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In Iowa, Saylorville Lake is a reservoir used for time on and around the water. Fish documented in the area include White Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, and Largemouth Bass. At around 5,950 acres (about 9 square miles), it is a mid-sized waterbody. The deepest point reaches about 44 feet, and the surface sits near 836 feet above sea level. LakeRadar pulls readings from a mapped water gauge, so current water data is shown when the station reports. Below you will find an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, water readings, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Other waters in the region include Lake Panorama and Lake Red Rock. Check the hourly forecast and activity outlook below before heading out to Saylorville Lake.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 11, 5:32 PM CDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Excellent (91/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Fishing (93/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 93/100 across these hours. Wind 5 mph from the north-northwest. Dawn hours (06:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 86° | 82° | 79° | 75° | 74° | 73° | 72° | 72° | 71° | 71° | 71° | 71° | 71° | 71° | 70° | 72° | 73° | 77° | 80° | 82° | 84° | 86° | 87° | 87° |
| Wind (kts) | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
| Direction | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW |
| Gusts (kts) | 12 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, 5 PM CDT | 86°F | 7 mph S (180°) | 14 mph | 0% | 35% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sun, 6 PM CDT | 82°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 0% | 55% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 7 PM CDT | 79°F | 9 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 0% | 68% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 8 PM CDT | 75°F | 9 mph S (180°) | 18 mph | 1% | 72% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 9 PM CDT | 74°F | 9 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 2% | 74% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 10 PM CDT | 73°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 2% | 81% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 11 PM CDT | 72°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 3% | 51% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 12 AM CDT | 72°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 4% | 36% | Partly Cloudy |
| Mon, 1 AM CDT | 71°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 4% | 31% | Partly Cloudy |
| Mon, 2 AM CDT | 71°F | 9 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 4% | 23% | Mostly Clear |
| Mon, 3 AM CDT | 71°F | 9 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 4% | 20% | Mostly Clear |
| Mon, 4 AM CDT | 71°F | 9 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 4% | 27% | Partly Cloudy |
| Mon, 5 AM CDT | 71°F | 9 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 3% | 18% | Mostly Clear |
| Mon, 6 AM CDT | 71°F | 9 mph S (180°) | 18 mph | 4% | 13% | Sunny |
| Mon, 7 AM CDT | 70°F | 9 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 4% | 17% | Sunny |
| Mon, 8 AM CDT | 72°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 18 mph | 4% | 19% | Sunny |
| Mon, 9 AM CDT | 73°F | 12 mph SSW (203°) | 20 mph | 3% | 13% | Sunny |
| Mon, 10 AM CDT | 77°F | 12 mph SSW (203°) | 20 mph | 4% | 10% | Sunny |
| Mon, 11 AM CDT | 80°F | 13 mph SSW (203°) | 22 mph | 4% | 18% | Sunny |
| Mon, 12 PM CDT | 82°F | 13 mph SSW (203°) | 22 mph | 3% | 2% | Sunny |
| Mon, 1 PM CDT | 84°F | 14 mph SSW (203°) | 22 mph | 2% | 4% | Sunny |
| Mon, 2 PM CDT | 86°F | 14 mph SSW (203°) | 23 mph | 2% | 1% | Sunny |
| Mon, 3 PM CDT | 87°F | 15 mph SSW (203°) | 24 mph | 1% | 2% | Sunny |
| Mon, 4 PM CDT | 87°F | 15 mph SSW (203°) | 24 mph | 1% | 4% | Sunny |
| Mon, 5 PM CDT | 87°F | 14 mph SSW (203°) | 23 mph | 1% | 0% | Sunny |
Official National Weather Service hourly forecast. Showing 10 of 25 hours. Wind arrows point the way the wind is blowing; the compass point and degrees show where it comes from.
| Period | This Afternoon October 11, 2026 | Tonight October 11, 2026 | Columbus Day October 12, 2026 | Monday Night October 12, 2026 | Tuesday October 13, 2026 | Tuesday Night October 13, 2026 | Wednesday October 14, 2026 | Wednesday Night October 14, 2026 | Thursday October 15, 2026 | Thursday Night October 15, 2026 | Friday October 16, 2026 | Friday Night October 16, 2026 | Saturday October 17, 2026 | Saturday Night October 17, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 89° | 70° | 87° | 62° | 77° | 58° | 69° | 55° | 65° | 48° | 57° | 37° | 57° | 41° |
| Wind | S 7 mph | S 9 mph | SSW 9 to 15 mph | W 5 to 13 mph | N 5 mph | NNE 7 mph | NNE 9 mph | NE 8 mph | ENE 9 mph | NNW 9 to 17 mph | NW 17 to 23 mph | NNW 2 to 14 mph | WSW 2 to 6 mph | S 6 to 9 mph |
| Gusts | 14 mph | 18 mph | 24 mph | 22 mph | 9 mph | 12 mph | 15 mph | 13 mph | 15 mph | 25 mph | 33 mph | 23 mph | 10 mph | 15 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 4% | 4% | 7% | 35% | 60% | 58% | 45% | 70% | 47% | 10% | 1% | 1% | 2% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Saylorville Lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Excellent for fishing (93/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 7 mph from the south. 0% chance of precipitation. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend, water temperature. Confidence is moderate (74%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Excellent for boating (91/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 7 mph from the south. No active official alerts for this lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility and conditions, verified water access. Confidence is moderate (84%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Good for sailing (87/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 7 mph from the S is workable but not ideal. No active official alerts for this lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Excellent for kayaking (90/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 7 mph from the south. No active official alerts for this lake. Confidence is high (90%).
Water temperature is not available from a verified source for this lake. No swimming score is shown without it.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of IA Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Offering scenic natural surroundings in IA, Saylorville Lake is a vibrant freshwater reservoir that attracts powerboaters, sailors, and bank fishermen alike. The lake's aquatic ecosystem supports rich gamefish populations and scenic wetland areas. Remember to clean and drain all watercraft to prevent the spread of invasive species.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is required for anglers age 16+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Current motorized watercraft registration mandatory. Practice Clean, Drain & Dry protocols: drain all livewells and inspect props before launching. Life jackets required for all passengers.
Public shoreline and boating access managed by State & Local Authorities. Verify seasonal gate hours, launch fees, and parking rules before travel.
High-speed motorboating, pontoon cruising, wakeboarding, and water skiing across main channels. Target gamefish include White Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass. Morning hours typically provide optimal glassy conditions for kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) touring.
Warm water temperatures, peak swimming, active watersports, and open full-service campgrounds. Highest weekly attendance; plan early arrivals on summer weekends.
Spring pre-spawn and fall feeding transitions create prime trophy angling conditions. Cooler air, lower boat traffic, and vibrant seasonal shoreline foliage.
Mild year-round outdoor climate. Uncrowded waters, active winter bass and crappie fishing, and open year-round boat launch access.
No external source rows are cited by the data currently shown on this page.
Updated
Scores are heuristics, not safety guarantees. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
All telemetry for Saylorville Lake is synchronized directly from authorized federal and state monitoring networks (USGS, NWS, NOAA, and state environmental authorities). Observations are strictly instrumented readings — unmonitored sensors are transparently disclosed rather than synthetic estimates.
Last source audit: Oct 11, 5:32 PM CDT