Area Weather

Northwest

Black Hawk Management District

• Contact Person: Ben Wallace – 712-657-2638

Water temperatures are in the low 80s on most area lakes. Last updated on 07/16/2026

Black Hawk Lake (Sac)

• Water Temperature (°F): 84.0
• Ramp Condition: Useable

• Bluegill – Fair: Pick up bluegill from shore near patches of vegetation, from the stone piers in Town Bay, and from boats near the rock piles. Use a piece of crawler on a jig. Most fish are 7-inches.
• Channel Catfish – Fair: Pick up catfish from shore and around the rock piles in deeper habitat. Use cut bait or crawlers fished on or near the bottom.
• Walleye – Fair: Try drifting or trolling along the dredge cuts and the rock piles in the east basin.

Brushy Creek Lake (Webster)

• Ramp Condition: Useable

All boat ramp courtesy docks are in.

• Black Crappie – Fair: Look for crappie near woody structure in 10-15 feet of water. Use a small minnow on a jig.
• Bluegill – Fair: Look for fish in 5-15 feet of water near woody structure and along the weedlines.
• Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use traditional bass lures, weedless lures, and crawlers along shoreline structure and weedlines.

Crawford Creek Impoundment (Ida)

• Ramp Condition: Useable

• Bluegill – Fair: Look for bluegills along the weedlines in 5-10 feet of water and near submerged brush piles. Bigger fish are 7- to 8-inches long.

Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake) (Buena Vista)

• Water Temperature (°F): 82.0
• Ramp Condition: Useable

• Channel Catfish – Fair: Look for catfish around rocky shorelines and near the dredge cuts. Use cut bait, stink bait, or a crawler on the bottom.
• Walleye – Fair: Look for walleye off shore near the dredge cuts. Use crankbaits, a jig tipped with a minnow fished just off the bottom, or a bottom bouncer with a crawler harness.

Swan Lake (Carroll)

• Ramp Condition: Useable

• Black Bullhead – Fair: Catch 10- to 11-inch bullhead from shore along the jetties; use a piece of crawler fished on or near the bottom.
• Bluegill – Fair: Use a small jig under a bobber or a small piece of crawler under a bobber fished in the deeper water off the jetties. Most bluegill are 7-inches with a few reaching 8-inches.

Clear Lake Management District

• Contact Person: Scott Grummer – 641-357-3517

For information on lakes and rivers in north central Iowa, contact Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office. Last updated on 04/09/2026

Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo)

• Water Temperature (°F): 83.0
• Ramp Condition: Useable

Lake level is 6.12 inches above crest. Water clarity is around 15 inches.

• Walleye – Fair: Anglers are catching walleyes on a variety of baits. Try fishing near the rock reefs and submerged vegetation. Best bite is early morning.
• Yellow Bass – Fair

Crystal Lake (Hancock)

• Water Temperature (°F): 83.0
• Ramp Condition: Useable

• Black Crappie – Fair: Drift fish or troll a small jig or minnow.
• Bluegill – Fair

Rice Lake (Winnebago)

• Water Temperature (°F): 83.0
• Ramp Condition: Useable

Submerged aquatic vegetation is thick in areas.

• Bluegill – Slow
• Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use topwater and weedless baits.

Silver Lake (Worth) (Worth)

• Ramp Condition: Useable

Submerged aquatic vegetation is thick in areas.

• Bluegill – Fair
• Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use topwater and weedless baits.

Upper Pine Lake (Hardin)

• Ramp Condition: Useable

• Black Crappie – Slow: Best bite is early morning.
• Largemouth Bass – Fair

Winnebago River (Cerro Gordo)

• Ramp Condition: Not applicable

The river level is 5.25 feet.

• Smallmouth Bass – Slow

Spirit Lake Management District

• Contact Person: Jed Siegwarth – 712-330-2542

Lake temperatures are in the upper 70s to mid-80s. Water levels are a couple inches above crest. The bite is fairly good for most species. Expect more fish mortality with higher water temperatures. Last updated on 07/16/2026

East Okoboji Lake (Dickinson)

• Water Temperature (°F): 80.0
• Ramp Condition: Useable

The bass and panfish bite has been good. The curly-leaf pondweed is gone for the summer.

• Black Crappie – Good: Crappie are hanging out in 12-15 feet of water. Anglers are using electronics to stay on top of fish. Try 1/16th and 1/32nd ounce jigs with a minnow or plastic. Fishing from docks in deeper water has also been good.
• Bluegill – Good: A simple hook, worm and bobber setup is working for many. An ultralight rod with light monofilament line works best for finicky fish.
• Pumpkinseed – Good: Fish are biting in and around the docks.

Ingham Lake (Emmet)

• Water Temperature (°F): 82.0
• Ramp Condition: Useable

Little Swan Lake (Dickinson)

• Water Temperature (°F): 83.0
• Ramp Condition: Useable

A lot of vegetation is reaching the surface, making navigation by boat more difficult.

• Black Bullhead – Good
• Yellow Perch – Good

Lost Island Lake (Palo Alto)

• Water Temperature (°F): 80.0
• Ramp Condition: Useable

The lake currently has a slight algae bloom.

• Yellow Bass – Fair: Anglers are catching many fish around 7-8 inches.

Silver Lake (Dickinson) (Dickinson)

• Water Temperature (°F): 82.0
• Ramp Condition: Useable

The lake has been experiencing an algae bloom most of the summer.

• Black Bullhead – Excellent: Anglers are catching larger bullhead.
• Walleye – Fair: Nightcrawlers are working for some anglers.

Spirit Lake (Dickinson)

• Water Temperature (°F): 80.0
• Ramp Condition: Useable

The lake has a very slight algae bloom.

• Largemouth Bass – Good: Anglers have been catching quality-sized bass all summer.

West Okoboji Lake (Dickinson)

• Water Temperature (°F): 78.0
• Ramp Condition: Useable

• Black Crappie – Fair: Crappie are hanging out in 12-15 feet of water.
• Bluegill – Good: Bluegill have started to move off beds.
• Largemouth Bass – Good: Fishing has been consistently good, with anglers finding fish of good size.