Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake fishing

Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake fishing lists Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, and Hybrid Striped Bass on a community pond, outside the stocking reports. Species guides list dawn, day, and dusk for Bluegill and dawn and dusk for Largemouth Bass.

Illustration, not a photo of this lake
Last stocked
Not in these reports
Plants on record
0
Species recorded
3

Fish at Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake

0 stocked · 3 confirmed present

Bluegill Confirmed present Best: dawn, day, dusk

Best: dawn, day, dusk

2025 sampling showed bluegills from 3 to 7 inches. (programs.iowadnr.gov, accessed September 29, 2026)

Bluegill species guide
Largemouth Bass Confirmed present Best: dawn, dusk

Best: dawn, dusk

2025 survey sizes were commonly 8 to 16 inches, with fish to 18 inches. (programs.iowadnr.gov, accessed September 29, 2026)

How to fish it

2025 electrofishing found bass mostly 8 to 16 inches, with fish to 18 inches. (programs.iowadnr.gov, accessed September 29, 2026)

Largemouth Bass species guide
Hybrid Striped Bass Confirmed present

DNR 2025 sampling observed three size groups, including fish 24 to 25.5 inches. (programs.iowadnr.gov, accessed September 29, 2026)

Hybrid Striped Bass species guide

At Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake, sampling in 2025 showed Bluegills from 3- to 7-inches. Largemouth Bass surveyed were 8- to 16-inches, with fish up to 18-inches. A quality Channel Catfish population has sizes previously surveyed from 10- to 23-inches. A unique trout fishery exists as fall and winter stocked Rainbow Trout are surviving and growing year round. White and Black Crappies are present, but were captured in low numbers only using electrofishing gear in 2025. (programs.iowadnr.gov, accessed September 30, 2026)

Access and facts

Water type
community pond
Nearest town
Ames, IA
Shore access
Yes

Iowa DNR lists Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake in Ames (Story County) with published coordinates 42.06523057, -93.62641245. The community trout program plants rainbow trout here in fall.

Other places to fish at Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake

Ada Hayden Heritage Park shoreline

DNR manages this as a community fishing lake in Ames with published coordinates on the LakeDetails page. (programs.iowadnr.gov, accessed September 29, 2026)

Community trout plant window

The statewide community trout table lists a noon plant here on the published fall date (subject to postponement). (iowadnr.gov, accessed September 29, 2026)

Cool-water trout bite

DNR says trout are most often caught in spring, fall, and winter when water temperatures stay below 70 F. (programs.iowadnr.gov, accessed September 29, 2026)

About Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake

Ada Hayden is a community lake in Ames, Story County, on Iowa DNR's trout list. DNR tests show bass, panfish, and other warmwater fish. Trout stocked in fall and winter often stay in the lake all year. That holdover trout fishery is rare for Iowa community lakes.

Nearest lakes

Common questions

What fish are at Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake?

Bluegill (2025 sampling showed bluegills from 3 to 7 inches), Largemouth Bass (2025 survey sizes were commonly 8 to 16 inches, with fish to 18 inches), and Hybrid Striped Bass (DNR 2025 sampling observed three size groups, including fish 24 to 25.5 inches) are recorded here outside the stocking reports.

How do you get on Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake?

Shore fishing is available. The nearest town is Ames, IA. Iowa DNR lists Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake in Ames (Story County) with published coordinates 42.06523057, -93.62641245. The community trout program plants rainbow trout here in fall.

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