Lake Sugema

The 574-acre lake is stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, channel catfish, and Walleye. 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.

The area immediately surrounding the lake, about 3,000 acres, 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 wilflife.