAF and DOD retired Phoenix Jim's Avatar
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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by JACQUART21 View Post
    I’m planning on taking my wife with me to Okoboji in May sometime for a couple days of fishing. Anybody know of some good areas and techniques for Okoboji in May? It’s a sizable chain of lakes which can be tough to breakdown and be successful in 2 days of fishing!
    fish the canals in west okoboji. They are usually loaded in there to spawn
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  7. Member JACQUART21's Avatar
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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Phoenix Jim View Post
    fish the canals in west okoboji. They are usually loaded in there to spawn
    Thanks for the insight Jim, do you get up to Okoboji often?

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  8. Member
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    #8
    Thanks for all the insight guys!

  9. Member
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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Redog View Post
    12-mile and green valley have really been good the first few tournaments in the spring. So I think the fun fishing could be good and a chance at a 6lb+bass. There’s other good lakes as you go to the east. Little river,west lake. I’m not sure if you live close to Waverly, Iowa but have you fished brushy creek much?
    I live in Waverly and Brushy Creek is about an hour and forty five minutes away from me. I haven't fished there in probably 5 years, but used to make it over there once or twice a year. Other than a couple of times, that lake was always tough for me to figure out. There's nothing like it anywhere around where I live since it's got a ton of standing timber, a lot of steep drop offs, and a lot of water over 20 feet deep. I'm a bank beater and not good with my electronics, which generally does not bode well when fishing a place like Brushy Creek. I think it also went through a period where the fishing was just plain tough due to all the pressure it was getting. For a few years it was kicking out some really nice bags during tournaments, so of course it became really popular for more and more tournaments. I have heard it's on the upswing again, but don't know that first hand.

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    #10
    Okoboji is one I've had on my radar for a while now as well. My fishing partner's brother and nephews have gone there several times and I know his nephew caught a 4-5 pounder last summer when he was there. Not sure why we haven't been there yet but we should definitely be considering it. Thanks!

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    #11
    One thing if you don’t know 12/mile (3 mile is the same way) there’s stumps just under the water that will get you!!! I once got a 16ft John boat high center and had to have some nice guys pull me off. That really bothered me for awhile, thankfully there was others boats there to help. But if nobody else was there I would have been a bit scared!!! I tried everything to get off and it was not happening. I’ve got a z18 boat now and it seems to come off the stumps better than the John boat.

  12. Member
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    #12
    Okoboji is by far my favorite lake in Iowa. In the spring I’d hit either the canals or spend time fishing docks in east okoboji and the smaller lakes.
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  13. USAF and DOD retired Phoenix Jim's Avatar
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    #13
    Quote Originally Posted by JACQUART21 View Post
    Thanks for the insight Jim, do you get up to Okoboji often?
    quite a bit over the years. I like fishing East and smaller lakes. Love them docks but in the Spring it the canals in West. I go in September and will be there this year too
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