Muscatine Pits/Deep Lakes Park

[seiowa]

I have wondered about this place for ice fishing but one time I ran into an old timer there, and he said it doesn't get good ice. He named a couple reasons. One was there are springs there, and he also mentioned they go up and down quite a bit on the same water table as the Mississippi. Not sure if either of those theories are true. Does anyone know? I also know there are many pits there, perhaps some are safer than others? That's not a bad drive for me and I've done okay fishing open water there. I'd like to try it if it isn't a death wish.

[hnd]

about 8 years ago, i had a buddy who said that when it was owned by Block you could get a permit to fish it and that he would absolutely clobber fish there on the ice and basically have it all to himself.

i do not remember the trustworthiness of this person but its worth a shot. 

i have a spot in the quad cities that i you can tell is full of springs but in years where we get 14" of ice elsewhere, i'd venture out on it. 

[ZachSchuler]

I went out there when there was at least 10" everywhere else.  It was scary. Open water on most ponds. I found one area I felt safe in,  but the ice still varied significantly.  Be careful and do not go alone.

[river rat 58]

zach is correct it never fully freezes. there is always open water, a lot of springs. i would not chance it. do not go alone

[seiowa]

Thanks guys, I'll pass on it. 10 years ago I wouldn't have given it a second thought  but these days I am a little more cautious. 2 years ago when we had that polar vortex I went through some ice, lucky it was a small slough and I only went in up to my belly button, i was almost back to shore. But the walk back to the truck in -6 plus wind has me pretty gun shy about testy ice.

[Kevin23]

Some of the smaller ones, and the north end of chester freezes. Use a spud and never assume anything is safe.

They are FULL of springs and do fluctuate with the river.

[matzilla]

I wouldn't do it this year...If you don't drive by them often and don't watch how/where they freeze its not worth the risk. If you do, then by all means give it a shot but I've seen that ice the last few weeks and even I wouldn't go out on it. They do freeze differently each year too - so a spot you hit last season or 5 years ago with 12" of ice is probably open water now. The river has been all over the place, the pits raise/drop similarly