I-Bass – 3 Mile

On Saturday, April 18, 2026, the Iowa-based I-BASS tournament series rolls into Three Mile Lake—and it’s shaping up to be one of those early-season showdowns everyone circles on the calendar. With spring in full swing, warming water, and bass sliding into predictable (but volatile) staging areas, this stop has all the ingredients for a pressure-cooker bite: big decisions, tight limits, and last-cast heroics.

Why Three Mile is the perfect battleground

Three Mile Lake (Union County) is a legit central-Iowa bass factory at about 880 acres with a max depth around 47 feet—big enough to spread a field out, but compact enough that the best water gets found (and guarded) fast. (Iowa DNR Programs)
It also has boat access, a hard-surface ramp, fish cleaning station, camping, and plenty of shoreline opportunities—so the whole place hums with “tournament morning energy.” (Iowa DNR Programs)

The hype: spring bite + tricky fish patterns = fireworks & BIG BASS

Three Mile is widely talked about as a “proven bass powerhouse,” and spring is when it can feel like the lake reloads every hour—fish moving, weather changing, patterns shifting on the fly. (bass-cafe.com)

By the time April 18 hits, expect a highly anticipated mix of local hammers, lake-savvy grinders, and straight-up gamblers all chasing that one perfect stretch that turns a solid day into a headline.