Lake Sugema Wildlife Managment Area (SW of Keosauqua)

Welcome To Lake Sugema

Welcome to Lake Sugema, a multi-purpose lake that offers some of the best, if not THE best, fishing in southeast Iowa.

The 574-acre lake is stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, channel catfish, and saugeye. Extensive planning was done by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to establish underwater structure that helps fish survive and reproduce.

This lake is also good for fishing because of the steps taken to prevent siltation. Besides the hundreds of farm ponds, crop rotations, crop residue management and other soil saving practices farmers have established in the lake's drainage area, the lake is protected by a series of smaller sediment-control dams.

Facilities at the lake include parking lots, boat ramps, fishing jetties, a fishing pier for the handicapped, floating boat docks, and wildlife islands.

The area immediately surrounding the lake, Lake Sugema Wildlife Managmenet Area, encompasses about 3,000 acres. This land has been purchased by the DNR and Van Buren County to be managed as a wildlife area. That management is helping to build on the number of wild turkey, deer, squirrel, geese, quail, rabbits, songbirds, and other wild animals. Habitat is also being developed for raccoon, fox, mink, muskrats, and bald eagles, among other wildlife.

This area is meant for public hunting, fishing, hiking, birdwatching, cross country skiing, picnicking, nature study, primitive camping and other fun in the outdoors.

Recently, the 350 acre inviolate waterfowl refuge located in the northwest corner of the Sugema Wildlife Area has been permanently removed. The former refuge was established in the fall of 1995 to provide a undisturbed feeding and resting place for migrating waterfowl primarily ducks. The wildlife staff at Sugema has been monitoring waterfowl use on the refuge during the fall migration for the past 16 years. Waterfowl use of the 61 acre wetland located within the refuge has not been enough to warrant continuation of the refuge area. Most of the ducks that migrate through the area each fall are found using the main lake, private wetlands and on the Des Moines River throughout Van Buren County. The former wildlife refuge at Sugema is now open for all types of hunting use except that the area is still within the closed Canada Goose zone surrounding the Lake Sugema Wildlife Management Area.

For more information or questions, contact Jeff Glaw, wildlife biologist for the Sugema Wildlife Unit at 641-799-0793.

Lake Sugema - Planned for your enjoyment!

Whether it's fishing, hunting, trapping, hiking, birdwatching, cross country skiing, picnicking, camping, or just getting into the outdoors, Lake Sugema was planned to help you enjoy the outdoors.

Campgrounds

The modern campground is located on the South entrance to the lake on Hwy. 2 (19640 Jersey Ave., Keosauqua) It has a shelterhouse, sewer dump station, handicapped-accessible showerhouse, playground, and 23 hardsurfaced 50 ft. camp pads overlooking the lake. There is an 8-slip boat dock and a large trailer parking area. A great hiking trail which begins at the east end of the campgrounds, connects to the beautiful Lacey-Keosauqua State Park.

Make your camping reservations with the Park Attendant at 319-293-3532 (mid-Apr through October.) Campground attendents are not available on Tues & Wed.

View layout of campground sites.

2016 rates: $22 full service, $17 modern, $12 primitive. Cabins are also located in the campground, and on the North side of the lake as well. Visit our lodging page for contact information.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Van Buren County Conservation Board are managing the lake, wildlife and recreation area.

Download Lake Sugema Map
Download Topography Map of Lake Sugema