West Okoboji Lake (sometimes known as West Lake Okoboji) is a natural body of water, covering approximately 3,847 acres (15.57 km2), located in Dickinson County in northwestern Iowa, United States. It is part of the chain of lakes known as the Iowa Great Lakes. The area was long inhabited by the Santee or Dakota Sioux. The Dakota-language name for the lake was Minnetonka, meaning ’great waters’.
The lake reaches a maximum depth of 136 feet (41 m), making it the deepest lake in Iowa and second in size only to Spirit Lake. Its mean depth is 39 feet (12 m). The drainage area of the lake is approximately 125 square miles (320 km2).
The lake’s depth makes it a popular regional destination for motor boating, water skiing, sailing, and swimming. It is also a popular fishing destination in the region. The main catches in the lake are yellow perch, bluegill, and walleye. It also contains significant populations of smallmouth bass, northern pike, muskie, crappie, and white bass, black bass.
