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Saturday Morning Fishing Report: A Wet Weekend in Store

The weekend is looking rather wet with afternoon showers and thunderstorms. Chances for precipitation will continue into the evening and overnight hours as high pressure exits the area leaving cooler high temps into next week. Exercise caution when outdoors. Remember get indoors when thunder roars. Particularly near waterways, ponds, and lakes.

The Iowa State Fair is coming up next week. Visit the DNR Building at the Iowa State Fair, August 11-21, for a chance to win prizes, talk to DNR experts, take a peek at the live fish in the aquariums, and more!

“How Do You Fish?” is the theme for Thursday, August 11. Got hooked on fishing with these courtyard presentations:

  • 11:00 a.m. – Fish Printing (Hands-On Activity)
  • 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – demo of basic fish cleaning and cooking tactics for your catch; free samples of fresh cooked Iowa fish
  • 1:00 p.m. – Backyard Bass (Hands-On Activity)
  • 3:00 p.m. – Fish Printing (Hands-On Activity)

Find the complete courtyard schedule, along with all the details about the DNR fair displays and state fair promotions at www.iowadnr.gov/statefair.

Here is a summary of the current conditions around area lakes and rivers.

 

NORTHWEST

Black Hawk Lake
Water levels are about 5 inches below the crest of the spillway. Surface water temperature is in the low 80s. Water clarity is roughly 10 inches. Black Crappie – Fair: Fish are 8- to 11-inches. Most fish have moved to more off shore areas, but can still be picked up along Ice House Point and around the fish house and stone piers in Town Bay. Bluegill – Slow: Find bluegills along shore near Ice House Point and the rock pile by Gunshot Hill.  Fish are 6- to 7-inches. Channel Catfish – Fair: Look for cats around the deeper rock piles or try drifting in the evening and at night. Use cut bait, crawdads or dip bait. Catfish average 4 to 7 pounds.

Browns Lake
Water levels remain low; use caution when launching boats.

Brushy Creek Lake
Surface water temperature is in the low 80s. Black Crappie – Fair: Find crappie near submerged woody structure in 5-20 feet of water. Use a small jig tipped with a crawler or small minnow. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try plastics and traditional bass lures along submerged woody structure and weed lines near shore.

Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
Surface water temperature is in the low 80s. Water clarity is variable between a few inches to up to two feet depending on location. Green algae blooms are present in some areas, especially near the downwind shorelines. All walleye between 19 and 25-inches must be immediately released unharmed at Storm Lake; no more than one walleye longer than 25-inches can be taken per day. Black Crappie – Fair. Channel Catfish – Fair: Storm Lake has a good population of 4-6 pound catfish.  Try cut bait, liver or crawlers fished on the bottom along shore. Walleye – Fair: Boat anglers are trolling crankbaits using crawler harnesses and drifting leeches and in the edges of the dredge cuts. Also try a minnow under a slip bobber. Yellow Bass – Fair: Fish are 5- to 11-inches long.  Use a small piece of crawler fished under a bobber. Yellow Perch – Fair: Try crawlers or small minnows fished under a bobber near rocky shorelines.

Surface water temperature is in the low 80s in most area lakes. Some lakes are experiencing varying levels of green algae blooms with recent warmer temperatures and calmer days. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.


Beeds Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift fish or troll a tube jig along the north shore.

Clear Lake
The lake is 2.8 inches below crest. Water temperature is in the upper 70s. Water clarity is about 17 inches. Clear Lake has a protected slot on walleye. All walleye between 17 and 22 inches must be immediately released unharmed. No more than one walleye longer than 22 inches may be taken per day. Channel Catfish – Good: Try cut bait or chicken liver from the wind-swept shore. Best bite is after sunset. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try fishing weedless baits near the vegetation edge. Walleye – Slow: Try fishing a slip bobber with live bait on the rock reefs or a jig and minnow near the vegetation edge. Yellow Bass – Slow.

Lake Cornelia
Channel Catfish – Fair: Use cut bait on the bottom after sunset.

Silver Lake (Worth)
Bluegill
 – Fair: Use a small piece of crawler under a bobber in the open pockets in the vegetation. Largemouth Bass – Good: Bass are biting on weedless and topwater baits; try fishing near the edge of the vegetation. Yellow Perch – Fair.

Upper Pine Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift fish or troll small jigs or minnows. Best bite is early morning. Largemouth Bass – Good: Bass are biting on a variety of baits fished near woody structure.

For information on the lakes and rivers in north central Iowa, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.


East Okoboji Lake
Lake temperature is in the lower 80s. The water level is at crest. Fish are out deeper during warm water temperatures. Trolling has been working very well. Find crappie and yellow bass in 12-17 feet of water. Try fishing weed lines where there is new vegetation growth. Black Crappie – Good: Best bite is in 10-15 feet of water along weed lines. Bluegill – Good. Walleye – Fair: Try spinners, crankbaits and long and shallow shad raps in the main basins. Best bite is an hour before and after sunset. Yellow Bass – Good.

Lost Island Lake
Fishing/trolling is getting more difficult as aquatic vegetation reaches the surface in many places. There has been a decent-sized algae bloom lately. Black Crappie – Fair. Walleye – Slow: Try trolling crankbaits or with lindy rigs off weed lines. Best bite is an hour before and after sunset. Yellow Perch – Fair.

Minnewashta Lake
Bluegill and crappie fishing has been good; some sorting may be needed. Black Crappie – Good. Bluegill – Good.

Silver Lake (Dickinson)
The late afternoon bite has been fair. Many anglers are targeting fish schools during the day. Vegetation growth and a large algae bloom is making fishing more difficult in many areas. Many large schools of young of the year bullhead are swimming around the lake. Walleye – Fair: Try spinners, crankbaits and long and shallow shad raps.

Spirit Lake
Water temperature is in the upper 70s. The lake level is 3 inches below crest. The walleye season is open. Most species are out deeper in 17+ feet of water. Black Bullhead – Fair: Try fishing the northern grade of Spirit Lake. Black Crappie – Fair: Use a tube jig and bobber. Bluegill – Fair.  Walleye – Fair: Use spinners, crankbaits and long and shallow shad raps; try to find weed lines. Yellow Perch – Good: Many perch can be caught, you may need to sort for size.

West Okoboji Lake
Water temperature is in the upper 70s. The water level is at crest. Most fish are out deeper in 15+ feet of water. Rocky points and areas with new vegetation growth have seen the most success. Black Crappie – Good: Use crankbaits or shad raps. Bluegill – Good: Try small shad raps. Largemouth Bass – Fair. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Try fishing off points with surface baits or jerk baits. Walleye – Fair: Try fishing off points by trolling crankbaits or with lindy rigs. Best bite is an hour before and after sunset. Some fish have been caught while trolling for crappie.

Most area lake temperatures are in the mid-70s to 80s. This week’s forecast calls for continued temperatures in the 80s-90s. Bass and panfishing has been great on most lakes out along weed lines in 15+ feet of water. Most bigger fish have been caught out in deeper water as temperatures have increased. For current conditions, call the Spirit Lake District Office at 712-336-1840.

NORTHEAST

Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water levels are stabilizing. Visit the USGS Water Dashboard for current water levels. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Try a hook loaded with a crawler, chub, chicken livers or stink bait. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Use a spinnerbait or crankbait along lake edges at dawn and dusk. Northern Pike – No Report: Find pike in shallow vegetated areas out of current. Smallmouth Bass – Slow: Find smallies below the dams; use a hook tipped with a ringworm, twister tail or nightcrawler.  Walleye – Good: Try worms or minnows under a slip bobber with enough weight to get your bait near the bottom.

Decorah District Streams
Wild parsnip is starting to dry out; protect yourself from this plant by keeping arms and legs covered. Sap from this plant can cause serious blisters. Most area trout streams are high. Water clarity is much improved. Use caution when crossing or fishing in faster current. Brook Trout – Fair: Try fishing the weed lines and head end of riffles for actively feeding fish. Terrestrial insects are abundant. Brown Trout – Good: Dirty water favors brown trout anglers. Increasing terrestrial insect numbers such as crickets, beetles and grasshoppers washing into streams creates a feeding frenzy for brownies. Rainbow Trout – Good: A few streams get too warm to stock rainbow trout in the heat of the summer. This is an annual occurrence; plenty of fish remain in the streams. Stocking the other streams continues as scheduled.

Lake Hendricks
Severe green algae bloom on Lake Hendricks. Water temperature is in the low 80s. Angling is slow with recent weather and warm temperatures. Black Crappie – Slow: Slowly troll for crappie. Best bite is in the evening. Bluegill – Slow: Catch one of these beauties with a small piece of worm. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Best time to catch a nice-size cat is at night using stink bait. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Find fish on the edges of vegetation; use weedless lures to minimize the frustration of casting into weeds.

Lake Meyer
Lake levels are up and off-color from recent rain.  Shoreline angling is much improved. Water temperatures is in the 70s. Black Crappie – Slow: Find crappie suspended. Try trolling weed edges with a jig and twister tail. Bluegill – Slow: Find a cove or weed edge. Use an ice fishing jig tipped with a small piece of worm. Channel Catfish – Good: Try a chunk of worm or squished minnow fished off the bottom near stumps or other woody debris. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Use crankbaits or a jig with plastic tail on weedless hooks along vegetation edges.

North Bear Creek
Bridge replacement work is starting on the Sacquitne Bridge on 360th St. Stream access and parking lot remain open; be courteous to workers. Rainbow Trout – Excellent: Stocked weekly from April through October.

Turkey River (above Clermont)
Water levels are stabilizing with good water clarity. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Find smallies near undercut banks or rock ledges; use a jig with a twister tail or crankbait. Walleye – Good: Find walleye in deeper pockets just out of flow.

Turkey River (below Clermont)
Water levels are stabilizing with good water clarity. Flows remain high. Visit the USGS Water Database for more information on water levels. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Try fishing the eddies and drop-offs. Walleye – Good: Find walleye in current breaks or eddies; use crankbaits or spinnerbaits.

Upper Iowa River (above Decorah) 
Water levels are stabilizing. Water clarity is good. Give strainers such as tree limbs and log jams a wide berth. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Try fishing rocky ledges or along a current break. Walleye – Good.

Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
Water levels are stabilizing with good clarity. Current is swift. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Find deeper holes and eddies. Try fishing near the bottom. Walleye – Good: Anglers are catching 10-inch walleye with a jig tipped with a natural colored twister tail in the edges of eddies.

Volga Lake
Water clarity is fair. Water temperature is in the 80s. Few anglers are out. Algae bloom is occurring. Try slowly trolling around lake to find suspended fish. Black Crappie – Slow: Use small jigs tipped with plastic tails or minnows off the jetties. Also try trolling around the lake to find suspended fish. Bluegill – Slow:  Anglers are finding gills off the jetties. Try a small piece of worm under a bobber. Channel Catfish – Good: Trophy-sized catfish are abundant in this lake. Use a dead chub or squished minnow fished off the bottom near woody debris. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Use crankbaits in drop-offs and around brush piles and other attracting structures.

Temperatures are in the 90s to upper 70s. Thunderstorms forecast for Saturday evening into Sunday. Use caution when paddling with high flows and dirty water. For current fishing information, please call the Chuck Gipp Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.


Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)
Anglers are catching bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass and channel catfish. Black Crappie – Slow: Try a crappie minnow under a slip bobber along the edge of the weed beds off of the jetties. Bluegill – Slow: Use a piece of crawler under a slip bobber along the edge of the weed beds off of the jetties. Channel Catfish – Good: Try fishing off the old beach area and to the west using stink baits, livers, leopard frogs or dead cut baits fished on the bottom. Any time of the day has been productive.

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
Anglers are catching channel catfish, smallmouth bass and walleye. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try stink baits, chicken livers or dead cut baits fished above fallen tree snags. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Cast crankbaits, spinnerbaits or jigs near rocky shoreline areas. Walleye – Fair: Tip a jig with a plastic and half of a nightcrawler or cast crankbaits.

George Wyth Lake
Anglers are catching northern pike, crappie, channel catfish and largemouth bass. Black Crappie – Fair: Try a crappie minnow under a slip bobber near structure. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use nightcrawlers, chicken livers, dead cut baits or leopard frogs on the bottom in 10 feet of water or less. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Cast topwater artificial or spinnerbaits early morning or late evening. Northern Pike – Fair: Troll crankbaits around the lake or cast spinnerbaits along the edges of willows on the west end of the lake.

Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
The Maquoketa River is in good condition. Anglers are catching smallmouth bass, walleye and channel catfish. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use a piece of crawler on a jig or fished off of the bottom. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Cast spinnerbaits, crankbaits or jigs near rocky shoreline areas. Walleye – Fair: Tip a jig with a plastic and half of a nightcrawler or cast crankbaits.

Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
Reports of anglers catching smallmouth bass and walleye. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Cast spinnerbaits or crankbaits; concentrate on areas of rock or rip-rapped shorelines. Walleye – Fair: Tip a jig with a plastic and half of a nightcrawler or cast crankbaits.

Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
Water levels on the Wapsipinicon River continue to drop. Anglers are catching smallmouth bass, channel catfish and walleye. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try stink baits, chicken livers or dead cut baits fished above fallen tree snags. Smallmouth Bass – Fair:  Cast crankbaits, spinnerbaits or jigs near rocky shoreline areas. Walleye – Fair: Tip a jig with a plastic and half of a nightcrawler or cast crankbaits.

NE Iowa interior river levels are in excellent condition. The rivers are providing catfish, smallmouth bass and walleye activity. Trout streams are in excellent condition across NE Iowa. Area Black Hawk county lakes are producing catches of panfish, channel catfish and largemouth bass. Contact your local area bait shops for the most recent hot spots. For more information, contact the Manchester Hatchery at 563-927-3276.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER

Mississippi River Pool 9
Water level is 8.1 feet at Lansing and is expected to remain stable. Water temperature is 79 degrees. The water is somewhat stained after heavy rains. Fishing is good, but floating weeds are a nuisance. Heytman’s Landing is closed due to replacing the railroad bridge. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers are catching crappies in the flooded timber on crappie rigs with minnows. Bluegill – Good: Use light tackle tipped with piece of worm in areas away from current along the weed edges in backwaters. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Try cut bait or stink bait fished in deeper holes along current breaks of side channels. Also try rock lines where they are spawning.  Flathead Catfish – Fair: Reports of lots of small flathead biting on nightcrawlers. Try a shiner or small bluegill for bait to catch bigger catfish. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum bite is coming on. Use a weighted crawler rig in the current anywhere from shore. Largemouth Bass – Good: Cast jigs or jerk baits in woody cover in the shallows of backwaters. Northern Pike – Fair: Cast crankbaits off vegetation lines or near the mouth of tributary streams. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Smallmouth are getting more active along main channel rock structure. Cast inline spinners or crankbaits along the faster current. Walleye – Good: Troll crankbaits off the wing-dams and side channels. Yellow Perch – Good: Use a jig tipped with a crawler.

Mississippi River Pool 10
Water level is 613 feet at Lynxville and is expected to be fairly stable. Water temperature is 81 degrees at Lynxville dam. The backwaters are covered in duckweed and lily-pads. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers are catching crappies in the flooded timber on crappie rigs with minnows. Bluegill – Excellent: Use light tackle tipped with piece of worm in areas away from current along the weed edges in backwaters. Channel Catfish – Good: Try cut bait or stink bait fished in deeper holes along current breaks of side channels. Flathead Catfish – Fair: The flathead bite is picking up with the warmer temperatures. Try a shiner or small bluegill for bait. Some anglers are using bank poles with bullheads for bait. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum bite is coming on. Use a weighted crawler rig in the current anywhere from shore. Largemouth Bass – Good: Cast jigs or jerk baits in woody cover in the shallows of backwaters. Northern Pike –  Fair: Cast crankbaits off vegetation lines or near the mouth of tributary streams. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Smallmouth are getting more active along main channel rock structure. Cast inline spinners or crankbaits along the faster current.  Walleye – Good: Troll crankbaits off the wing-dams and side channels. Yellow Perch – Good: Use a jig tipped with a crawler.

Mississippi River Pool 11
Water level is 4.6 feet at Guttenberg and is expected to remain stable. Water temperature is 73 degrees at the Guttenberg dam. The backwaters are covered in duckweed and lily-pads. The water is slightly turbid after recent rains. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers are catching crappies in the flooded timber on crappie rigs with minnows. Bluegill – Good: Use light tackle tipped with piece of worm in areas away from current along the weed edges in backwaters. Channel Catfish – Good: Try cut bait or stink bait fished in deeper holes along current breaks of side channels.  Flathead Catfish – Fair: The flathead bite is picking up with the warmer temperatures. Try a shiner or small bluegill for bait. Lots of bank pole fishing with anglers using live bullheads or green sunfish for bait. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum bite is coming on. Use a weighted crawler rig in the current anywhere from shore. Largemouth Bass – Good: Cast jigs or crankbaits in woody cover in the shallows of backwaters. Northern Pike – Fair: Cast crankbaits off vegetation lines or near the mouth of tributary streams. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Smallmouth are getting more active along main channel rock structure. Cast inline spinners or crankbaits along the faster current.  Walleye –  Good: Troll crankbaits off the wing-dams and side channels. Yellow Perch – Good: Use a jig tipped with a crawler.

Upper Mississippi River levels are low. Boaters should use caution not to back off the end of ramps. The bite has improved with better clarity. Walleye slot length limits now apply on the entire Iowa border of the Mississippi River. All walleyes less than 15 inches long and between 20-27 inches must be immediately released. One walleye over 27 inches may be kept. Walleye/sauger combined daily limit 6/possession 12.


Mississippi River Pool 12
Water levels are 4.6 feet at the Lock and Dam and 7.3 feet at the RR bridge. Water clarity is good. Water levels are stable. Water temperature is around 80 degrees. Lots of mixed bags of many species reported. Use caution when using boat ramps to avoid  backing off the ends during this low water. Use the minimum amount of ramp needed to launch your boat. Black Crappie – Fair: Black and white crappie are being caught on woody structures in larger side channel areas; most anglers are using small jigs or minnows. Bluegill – Good: Use a simple bobber and worm around rock lines and behind fallen trees. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Catfish angling is still very good, but moving to post-spawn. Many anglers switch to stink baits in larger sloughs and mud flats. Flathead Catfish – Good: Banklines are popular with most anglers using live bullheads or small carp for bait. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Drum are being taken in areas of moderate current with an egg sinker and worm rig. Keep fish on ice if you plan to eat them; they can be very good table fare. Largemouth Bass – Excellent: Bass of all sizes are being reported mostly from backwater areas on spinnerbaits and swimbaits. Find fish along weed lines. Northern Pike – Good: Some nice pike are being reported on spinnerbaits. Find fish along the newly established vegetation lines; use gaudy white spinnerbaits. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Use a spinnerbait or crankbait along rock lines with moderate current. Most smallies are small; use bigger crankbaits to catch bigger fish. Walleye – Good: The walleye bite has picked up with many anglers throwing crankbaits on wing-dams. The bite might have slowed down a bit, but some nice fish are being caught. White Bass – Good: Use white spinners or jigs.

Mississippi River Pool 13
The water level at the Bellevue Lock is stable at near 4.3 feet. The water temperature is around 80 degrees. Lots of mixed bags of many species reported. Use caution when using boat ramps to avoid  backing off the ends during this low water. Use the minimum amount of ramp needed to launch your boat. Black Crappie – Good: Black and white crappie are being caught on woody structures in larger side channel areas; most anglers are using small jigs or minnows. Bluegill – Excellent: Try a simple bobber and worm rig along rock lines or near fallen trees in larger sloughs. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Switch to stink baits for post-spawn channel cats. Find channel cats in deeper holes during this low water. Flathead Catfish – Good: Many anglers are using bank poles and a live bullhead or green sunfish for bait. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Drum are being taken in areas of moderate current with a egg sinker and worm rig. Keep your fish on ice if plan to eat them; they can be very good table fare. Largemouth Bass – Excellent: The bass bite is hot. They are heavily feeding on minnows in side channels and rock lines. Northern Pike – Good: Use gaudy white spinners. Rainbow Trout – No Report: The Kids Trout Pond is unfishable due to excessive vegetation. The pond will be restocked with trout in later fall. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Try spinnerbaits or crankbaits along rock lines. Some nice 3-pound smallmouths have been reported; most are small, but fun on light action poles.  Walleye – Good: Good numbers coming off the wing-dams; use crankbaits or worm rigs. Bite has slowed, but some nice fish are being reported.  White Bass – Good: White bass are feeding at the surface in various parts of Pool 13; use white jigs and small spinners in these feeding schools.

Mississippi River Pool 14
The water level at the Fulton Lock and Dam is stable at 4.4 feet, 9.2 feet at Camanche, and 4.2 feet at Le Claire. Water temperature is around 81 degrees in the main channel. Water clarity is good. Use caution when using boat ramps to avoid  backing off the ends during this low water. Use the minimum amount of ramp needed to launch your boat. Bluegill – Good: Bluegills are on the bite throughout Pool 14; use a simple bobber and worm rig in 3 feet of water or less. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Switch to stink bait for post-spawn walleyes. Try fishing in larger sloughs upstream of fallen trees. Flathead Catfish – Good: Walleye and bass anglers are finding flatheads in rocky habitat using crankbaits. Anglers are also targeting flatheads with bank poles, often with a bullhead for bait. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Drum are taken in areas of moderate current with an egg sinker and worm rig. Keep your fish on ice if you plan to eat them; they can be very good table fare. Largemouth Bass – Excellent: Bass of all sizes are being reported out of most of the common highly fished backwater lakes in Pool 14 like Beaver Island, Rock Creek and Sunfish Lake. Longnose Gar -Excellent: Numerous large gars are biting in Pool 14. Northern Pike – Good: Some pike have been seen in mixed species bags, mostly by anglers bass fishing. Look for pike along weedy shorelines with gaudy white spinners. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Look for smallmouth bass along rock lines with stronger currents; try fishing in 1 to 2 feet of water next to the rock. Walleye – Good: Some nice walleyes continue to be reported from sloughs and near shore wing-dams. Most anglers are using crankbaits. White Bass – Good: Good numbers of white bass mixed in with hybrid striped bass reported near the tailwater area. Use a white jig or small spinner.  White Crappie – Fair: Try larger slow moving side channels and fish around brush piles; use a small jig tipped with minnows.

Mississippi River Pool 15
The water level is 6.2 feet at Rock Island and is receding. The water temperature is near 82 degrees. Water clarity is good. Use caution when using boat ramps to avoid  backing off the ends during this low water. Use the minimum amount of ramp needed to launch your boat. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Use stink baits in deeper side or edge channel habitats. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Drum are being taken in areas of moderate current using an egg sinker and worm rig.  Keep your fish on ice if you plan to eat them; they can be very good table fare. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Pool 15 can be surprising good smallmouth fishing with lots of rock lines available; this a preferred habitat for smallmouth bass. Use small spinners or crankbaits near these rock habitats.

Water levels have dropped and are low. Use caution boating with lots of obstacles close to the surface. Also use caution to avoid backing of the ends of boat ramps. The water temperature is near 81 degrees throughout the district. Water levels are stable. If you have angling questions, please call the Bellevue Fisheries Management Station at 563-880-8781.


Mississippi River Pool 16
Tailwater stage is 4.28 feet at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad Cities and is forecast to stay fairly steady over the weekend. Flood stage is 15 feet. Bluegill – Fair: Look for bluegills in the backwaters. Use pieces of worm under a bobber around brush piles in Sunset Marina and the Andalusia Islands. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try stink baits or chicken livers around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels in the Andalusia Island complex. Channel catfish can also be caught on the upstream side of wing-dams. Walleye – Fair: Look for walleye on the wing-dams. Cast or troll crankbaits or three-way rigs with nightcrawlers. Some walleyes are also being caught in Sylvan slough on jigs and plastics. White Bass – Fair: Cast jigs and twister tails in Sunset Marina and Sylvan Slough. Some white bass can also be caught fishing from shore below the Lock and Dam. White Crappie – No Report: Look for crappies in the backwaters. Try jigs and minnows or minnows under a bobber around brush piles.

Mississippi River Pool 17
Tailwater stage is 3.33 feet at Lock and Dam 16 in Muscatine and is forecast to stay fairly steady over the weekend. Flood stage is 15 feet. Bluegill – Fair: Look for bluegills in the backwaters. Try pieces of worm under a bobber around brush piles at Big Timber and Cleveland Slough. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try stink bait or nightcrawlers around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. Some channel catfish can also be caught fishing from shore along the Muscatine River front along the rocks floating bobbers with worms or leeches or fishing the upstream side of wing-dams. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Largemouth bass are being caught in Big Timber; use plastics around brush piles and logs. Walleye – Fair: Look for walleyes on the wing-dams. Cast or troll crankbaits or three-way rigs with crawlers. White Crappie – Fair: Look for crappies in the backwaters around brush piles. Use jigs and minnows or minnows under a bobber in Big Timber and Cleveland Slough.

Mississippi River Pool 18
Tailwater stage is 3.54 feet at Lock and Dam 17 and is forecast to stay fairly steady over the weekend. Flood stage is 15 feet. Bluegill – No Report: Look for bluegills in the backwaters around brush piles. Try pieces of worm under a bobber. Channel Catfish – No Report: Look for channel catfish around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. Use stink bait and crawlers or float nightcrawlers or leeches under a bobber along rocky shorelines. Channel catfish can also be caught fishing the upstream side of wing-dams. Walleye – No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing-dams. Cast or troll crankbaits or three-way rigs with crawlers. White Bass – Fair: Some white bass are being caught in Boston Bay by the bridge; cast jigs and twister tails.  White Crappie – No Report: Look for crappies in the backwaters. Try jigs and minnows or minnows under a bobber around brush piles.

Mississippi River Pool 19
Tailwater stage is 1.47 feet at Lock and Dam 18 and is forecast to stay fairly steady over the weekend. Flood stage is 10 feet. River stage is 525.45 feet at Ft. Madison; flood stage is 528.0 feet. Bluegill – No Report: Use pieces of worm under a bobber in the backwaters around brush piles. Channel Catfish – No Report: Try stink bait or nightcrawlers around snags and brush piles along the main channel and side channels. White Crappie – No Report: Use jigs and minnows or minnows under a bobber in the backwaters around brush piles.

River stage has been falling this past week. Water clarity is fairMain channel water temperature is around 80 degrees. If you have questions on fishing Pools 16-19, contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.

SOUTHEAST

Big Hollow Lake
Water temperature is in the mid-80s. The thermocline bottoms out at 8 feet in the upper end around the beach area and at 10 feet down at the lower end out from the dam. Duckweed is thick in large portions of the lake.  Bluegill – Fair: Bluegills are in 6-7 feet of water around the trees and brush piles. Try a bobber and worm dipped down through the duckweed using long poles in the flooded timber. Think crappie fishing, except for bluegills.

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River)
The sandbars by Wapello are getting higher and drier. Channel Catfish – Fair: Start at the brush piles and logjams; use stink bait or cut baits, although a fresh caught frog is hard for them to turn down.

Lake Belva Deer
Water temperature is 80-82 degrees. Water is still green, but water clarity is slowly improving. The lake is stratified at 11 feet at the lower end and at 6 feet at the upper end; no oxygen below those two depths. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers are starting to catch crappies along the lower end of the lake by slow trolling down the edge of the flooded trees starting out from the beach and heading towards the dam. Jigs tipped with minnows work best. Bluegill – Slow: Find bluegills around the edges of the flooded timber in 7-9 feet of water. Drifting along the edge of the trees will help you find them. Largemouth Bass – Slow: With the hot weather, don’t look for bass to leave deeper water. The sides of the mounds at the upper end of the lake is a good place to find them.

Lake Darling
Water temperature is 80 degrees. Water clarity is 3 feet with a green tint to the water. The lake is stratified at 8 feet; no oxygen below that. Black Crappie – Slow: Try drifting or slow trolling over the big cedar trees in 10-12 feet of water. Bluegill – Slow: The weather is keeping angler numbers low, but they continue to find some bluegills to take home. Most bluegill are out around the rock piles in 5-6 feet of water. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try chicken liver fished in 6 to 7 feet of water along the rocks to catch some nice eating sized catfish.

Lost Grove Lake
Water temperature is in the low 80s.Best bass and catfish bite is at night. Bluegill – Slow: Find bluegills in their deeper water summer homes. Try the brush and small trees in 6-9 feet of water. Channel Catfish – Good: Find catfish out from the shore fishing area and jetties; use stink baits or cut baits just out from the rocks or around the cedar tree piles after dark. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Best bite is at night. Jigs and trailers or crankbaits work best.

Skunk River (Rose Hill to Coppock)
The mud bar across from the ramp at Brighton is out of the water. Water levels are at a point where kayaks or canoes are about it for boat traffic. Water temperature is 80 degrees. Channel Catfish – Fair: Find the deeper water and you will find the fish. After dark the back edges of the sand bars is a good place to fish as it cools off a little.

For more information on the above lakes call the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at 319- 694-2430.


Cedar River (Cedar Rapids to Moscow)
Channel Catfish – Good: Crawlers work best.

Coralville Reservoir
The lake is at summer pool of 683.5 feet. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try slow trolling the channel with cut bait.

Diamond Lake
Black Crappie – Fair.  Bluegill – Fair.  Channel Catfish – Good: Stink bait and chicken liver work best.

Kent Park Lake
Largemouth Bass – Good.

Lake Macbride
The 10 horsepower maximum is in effect.  Black Crappie – Fair. Bluegill – Fair. Channel Catfish – Fair. Largemouth Bass – Fair. Walleye – Slow.  Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair.

Pleasant Creek Lake
Best bite is mornings and evenings. Black Crappie – Fair: Try fishing around sunken trees in 10-15 feet of water. Bluegill – Fair: Try fishing shallow structure. Most bluegill have been smaller. Channel Catfish – Fair: Crawlers and stink bait work best. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Mostly smaller fish have been caught in shallow water.

Sand Lake
Channel Catfish – Good. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Catch fish up to 24-inches.

For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.


Hawthorn Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Try small jigs along the shoreline. Channel Catfish – Fair: Look for catfish around the jetties and along the dam or other areas with large rocks. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use plastics around submerged structure and the shoreline.

Lake Miami
Bluegill – Fair: Use small jigs around the submerged cedar tree piles. Try different colors until you find the right combo. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use dead chubs around the jetties and shoreline. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try spinnerbaits and crankbaits around the jetties and cedar tree piles.

Lake Sugema
Black Crappie – Fair: Use small jigs and minnows around the flooded trees. Bluegill – Fair: Try small jigs around shorelines and vegetated areas. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use plastics or spinnerbaits around structure.

Lake Wapello
Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers are catching some crappies with jigs. Look for structure to hold fish. Bluegill – Fair: Use small jigs around the cedar tree piles and other underwater structures. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try nightcrawlers around the fishing jetties. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use rubber worms or other plastics fished around the cedar tree piles.

Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 904.76 msl; recreation pool is 904 msl. Lake Rathbun has zebra mussels so make sure to properly drain, clean and dry equipment before transporting to another waterbody. Black Crappie – Fair: Crappies have moved into deeper water and are suspended. Try small crankbaits fished in a little deeper water.  Channel Catfish – Fair: Try dead chubs or nightcrawlers in areas with large rocks. Walleye – Fair: Anglers are catching walleyes with jig and minnow combos and trolling nightcrawler rigs. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Try vertically jigging around rock piles or trolling crankbaits.

Red Haw Lake
Red Haw State Park has partially reopened. Visitors can access the beach and north boat ramp area, but are asked to avoid the campground. Bluegill – Fair: Try small jigs along the shoreline. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use nightcrawlers around the dam and the rock jetties. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try spinnerbaits around underwater structure near the rock jetties.

Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions about fishing in south central Iowa.

SOUTHWEST

Big Creek Lake
Bluegill – Good: Find bluegill in depths less than 6 feet. Use small pieces of crawler fished at these depths. Walleye – Fair: Catch walleye in the evenings from shore just before and after sunset; cast jigs with twister tails, swimbaits or live bait. Boat anglers can catch walleye jigging or trolling live bait rigs over humps, near points, and near creek channel drop-offs along flats.  A good starting area is out from the marina around to the beach. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Good: Wipers are biting on crankbaits being trolled, topwater baits casted near shad schools busting the surface, and jigs tipped with live bait.

Des Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock)
Channel Catfish – Good: Catfishing on the river has been good for both channels and flatheads.  Anglers are catching fish on live bait and cut bait. White Bass – Good: Cast twister tails, swimbaits, spoons and in-line spinners below the dams in Des Moines. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Good: Try twister tails, swimbaits or live minnows on jigs below the dams in Des Moines and below Red Rock.

Des Moines River (Stratford to Saylorville Lake)
Channel Catfish – Good:  Try dip baits or cut bait just upstream and under log piles and fallen trees.

Don Williams Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Catch crappies suspended just off shore and mid-lake by slowly trolling small twister tail or tube jigs 3 to 6 feet deep over the upper half of the lake.

Red Rock Reservoir
White Bass
 – Fair: Troll or cast shad imitating spoons, crankbaits and plastics.  Look for schools of small shad breaking the surface to find feeding white bass.

For information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers contact Ben Dodd at 641-891-3795 or Andy Otting at 515-204-5885.


DeSoto Bend at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge
Channel Catfish – Good: The best bite has been on the inside bend. Boat anglers are having success slow trolling or drifting cut bait in 6 to 8 feet of water.

Greenfield Lake
Black Crappie – Slow: Greenfield has a good year class of 8- to 10-inch black crappie. Bluegill – Fair: Slow troll or drift small jigs to find 7-inch bluegill. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use a slip bobber with shrimp around the jetties. Largemouth Bass – Good: Greenfield has a good largemouth bass population with a good percentage of fish more than 15-inches.

Lake Anita
Water clarity is good.  Black Crappie – Fair: Look for crappies on the roadbeds and around deep tree piles. Bluegill – Slow: Try slow trolling or drifting. Channel Catfish – Slow: A few catfish have been caught off the jetties in the south arm of the lake. Largemouth Bass – Good: Lake Anita has a good bass population. Try casting the lily edges.

Meadow Lake
Largemouth Bass – Good: Cast spinners and buzz baits over submersed vegetation.

Mormon Trail Lake
Anglers report good catfishing. The water is extremely clear. Channel Catfish – Good: Get your bait in 10 feet of water to be out of the vegetation.

Nodaway Lake
Water clarity is 25 inches. Black Crappie – Fair: Concentrate on deep tree piles to find crappies. Bluegill – Fair: Try fishing around structure to catch 8-inch bluegill. Channel Catfish – Good: The lake has good numbers of 22-inch channel catfish. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Anglers report catching good numbers of bass casting the shoreline.

Orient Lake
Water temperature is 80 degrees. Water clarity is poor. Black Crappie – Slow: Cast around the tree piles to find crappies. Bluegill – Fair: Try worms under a bobber in 4 feet of water. Channel Catfish – Fair: Anglers report catching catfish along the dam with shrimp. Best bite is late evening and after dark.

Prairie Rose Lake
Water clarity is good. Black Crappie – Fair: Look for 9.5-inch crappie around deep tree piles. Bluegill – Slow: Look for bluegills slow trolling or casting around structure; tipping jigs with crawler or powerbait helps. Fish will average 8.5-inches. Channel Catfish – Slow: Try cut bait close to shallow tree piles in the lake. Largemouth Bass – Good: There is a high percentage of 14- to 16-inch bass in Prairie Rose.

Viking Lake
All boat ramps are usable. Water clarity is good. Black Crappie – Fair: Viking will be a good destination for crappie fishing in 2022. Many crappies are being caught casting around the flooded terrestrial vegetation. Bluegill – Fair: Bluegills have gained size and are in good body condition due to the drawdown. Anglers are slow trolling or fishing around tree piles. Channel Catfish – Fair: Viking has a good channel catfish population. Fishing bait in 6 feet of water will get you out of the flooded terrestrial vegetation. Largemouth Bass – Good: Viking Lake has a very good largemouth bass population and will provide quality bass fishing in 2022.

For information on lakes in the Southwest District call the Cold Springs office at 712-769-2587.


Green Valley Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Use nightcrawlers near brush piles to catch bluegill up to 8.5-inches. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Catch largemouth bass up to 20-inches with finesse plastics or jigs fished near cedar tree brush piles.

Lake Icaria
Docks are in at all boat ramps. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try cut bait or nightcrawlers along rocky shoreline areas to catch channel catfish of all sizes.

Little River Watershed Lake
The dock is in at main ramp. Bluegill – Fair: Catch bluegill up to 8.5-inches with small jigs fished near brush piles or along the creek channel in the flooded timber. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use finesse plastics fished near cedar tree brush piles or rock piles to catch largemouth bass of all sizes. Walleye – Slow: Try jigs tipped with a nightcrawler fished along the creek channel in the flooded timber to catch walleye up to 22-inches.

Three Mile Lake
Courtesy docks are in at the main ramp. Bluegill – Slow:  Catch bluegill up to 9-inches with small jigs fished along the fish mounds. Walleye – Slow: Use jigs along the roadbed or creek channel in the flooded timber to catch walleye of all sizes.

Twelve Mile Creek Lake
The dock is in at the main ramp. Bluegill – Fair: Try small jigs fished near brush piles or rock piles to catch bluegill up to 8.5-inches. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Catch all sizes of largemouth bass with finesse plastics fished near cedar tree brush piles.

Water temperature is in the upper 70s to low 80s at most Mount Ayr district lakes. For more information, call the Mount Ayr Fisheries office at 641-464-3108.

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