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.
NORTHWEST
Black Hawk Lake
Water temperatures are in the upper 50’s. Bluegill – Fair: Use a small jig with a small piece of crawler fished under a bobber in 3-6 feet of water in Town Bay from the stone piers along the north shoreline of Town Bay along Ice House Point and near the inlet bridge. Walleye – Slow: Try crawler rigs, crankbaits or twisters around Ice House Point, around the rock piles near Gunshot Hill, Cottonwood Point and the East Basin, and along the East shoreline near the outlet. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Catch largemouth all over the lake using traditional bass lures. There is a 15 inch minimum length limit on largemouth bass in Black Hawk Lake. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use stink bait, cut bait, or crawler fished on the bottom along Ice House Point in Town Bay, and along shore near the outlet. Yellow Perch – Fair: Use crawlers fished in 2-4 feet below a bobber on the lake side and marsh side of the inlet bridge.
Brushy Creek Lake
There is a 15 inch minimum length limit on largemouth bass in Brushy Creek Lake, and a 40 inch minimum length limit for musky. Walleye – Fair: Troll slowly crawler rigs, minnows or leaches in 10-15 feet of water. Yellow Perch – Fair: Find perch along the vegetation. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Catch bass along weed lines near shore just about anywhere with traditional bass lures. There is a 15 inch minimum length limit on largemouth bass in Brushy Creek Lake. Bluegill – Fair: Try tube jigs tipped with crawlers in 5-15 feet of water.
Crawford Creek Impoundment
Water temperatures are in the upper 50’s. Black Crappie – Fair: A recent survey showed crappie up to 10 inches along shore. Use minnows or crawlers fished below a bobber in the mornings and evenings. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use traditional bass lures along the shoreline.
North Twin Lake
Water temperatures are in the upper 50’s. White Crappie – Slow: No Report – A recent survey showed most crappie are 6-10 inches with a few up to 14 inches. Walleye – Slow: Walleye up to 27 inches have been seen in recent netting surveys.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Storm Lake has a daily limit of 3 walleye and all 17- to 22-inch walleye must be released; no more than one walleye longer than 22 inches may be taken per day. Walleye – Fair: Use crawler rigs and troll crankbaits along the edges of the dredge cuts around the lake in 6-10 feet of water. White Bass – Fair: Troll crankbaits or fish crawlers along the dredge cuts. Black Crappie – Fair: A recent survey showed crappie up to 10 inches can be found near shore; use a crawler or minnow fished on a small jig below a bobber.
Water temperatures in Black Hawk District lakes are in the upper 50’s. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Beeds Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift fish or troll with a tube jig or small minnow. Yellow Bass – Fair: Drift fish or troll with a small jig. Shore anglers should fish a small piece of crawler or cut bait off the bottom.
Clear Lake
Surface water temperature is 56 degrees. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use crawlers or cut bait in the areas where water is entering the lake. Yellow Bass – Fair: Drift or troll a small jig tipped with cut bait or a minnow over the reefs until you find fish. Muskellunge – Fair: Fish the edge of the vegetation and near docks. Walleye – Slow: Try a jig and minnow in the lighted areas around docks after dark.
Crystal Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift or troll small tube jigs or a minnow in the dredge cut or on the edge of vegetation.
Rice Lake
Yellow Perch – Excellent: Use a small minnow or a plastic bait in the deeper water.
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
Yellow Bass – Good: Excellent bite continues with good numbers of fish being caught. Cast mini-jigs or hair-jigs or use small baits tipped with wigglers. Don’t overlook the evening bite from docks as these fish will move shallow at dusk. Walleye – Good: Numbers of fish are being caught with traditional baits; good numbers of yellow bass are mixed in with the catch. Northern Pike – Good: Anglers report northern pike action on the lake; best area is where there is flow into the lake.
Lake Pahoja
Bluegill – Good: Good numbers of large angler acceptable size fish being caught. Channel Catfish – Good: Report of a good fall bite with large angler acceptable size fish being caught.
Lost Island Lake
Yellow Bass – Good: Reports of yellow bass being caught with black crappie and yellow perch up to 10 inches mixed in the catch. Use small lures such as a twister tail or hair jigs. Bluegill – Good: Recent surveys show numbers of fish approaching 7 inches in the lake. Black Crappie – Good: Recent surveys show numbers of angler acceptable size fish up to 10 inches in the lake.
Ocheyedan Pit #1
Channel Catfish – Good: Recent surveys show good numbers of 17 -23 inch channel catfish.
Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Walleye – Good: The fall walleye bite is on. Troll crankbaits during the day; wader fishing is your best chance to catch trophy size fish.
Spirit Lake
Walleye – Good: The fall walleye bite has started with action improving. Yellow Perch – Good: Good numbers of fish are being caught with sorting needed; anglers continue to harvest numbers of angler acceptable size fish. Northern Pike – Good: Angler reports of northern pike action on the lake; best area is where there is flow into the lake.
West Okoboji Lake
Bluegill – Good: Rock piles in deeper water with stands of aquatic growth will produce good numbers of angler acceptable sized fish.
For more information throughout the week, contact the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
NORTHEAST
Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water levels are high. Use care when boating. Walleye – Fair: Perseverance is key. Anglers willing to find fish are successful. Try a jig tipped with minnow, a variety of plastics or a night crawler. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Quite a few small fish are biting while fishing for walleye, but putting up a great fight.
Decorah District Streams
Catchable trout stocking is now unannounced. Stocking frequency and amounts are the same. Most streams have cleared after earlier rainfall. Conditions could change quickly depending on rain over the next several days. Brown Trout – Fair: Brown Trout have been finicky this week. Try using larger flies mimicking grasshoppers or minnows.
Lake Hendricks
Few anglers have been out. Black Crappie – Fair: Shoreline anglers are using a tube jig fished under a bobber.
Lake Meyer
Water temperatures are cooling with improved water clarity. Angling has been spotty. Bluegill – Slow. Black Crappie – Slow.
Turkey River (above Clermont)
The Turkey River is up and muddy. Use care around swollen rivers. Recreational activities are not recommended. Smallmouth Bass – No Report.
Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Water quality is improving, but could change depending on rain amounts. Walleye – Fair: Try fishing the tail ends of holes, back eddies or current breaks.
Rain and cool weather is predicted for this weekend into next week. Up to 7 inches of rain is possible. Area streams are high, but fishable for now; this may change quickly. For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Mississippi River Pool 9
River level at Lansing has risen to 10.4 feet and is expected to rise slightly. Water temperature is near 59 degrees. New Albin ramp road is closed due to high water.
The Lansing Village Creek ramp construction is complete and the ramp is open. Walleye – Fair: High water and current will make fishing difficult this week. Try fishing side channel sloughs with less debris and current. Yellow Perch – Fair: Expect the perch bite to pick up into late fall. Look for fish out of the main channel using live minnow floated under a bobber. Largemouth Bass – Good: Look for largemouth in the slack water areas off the main channel or running sloughs. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Smallmouth action has slowed with the high muddy water. Cast inline spinners or crankbaits along rock or tree habitat in current. Bluegill – Fair: Find bluegills in clearer water with slow current in backwater areas away from main channel and sloughs. Black Crappie – Fair: Expect the crappie bite to pick up this fall after the water clarity improves. Try tube jigs or minnow under a bobber in submersed trees in the backwater sloughs.
Mississippi River Pool 10
River level at Lynxville is up several feet at 19.5 feet and is expected to remain high next week. Sny Magill road may close this week due to high water. Water temperature is 60 degrees at the Lock and Dam 9. Walleye- Slow: High water and current will make fishing difficult this week. Try fishing side channel sloughs with less debris and current. Yellow Perch – Fair: Expect the perch bite to pick up into late fall. Look for fish out of the main channel using live minnow floated under a bobber. Bluegill – Fair: Find bluegills in clearer water with slow current in backwater areas away from main channel and sloughs. Largemouth Bass – Good: Look for largemouth in the slack water areas off the main channel or running sloughs. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Smallmouth action has slowed with the high muddy water. Cast inline spinners or crankbaits along rock or tree habitat in current. Black Crappie – Fair: Expect the crappie bite to pick up this fall after the water clarity improves. Try tube jigs or minnow under a bobber in submersed trees in the backwater sloughs.
Mississippi River Pool 11
River level at Guttenberg has risen to 11.2 feet and will reach 11.8 feet. Water temperature is 54 degrees at Lock and Dam 10. Walleye -Fair: High water and current will make fishing difficult this week. Try fishing side channel sloughs with less debris and current. Yellow Perch – Fair: Expect the perch bite to pick up into late fall. Look for fish out of the main channel using live minnow floated under a bobber. Largemouth Bass – Good: Look for largemouth in the slack water areas off the main channel or running sloughs. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Smallmouth action has slowed with the high muddy water. Cast inline spinners or crankbaits along rock or tree habitat in current. Bluegill – Fair: Find bluegills in clearer water with slow current in backwater areas away from main channel and sloughs. Black Crappie – Fair: Expect the crappie bite to pick up this fall after the water clarity improves. Try tube jigs or minnow under a bobber in submersed trees in the backwater sloughs.
Upper Mississippi River levels are high with this week’s heavy precipitation. Water clarity is poor with a lot of debris. Water temperatures are falling to the mid 50’s to low 60’s this week.
Mississippi River Pool 12
Water levels have peaked and should recede this week starting at 12.2 feet at the Dubuque Lock and Dam and 14.1 feet at the RR bridge. Water clarity is poor. The water temperature is around 60 degrees. Channel Catfish – Good:Try stink bait or worms near shore. Channel cats feed heavily near shore during flooded conditions especially along rock shorelines. Freshwater Drum – Good: Most anglers use a simple egg sinker and worm rig. Drum will be hanging out near shore in moderate current areas. Bluegill – Slow: Try finding clear water in the upper reaches of backwater areas; use worms and bobber. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Some bass may be found in the upper ends of backwater areas in cleaner water. Black Crappie – Slow: Use small minnows in the clear upper reaches of backwater areas. Bowfin – Fair: Bowfin are feeding in the leftover lotus patches. Spinners are working well, but some may also be taken on night crawlers.
Mississippi River Pool 13
Water levels have peaked and should recede a bit this week starting out at 13.8 feet at the Bellevue Lock and Dam. Water clarity is poor. Avoid large tributary streams as they are muddy. The water temperature is around 60 degrees. The north ramp at Sabula is not in use this year due to bridge construction. Channel Catfish – Good: Try stink bait or worms near shore. Channel cats feed heavily near shore during flooded conditions especially along rock shorelines. Freshwater Drum – Good: Fish worms with an egg sinker in moderate current areas. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Try frog imitation lures and spinner baits in the upper ends of backwater areas and deep in the vegetated areas. Bluegill – Slow: Find the clear water in the upper reaches of large backwater complexes; use a simple bobber and worm. Black Crappie – Slow: Use a small minnow and bobber in the upper reaches of backwaters in clear water. Bowfin – Fair: Try a spinner in the dying lotus patches or a night crawler for this hard fighting fish.
Mississippi River Pool 14
Water levels will rise a bit this week and start at 14.5 feet at Fulton Lock and Dam, 17.5 feet at Camanche and 10.2 feet at the LeClaire. These are Action and Moderate flood levels. Water clarity is poor. The water temperature is around 60 degrees. Channel Catfish – Good: Try stink bait or worms near shore. Channel cats feed heavily near shore during flooded conditions especially along rock shorelines. Freshwater Drum – Good: Use a simple egg sinker/worm rig in moderate current areas.
Mississippi River Pool 15
Water levels are near 14.9 feet. This level is approaching moderate flood stage, so most boat ramps will be flooded. Water clarity is poor. The water temperature is around 60 degrees. Channel Catfish – Good: Try stink bait or worms near shore. Channel cats feed heavily near shore during flooded conditions especially along rock shorelines. Freshwater Drum – No Report: Use an egg sinker and worm rigs fished near shore in moderate current areas.
The water levels have gone up greatly due to the recent heavy rains. Many of the smaller boat ramps are usable and will have water and debris on them. If you have any angling questions, please contact the Bellevue Fisheries Station 563-872-4976.
SOUTHEAST
Big Hollow Lake
The lake is in pretty good shaped despite the weather. Not much for angler activity. Black Crappie – Fair: Picking up a few crappies out from shore around the flooded timber in 6 to 8 feet of water. Bluegill – Fair: Starting to pick up some decent bluegills around the rip-rap around the jetties and islands and the old road bed. Muskellunge – Fair: Anglers have been catching a few muskies lately; some are getting over the 40 inch size.
Environmental Discovery Park North Pond
The fall trout release will be on October 27th at 10 am; 1000 trout will be released with 100 trout tagged for prizes.
Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River)
The river is well above flood stage.
Lake Belva Deer
The weather isn’t helping to bring the anglers out. Black Crappie – Fair: Not a lot of fishing pressure so far this week. Anglers out earlier this week were trolling for crappies down the middle down by the dam with some luck. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Picking up a few bass in the more shallow water up along the rocks and gravel bottom areas.
Lake Darling
Water temperature has been going up and down; fishing has been doing the same. Bluegill – Good: Decent numbers of hand-sized bluegills are being caught in 5 or less feet of water. Water still hasn’t cleared up after last week’s heavy rains. So a little flash to any lure is a good idea. Channel Catfish – Good: Anglers continue to catch catfish.The current coming out of the feeder streams has slowed down, but you could still find decent numbers of catfish in them. Largemouth Bass – Good: Bass are hovering over the rock piles in about 5-8 feet of water. Spinnerbaits and spoons work best. Black Crappie – Fair: Crappies were still out in deeper water around the rock piles earlier this week. Cooler water temperatures should bring them in shallower soon.
Lake of the Hills
The fall trout release is scheduled for October 20th at 10:30 am; there will be 200 tagged trout for prizes.
Skunk River (Coppock to Mississippi River)
The Skunk River holding at about 1/2 bank full. Not to many anglers out on the Skunk recently.
Wilson Lake
The fall trout release is scheduled for October 27th at noon; 1000 trout released with 200 tagged for prizes.
For more information on the above lakes and rivers, call the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at 319-694-2430.
Central Park Lake
The lake is full after the renovation project; fingerling fish have been stocked.
Coralville Reservoir
The lake level is 705.5 feet (normal pool is 683.4 feet) and slowly rising again as of Oct. 4. The lake is predicted to crest at 706.6 feet on Oct. 12. All public ramps are under water and the Mehaffey ramp is closed due to construction.
Diamond Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Try small jigs fished over deeper brush. Most fish are 8-9 inches. Channel Catfish – Fair: Stink bait works best. Some limits are being reported.
Iowa Lake (Iowa County)
Largemouth Bass – Slow. Channel Catfish – Slow. Bluegill – Fair. Black Crappie – Fair: Fish in 12-15 feet of water and look for fish suspended a few feet off the bottom.
Kent Park Lake
The lake is currently drained for a lake restoration project.
Lake Macbride
The motor restriction is off; any sized motor may be used at no-wake speed (5 mph). Water temperatures this week have been in the mid 60’s. Black Crappie – Fair: Use jigs or minnows around brush or over rock in 12-18 feet of water. There are a lot of 12 inch fish right now. Walleye – Fair: Troll crankbaits in 8-14 feet of water. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try crankbaits on the rocks. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Try topwater baits early and late then troll during the day. Channel Catfish – Slow: Try cut bait or stink bait. Evenings are best.
Otter Creek Lake
The lake is full and has cleared up some. Yellow Bass – Fair. Channel Catfish – Fair.
Pleasant Creek Lake
The lake is still about 1 feet low. Use caution on the lake, as many of the new rock and wood structures are becoming submerged. There are 2 docks in at the main ramp and the fish cleaning station is open.
For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.
Lake Keomah
Bluegill – Fair: Use small jigs tipped with live bait near shore and around the fishing jetties. Black Crappie – Fair: Use a jig tipped with a minnow around deep structure. Try different depths until you find active fish. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use stink bait or chicken liver in 4-8 feet of water. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Cast the shoreline with spinnerbaits or crankbaits. Try a rubber worm or a crawdad imitation around the fishing jetties and along the dam.
Lake Miami
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Cast crankbaits or spinnerbaits around the cedar tree piles and the fishing jetties. Try also rubber worms or other plastic along the rip-rapped shorelines and in the cedar tree piles. Bluegill – Fair: Use a chunk of night crawler along the fishing jetties or around the cedar tree piles. Black Crappie – Fair: Try jig and minnow combinations around the cedar tree piles.
Lake Sugema
The south boat ramp off of Highway 2 has been reopened. The north ramp is now closed due to a construction project. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Cast the shorelines with crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Use crawdad imitations along the rip-rapped shorelines and the fishing jetties. Black Crappie – Slow: Try different depths with minnows and jigs until you find active fish. Drift or use a slip bobber and a minnow. Bluegill – Fair: Try live bait tipped on a small jig around the shorelines and fishing jetties. Keep moving until you find active fish.
Lake Wapello
Channel Catfish – Fair: Use chicken liver or night crawlers in 6-8 feet of water. Largemouth Bass – Good: Cast spinnerbaits or crankbaits around the cedar tree piles. Try crawdad imitations along the rip-rapped shorelines. Bluegill – Fair: Cast small jigs tipped with a chunk of night crawler around the aquatic vegetation. Black Crappie – Fair: Drift or troll jigs tipped with a minnow in 6-10 feet of water.
Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 905.63 msl. Normal operating elevation is 904.0 msl. Lake Rathbun has zebra mussels, so make sure to properly drain, clean, and dry equipment before transporting to another water body. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use night crawlers or chicken liver in coves or areas with some water running into the lake. White Crappie – Fair: Try minnows around structure. Trolling small crankbaits can also catch suspended crappies. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Troll crankbaits along rocky shorelines and around rock piles. Follow the gulls as they will be where the schools of hybrid striped bass are feeding. Try also vertically jigging spoon baits around rock piles. Walleye – Fair: Use night crawler rigs or troll crankbaits around rock piles and submerged points.
Red Haw Lake
Largemouth Bass – Good: Cast the shorelines using rubber worms or crankbaits. Topwater lures can be productive along the lily pads. Black Crappie – Fair: Try tube jigs along the shorelines; try tipping the jig with a minnow . Bluegill – Fair: Use small jigs tipped with live bait along the shorelines and around the fishing jetties. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try night crawlers or chicken liver around the fishing jetties and the outer edge of the lily pads.
The district includes Mahaska, Lucas, Wayne, Monroe, Appanoose, Wapello, Davis and Van Buren counties. Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions about fishing in south central Iowa.
SOUTHWEST
Beaver Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Troll twister tails or tube jigs in the top 3 to 8 feet of water throughout the lake for 9.5 to 10.5 inch crappies
Big Creek Lake
Walleye – Fair: Troll spinner rigs with night crawlers or lindy rigging with crawlers on the bottom in 8 to 15 feet of water. Start out from the marina and the humps out from the west shoreline between the 100th Street Boat ramp and the West Ramp bay. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Good: Troll silver colored live bait rigs and shad imitating crankbaits throughout the mid-lake portion. The hybrids are still young, so the upper end on size is around 19 inches. Black Crappie – Good: A decent fall crappie bite has started. Drift or troll jigs on the upper end or cast jigs around the rock jetties.
Don Williams Lake
Black Crappie – Good: Good numbers of crappies are being caught trolling twister tail or tube jigs in the upper half of the lake mostly from the boat ramp to 100 yards up from the beach. Many are young fish just under 8 inches, with some bigger ones mixed in.
Lake Ahquabi
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift or troll small white, pink and chartreuse twister tails or tube jigs.
Red Rock Reservoir
White Bass – Fair: Fishing below the dam has been the best action for a mix of white bass and hybrid striped bass. Cast white twister tails, fluke or paddle tail swim baits. Black Crappie – Fair: Some anglers are catching some of Red Rocks large crappies. Fall is good time to drift or troll panfish jigs in the arms and coves off the main lake.
For more information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers, call Ben Dodd at 641-891-3795 or Andy Otting at 515-204-5885.
Cold Springs District Farm Ponds
Water clarity has improved in ponds this week. Always get permission to fish privately-owned ponds. Bluegill – Good: Anglers report better bluegill fishing this week. Try fishing 4 feet below the surface for suspended fish. Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth bass are active on the fall and can be caught with a variety of lures and plugs. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try cut bait or commercial stink baits around structure. Black Crappie – Good: Find crappies suspended and around structure. Minnows are a good bait in the fall.
Farm Creek Lake
Farm Creek has a good fish population with quality sized panfish. Black Crappie – No Report: Fish the creek channel for black crappie up to 12 inches. Bluegill – No Report: Drift or slow troll along the creek channel for bluegills up to 9.5 inches. Largemouth Bass – No Report: There is a good population of 13 to 15 inch bass in the lake.
Lake Anita
Unstable weather conditions has slowed fishing. Water clarity is good. Bluegill – Slow:Anglers are having a tough time finding bluegills right now. Look for bluegills close to the creek channel during the day. Slow troll small jigs tipped with crawler for fish up to 9.5 inches. Black Crappie – Fair: The early morning crappie bite is best. Slow troll small crank baits or small jigs tipped with power bait to catch 9 to 11 inch fish. Anglers using minnows report catching limits. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Throw spinners along the vegetation and plastics around deep structure during the day
Lake Manawa
Fishery surveys this week showed good numbers of black and white crappies in the canals. Channel Catfish – Slow: Channel catfish have slowed a bit, but anglers report catching fish around Boy Scout Island. Fish will average 2 to 5 pounds. White Crappie – No Report: Try minnows under a bobber in the canals. Black Crappie – No Report: There is a good population of black crappies in Manawa.
Orient Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Anglers are catching acceptable sized bluegills. Bluegills at Orient have good body condition. Try small jigs tipped with power bait or crawler around tree piles.
Channel Catfish – Slow: Channel catfish bite has slowed, but a good population remains in the lake. Black Bullhead – Fair: Catch quality sized bullheads with night crawlers below the rock sediment structure.
Prairie Rose Lake
Anglers are having trouble finding panfish in Prairie Rose. The lake has quality sized bluegills and acceptable size crappies. The water clarity has improved to 2 feet this week. Bluegill – Slow: Look for fish around underwater reefs and drift/troll open water areas. Bluegills in Prairie Rose are 8 to 9.5 inches. Largemouth Bass – Fair: There is a large population of 12 inch bass in the lake that offers fun catch and release fishing. Black Crappie – Slow: Try vertical jigging or minnows under a slip bobber in the brush piles to catch 10 plus inch black crappies. Be prepared to lose tackle.
Viking Lake
The pontoon area will is closed starting for repairs to the seawall. Channel Catfish – Good: Cast liver in the pontoon area of the lake. Sorting is needed for larger fish. Black Crappie – Fair: Use tube jigs around trees in 12 to 14 feet of water early in the morning and late afternoon. The fish are averaging 9 inches. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Jig plastics in deeper brush piles during the day and cast shallow structure early morning for largemouth bass of all sizes.
Fish will transition into a fall pattern with water temperatures dropping significantly this week. For more information, contact the Cold Springs office at 712-769-2587.
Green Valley Lake
Largemouth Bass – Slow: Catch largemouth bass up to 20 inches with jigs and finesse plastics fished near weed lines. Bluegill – Fair: Catch bluegill up to 8.5 inches with worms fished along the fishing jetties and shallow bays. Black Crappie – Good: Catch crappies up to 9 inches using jigs under a bobber fished near cedar tree brush piles. Walleye – Fair: Catch walleye up to 20 inches with minnows fished near the spillway.
Little River Watershed Lake
Largemouth Bass – Slow: Largemouth bass of all sizes have been caught using finesse plastics or jigs fished near cedar tree brush piles. Bluegill – Fair: Catch bluegills up to 9 inches with worms fished near cedar tree brush piles and shallow bays. Walleye – Fair: Catch walleye up to 22 inches using minnows fished along the roadbed or main lake points.
Three Mile Lake
Walleye – Good: Catch walleyes up to 18 inches with crankbaits or minnows fished along the fish mounds or the dam in the evenings. Black Crappie – Fair: Use jigs or minnows fished along the fishing jetties. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Catch largemouth bass up to 15 inches using finesse plastics fished near cedar tree brush piles.
Twelve Mile Creek Lake
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Largemouth bass of all sizes have been caught with finesse plastics fished along cedar tree brush piles. Bluegill – Good: Catch bluegill up to 8.5 inches with worms fished in shallow bays and cedar tree brush piles. Walleye – Fair: Catch walleyes of all sizes using minnows or crankbaits fished along the roadbed or main lake points. Black Crappie – Good: Catch crappie up to 9 inches with minnows fished near cedar tree brush piles.
Water temperature in most district lakes is in the upper 60’s to low 70’s. The district includes Page, Taylor, Adams, Union, Ringgold, Decatur, Clarke and Madison counties. For more information, please call the Mount Ayr Fisheries office at 641-464-3108.
MISSOURI RIVER
Missouri River (Sioux City to Little Sioux)
Channel Catfish – Good: During high water levels, try below flooded wing dams and close to the bank or slower flooded areas from shore. Smaller tributaries should also be good, where channel catfish will find refuge from faster currents. Use worms, cut bait, or dip baits. Freshwater Drum – Fair: Try using live bait rigs or jigs tipped with worms along the bank and around tributary stream or rivers where they join the Missouri River. Blue Catfish – Good: Anglers report catching a few blue catfish on rod and reel and trotlines. Use live bait or fresh cut bait with live bait rigs along wing dam tips or in or close to the main channel of the Missouri River. Flathead Catfish – Good: Flathead catfish are being caught on trotlines and rod and reel using live baits (chubs, bullheads, green sunfish). Fish below the wing dam tip, near rock structures, logs and along the bank with deeper water nearby.
Missouri River (Little Sioux to Council Bluffs)
Channel Catfish – Good: During high water levels, try below flooded wing dams and close to the bank or slower flooded areas from shore. Smaller tributaries should also be good, where channel catfish will find refuge from faster currents. Use worms, cut bait, or dip baits. Freshwater Drum – Fair: Try using live bait rigs or jigs tipped with worms along the bank and around tributary stream or rivers where they join the Missouri River. Blue Catfish – Good: Anglers report catching blue catfish on rod and reel and trotlines. Use live bait or fresh cut bait along wing dam tips or in or close to the main channel of the Missouri River. Flathead Catfish – Fair: Flathead catfish are being caught on trotlines and rod and reel using live baits (chubs, bullheads, green sunfish). Fish below the wing dam tip, near rock structures, logs and along the bank with deeper water nearby.
Missouri River (Council Bluffs to Missouri State Line)
Channel Catfish – Good: During high water levels, try below flooded wing dams and close to the bank or slower flooded areas from shore. Smaller tributaries should also be good, where channel catfish will find refuge from faster currents. Use worms, cut bait, or dip baits. Freshwater Drum – Fair: Try using live bait rigs or jigs tipped with worms along the bank and around tributary stream or rivers where they join the Missouri River. Blue Catfish – Good: Anglers are catching a few blue catfish on rod and reel and trotlines with fresh cut bait or live bait. Try by the wing dam tips, close to or in the main channel of the Missouri River for your best chance at getting bigger blue catfish. Flathead Catfish – Fair: Flathead catfish are being caught on trotlines and rod and reel using live baits (chubs, bullheads, green sunfish). Fish below wing dam tip, near rock structures, logs and along the bank with deeper water nearby.
The Missouri River at Decatur, Nebraska is at 31.29 feet (flood stage is 35 feet)/83,600 cfs./62 degrees. Missouri River water temperatures are down 12 degrees from last week and water levels are up 3.03 feet. Several tributaries are flooded. The Big Sioux River is above flood stage at 21.61 feet. The Missouri River is also above flood stage at Nebraska City and Hamburg. Water levels continue to be up due to recent rains in the Missouri River watershed.
