CLEAR LAKE – This weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys and county and state parks staff. For current information, contact the district fisheries office at the phone number listed at the end of each district report.
Clark Lake (Mike Zack W.A.)
Northern Pike and Largemouth are biting on crankbaits and soft plastic baits.
Clear Lake
Water temperature is 62 degrees. The docks are in at all the boat ramps. Black Crappie – Good: Crappies are biting. Use a small jig or a minnow in the rush beds and areas with vegetation. Walleye – Good: Try a slip bobber and leeches fished in the rocky reefs. Yellow Bass – Good: Yellows bass are moving into the shallow rocky areas to spawn. Use a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler or cut bait in the early morning. Channel Catfish – Fair: With recent rains, any spot where water is entering the lake is worth trying for catfish. Fish a dead chub or crawlers on the bottom. The best bite is late evening.
Crystal Lake
Water temperature is 62 degrees. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use nightcrawlers fished from shore. Walleye – Slow. Black Bullhead – Fair: Try nightcrawlers fished from shore. Bluegill – Slow.
For information on the lakes and rivers in the north central area, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
East Okoboji Lake
Channel Catfish – Good: Use traditional baits in the evening. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers report a panfish bite of bluegill and crappie from docks; sorting is needed. Walleye – Good: Report of anglers catching fish from the south end; best bite during the evening hours.
Lost Island Lake
Walleye – Good: Walleye are being caught close to shore. Try fishing from a dock or wader fishing after dark. Black Crappie – Good: Reports of crappie and yellow perch being caught. Fish shallow water areas such as the canal. Yellow Bass – Fair: Report of yellow bass being caught. Use small lures such as a twister tail or hair jigs.
Silver Lake (Palo Alto)
Walleye – Fair: Report of large fish being caught during the late evening hours. Cast a white twister for the best action. Black Bullhead – Good: Good action reported of angler acceptable sized fish. Yellow Perch – Fair: Some activity reported.
Spirit Lake
Marble Beach campground, including the boat ramp, is closed for the season for renovation. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Use a jig tipped with a minnow in shallow rock structures. Action is best during sunny, calm days. Black Crappie – Good: Good numbers of fish are being harvested from the Templar Park lagoon; Buffalo Run has been “hit or miss.” Walleye – Good: Best action is during the night off the docks. Fish leeches under a bobber or cast a twister tail. Black Bullhead – Good: A good bite is reported at the north grade; fish traditional baits on the bottom
West Okoboji Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Some fish are being caught from the Triboji lagoon. Bluegill – Good: Numbers of fish are being caught from Lazy Lagoon (Triboji). Sorting is needed; persistence will result in good numbers creeled.
For more information throughout the week, contact the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
NORTHEAST
Cedar River (above Nashua)
As of May 9, water levels are receding. Baring more rain, water levels should stabilize, but clarity remains poor. Water temperatures range from mid 50’s to low 60’s. Visit the USGS Current Water Data website for current water level information. Channel Catfish – Slow: Catch catfish in the impoundments with dead chubs fished on bottom.
Decorah District Streams
It’s turkey hunting season. Respect hunters and their sport. Avoid wearing red, blue and white colors. Catchable trout are stocked weekly as weather and water conditions permit. Listen to the trout stocking hotline (563-927-5736) for daily plans. Area trout stream flows remain high with continued rain. Streams with better watersheds will clear faster. Brook Trout – Fair: A variety of insects are hatching, especially on warm sunny afternoons. Match the hatch, but try not to spook a feeding fish. Brown Trout – Fair: Blue wing olive, midge, and stonefly hatches are occurring; some exceptional lately. Use blue wing olive, hendrickson, gnat, or beadhead nymph patterns and watch the water boil. Rainbow Trout – Fair: Try a piece of worm or small cheese chunk under a bobber in the deeper holes or floated past an undercut bank.
Lake Hendricks
Water levels are up and water is off-color. Water temperatures in shallow areas are in the low 60’s. Black Crappie – Fair: Use small jigs in shallow areas. Largemouth Bass – Good: Try a jerkbait or spinner retrieved slowly in shallow areas. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use a worm or smashed minnow along a windblown shoreline. Bluegill – Fair: Try a small jig tipped with small piece of worm along the shoreline.
Lake Meyer
Anglers are out as the bite and weather improves. The boat dock is in. Bluegill – Excellent: Use a hook tipped with a worm in shallow water. Black Crappie – Excellent: Try a hook tipped with a worm or small spinner bait along a rocky shoreline. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Jigs tipped with a variety of plastics or a jerk bait catch bass; fish shallow bays for best luck. Northern Pike – Fair: Use a nightcrawler fished along the shallow weedy bays.
Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Water clarity remains poor. Water temperatures are in the mid 50’s. Water levels are stabilizing after rain. Paddling activities are not recommended. Walleye – No Report: Bring an assortment of tackle to find what works best for your location and time of day. White Sucker – Slow: Sucker bite should improve with warmer temperatures. Use worms fished on bottom.
Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
As of May, water levels are receding and should continue baring additional rain this weekend. Clarity remains poor. Paddling is not recommended. Visit the USGS Current Water Data website for for more information. White Sucker – Slow: Worms fished off the bottom work for a hungry sucker.
Volga Lake
Anglers are enjoying the sun and dunking worms. Water temperatures are in the low 60’s. Docks are in. Black Crappie – Fair: Shallow, warmer areas are more productive. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use a jerkbait in shallow water with a slow retrieve. Channel Catfish – Good: Find catfish shallow in evening. Use worm or smashed minnow fished on the bottom. Bluegill – Good: Find gills along shallow rocky areas. Use small jigs tipped with a small piece of worm.
As of May 9, the Decorah Management area continues to receive rain. Rivers and streams are high and muddy; most have crested. Be prepared for rainy weather this weekend. Temperatures will reach the upper 60s for highs and mid 40’s for lows.For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.
Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)
Reports of anglers catching largemouth bass and bluegill. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try topwater spinner baits or sinking plastic baits. Bluegill – Fair: Use a piece of worm under a slip bobber at various depths.
Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
No reports this week as the Cedar River remains high and muddy.
George Wyth Lake
Anglers are catching nice largemouth bass. Largemouth Bass – Good: Try topwater spinner baits or sinking plastic baits.
Harold Getty Lake
Reports of anglers catching crappie. Black Crappie – Fair: Try fishing a crappie minnow under a slip bobber at various depths or cast and retrieve colored tube jigs.
Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
Reports of anglers catching walleye, smallmouth bass, channel catfish and even an occasional trout on the Maquoketa River in Delaware County. Walleye – Good: Cast and retrieve a jig with plastics tipped with a minnow. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Cast and retrieve a jig with plastics tipped with a minnow. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try cut bait fished on the bottom.
North Prairie Lake
Reports of anglers catching trout. Trout fishing should be good; the weather forecast looks to be more of average seasonal temperatures next week. Brook Trout – Fair: Cast and retrieve flashy spinner baits like a panther martin jig or similar jigs and spinners. Rainbow Trout – Fair: Cast and retrieve flashy spinner baits like a panther martin jig or similar jigs and spinners. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Cast artificial crankbaits.
Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
No fishing reports for this week.
South Prairie Lake
Anglers are starting to catch bluegill and crappie. Bluegill – Fair: Try fishing a piece of worm under a slip bobber near vegetation. Black Crappie – Fair: Cast colored tube jigs or fish a minnow under a slip bobber three to six feet down near vegetation.
Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
No reports on the Wapsipinicon River as the river continues to stay high and muddy.
Few fishing report this past week with the variable weather. Anglers are starting to catch largemouth bass, bluegill and crappie on area lakes. Trout stream stockings continue and streams remain in good condition. Call the N.E. Iowa district office at 563-927-3276 for more information.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Mississippi River Pool 9
River level at Lansing remains around 14 feet this week and will slowly recede to around 11 feet next week. The Lansing Village Creek ramp and parking lot will be closed for construction starting July 5th. For more updates, call the Guttenberg Fisheries Management office at 563-252-1156. Walleye – Slow: Walleye bite has slowed; high water makes for difficult fishing. Yellow Perch – Fair. Sauger – Slow. Northern Pike – Fair. Flathead Catfish – Fair: Expect the flatheads to be on the feed as they enter the spawning period. Fish deeper holes with a large shiner or sunfish. Channel Catfish – Good: Use a crawler fished on the bottom. Common Carp – Good: Carp are on the move with the high water. To hook into a big one, try fishing the warm shallow backwaters where carp are staging for the spawn. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Largemouth are biting on topwaters and crankbaits in warm shallow bays and marina areas out of the current. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Warm water temperatures and slowly receding flood waters will have smallmouth working the rocky shorelines. Toss inline spinners along rock points.
Mississippi River Pool 10
River level is 24.7 feet at Lynxville with a slow fall expected next week. Gates remain raised at the Lock and Dam. Boat ramps are still flooded. Water temperature is 62 degrees. Walleye- Slow: Walleye bite has slowed; high water makes for difficult fishing. Yellow Perch – Fair. Northern Pike – Fair. Flathead Catfish – Fair: Expect the flatheads to be on the feed as they enter the spawning period. Fish deeper holes with a large shiner or sunfish. Channel Catfish – Good: Use a crawler fished on the bottom. Bluegill – Good: Panfish bite is picking up this week. Try a small piece of garden worm on small tackle under a bobber. Common Carp – Good: Carp are on the move with the high water. To hook into a big one, try fishing the warm shallow backwaters where carp are staging for the spawn. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Largemouth are biting on topwaters and crankbaits in warm shallow bays and marina areas out of the current. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Warm water temperatures and slowly receding flood waters will have smallmouth working the rocky shorelines. Toss inline spinners along rock points.
Mississippi River Pool 11
River level at Guttenberg will crest around 16 feet and slowly recede.The gates remain up at the Lock and Dam. Water temperature is 59 degrees. Walleye – No Report: Walleye bite has slowed; high water makes for difficult fishing. Yellow Perch – Fair. Northern Pike – Fair. Flathead Catfish – Fair: Expect the flatheads to be on the feed as they enter the spawning period. Fish deeper holes with a large shiner or sunfish. Channel Catfish – Good: Use a crawler fished on the bottom. Common Carp – Good: Carp are on the move with the high water. To hook into a big one, try fishing the warm shallow backwaters where carp are staging for the spawn. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Largemouth are biting on topwaters and crankbaits in warm shallow bays and marina areas out of the current. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Warm water temperatures and slowly receding flood waters will have smallmouth working the rocky shorelines. Toss inline spinners along rock points.
The Upper Mississippi River will crest this week then slowly recede. Boat ramps are under water and difficult to access. Many shore anglers are having success along flooded shorelines this week. Water temperature has jumped to 60’s.
Mississippi River Pool 12
Water levels are 17.4 feet at the Dubuque Lock and 19.3 feet at the RR Bridge. This is at moderate flooding stages. Levels have peaked and are predicted to slowly fall. The channel water temperature is around 60 degrees. White Bass – No Report: Some white bass were being caught on spinners before the flooding conditions. Common Carp – No Report: Conditions for bowfishing carp in shallow flooded areas look good. You can find carp and other rough fish thrashing about on hot sunny days. Channel Catfish – No Report: Catfish like flooded water. Fish worms in shallow water near shore along freshly flooded banks.
Mississippi River Pool 13
Water levels at Bellevue are 17.4 feet; the water is cresting. Bellevue is presently in the flood action stage. The Bellevue City ramp is available for use, but the DNR ramp is under water. The channel water temperature is around 61 degrees. Largemouth Bass – Good: Lots of anglers will pursue bass in the big flooded expanses of some of Pool 13’s largest backwater complexes such as Spring Lake. Common Carp – No Report: Conditions for bowfishing carp in shallow flooded areas look good. You can find carp and other rough fish thrashing about on hot sunny days.
Mississippi River Pool 14
Water levels are cresting at 17.5 feet at Fulton, 19 feet at Camanche and 12.3 feet at LeClaire. These levels are at moderate flooding action stages.The water temperature is around 63 degrees. Largemouth Bass – No Report: Fish the newly flooded areas in the backwaters as the water rises this week. Common Carp – No Report: Conditions for bowfishing carp in shallow flooded areas look good. You can find carp and other rough fish thrashing about on hot sunny days. Channel Catfish – No Report: Fish worms near the shore as catfish feed along newly flooded shorelines.
Mississippi River Pool 15
Water levels are 17.4 feet at Rock Island. Water levels are up from last week and will still be rising this week. Pool 15 is experiencing moderate flood stages. The water temperature is near 63 degrees.
River levels vary from minor to moderate flood stages throughout the district. Water temperatures are approaching 63 degrees in some places. Many boat ramps are unusable. If you have any angling questions, please contact the Bellevue Fisheries Station 563-872-4976.
