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 temperature is around 70 degrees. Walleye – Slow: Look for the bite to pick up as water temperatures start to cool down. Channel Catfish – Fair: Anglers are catching catfish from the East Shore near the outlet off the inlet bridge and from shore in Town Bay; use crawlers and cut bait fished on the bottom. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use traditional bass lures anywhere along shore. Yellow Perch – Fair: Catch perch from shore along Ice House Point from the fish house in Town Bay and the inlet bridge; use crawlers or small minnows on a jig. Black Crappie – Fair: Crappie are being picked up from shore in Town Bay from the fish house and from the inlet bridge.
Brushy Creek Lake
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use traditional bass lures and topwater lures along the edges of vegetation. Bluegill – Fair: Catch bluegill near structure using a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler. Yellow Perch – Fair: Find perch along vegetation edges and structure in 5-10 feet of water. Use a small jig with minnow or crawler.
North Twin Lake
Water temperature is around 70 degrees. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use crawlers or cut bait fished on the bottom from shore. Walleye – Fair: Try next to vegetation near shore in 5-8 feet of water.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Water temperature is around 70 degrees. White Bass – Fair: Use crankbaits , crawlers and twisters fished from shore and near the inlet. Walleye – Fair: Pick walleye up in the dredge cuts on the east and west side of the lake. As water starts to cool, look for shore fishing action to pick up along the east shore and near the inlet. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try crawlers or cut bait fished on the bottom from shore or rock piles near the islands.
For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Clear Lake
The water temperature is in the low 70’s. Walleye – Fair: Anglers are having success slip bobber fishing the rock reefs with a jig and minnow. Shore anglers are catching walleyes fishing from lighted docks at night. Yellow Bass – Fair: Drift fish a small jig tipped with a small piece of crawler in 4 to 6 feet of water. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use cut bait fished on the bottom from the windswept shore.
Crystal Lake
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Cast spinnerbaits near shore and downed trees. Black Crappie – Good: Drift fish or troll small crappie jigs in 5-9 feet of water.
Silver Lake (Worth)
Largemouth Bass – Good: Try topwater baits fished in the vegetation.
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
Bluegill – Good: Some fish remain in deeper water; schools of fish have started to migrate to shallower water. Be mobile to find active fish using traditional bluegill baits. Yellow Bass – Good: Action remains good with 8 – 9 inch fish being caught. Find fish in 10 feet of water; move often to find active fish. Channel Catfish – Good: Action has picked up with the cooler water temperature. Use traditional baits fished after dark.
Five Island Lake
Yellow Bass – Good: Anglers report good numbers of fish being caught; sorting is needed.
Lake Pahoja
Bluegill – No Report: Recent surveys show good numbers of angler-acceptable size and larger bluegill in the lake.
Lost Island Lake
Walleye – Fair: Report of 14 – 18 inch fish being caught. Yellow Bass – Good: Cast mini-jigs tipped with wigglers in shallow water during the morning and evening. Boat anglers – troll crankbaits to find active fish then anchor and cast small plastics and prepare for plenty of pole bending action. Channel Catfish – Good: Good numbers of large angler-acceptable size fish continue to be caught. Use cut bait to provide plenty of pole bending action. Bluegill – Good: Action continues for bluegill, black crappie and yellow perch. Use plastics on light jigs fished in shallow water in the evening.
Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Yellow Perch – No Report: Recent surveys show good numbers of fish approaching 11 inches. Channel Catfish – No Report: Recent surveys show good numbers of 16 – 23.9 inch fish in the lake.
Spirit Lake
Walleye – Fair: Walleyes action has improved with the drop in water temperatures. Fish the basin; don’t overlook the weed edges. Use crawlers and bottom bouncers or troll crankbaits. Yellow Perch – Good: Good numbers of 8.5 inch fish are being caught. Persistence and patience will be rewarded with larger fish caught.
West Okoboji Lake
Bluegill – Good: Fish the outside weed edges for larger sized bluegill; do not overlook deeper rock piles in 20 – 25 feet of water with aquatic plants.
For more information throughout the week, contact the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
NORTHEAST
Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water levels are low. Water clarity is improvied. Use caution when boating; submersed hazards hazards may have moved. Channel Catfish – Good: Use worms and cheese or stink baits fished on the river bottom. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Try spinnerbaits or crankbaits fished on the edge of eddies or drop-offs. Walleye – Good: Use a jig and twister tail or worm fished in the eddies and slack water. Bluegill – Good: Try a small hook tipped with piece of worm fished along the shoreline. Black Crappie – Good: Find crappies in side channels and backwaters. Use a hook tipped with a minnow or bladed spinner.
Decorah District Streams
It’s the perfect time to use terrestrial terminal tackle when fly fishing. Grasshoppers, crickets, and ants should turn a trout head. Check the 2019 trout stream stocking calendar or call the stocking number at 563-927-5736 to find out when your favorite trout stream will be stocked. Brown Trout – Good: Brown trout are feasting on terrestrial insects; try grasshopper or cricket flies. Also try crayfish. Rainbow Trout – Good: A crappie or bluegill set-up works great for trout fishing. Put a piece of cheese or small piece of worm on a hook under a bobber in a good hole and wait. Brook Trout – Good: With dirtier water, try woolly buggers, San Juan worms or other subsurface flies and lures. For clear water, use emerging insects with a scud dropper.
Lake Hendricks
Water temperatures are in the low 70’s. Clarity is poor with an algae bloom limiting visibility. Black Crappie – Good: Use a hook tipped with a minnow under a bobber. A slow troll might get one to come to a hook. Bluegill – Fair: Find fish on the edge of weed beds. Use a small piece of worm about a foot below a bobber. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use topwater lures fished in the edge of weeds. Channel Catfish – Good: Channel catfish are biting. Use worms or baits. Leave your bait on the bottom until you feel a tug; set the hook.
Lake Meyer
Water temperatures are in the low 70’s. Water clarity is excellent. Anglers report hit or miss action for panfish. Bluegill – Fair: Use a small piece of worm under a bobber just above the submersed weeds. Black Crappie – Fair: A bladed spinnerbait just above the vegetation should turn a crappie head. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Fish topwater lures in the evening and morning. Channel Catfish – Good: Catch nice sized catfish in shallow water near woody structures. Fish during low light conditions with clear water.
Turkey River (above Clermont)
Water levels are low. Water temperatures are in the low 70’s. Flows remain high. Walleye – Good: Find walleye in deeper pools and brush piles. Use spinnerbaits or a jig tipped with a twister tail. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Use a jig tipped with a twister tail or crawfish crankbait fished near eddies, rocky outcroppings and ledges.
Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Flows remain high, but water levels are low. Use care when paddling; read the water ahead of you – get out if needed. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Use spinnerbaits or a jig tipped with plastic tails fished in the deeper pools and eddies. Walleye – Fair: Fish undercut ledges and brush piles.
Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
Water clarity is good. Use caution on the water; high flows and low water levels can cause dangerous conditions for paddlers. Watch for strainers; go around log jams. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Use crawdad crankbaits or jigs tipped with black or white twister tails. Walleye – Fair: Fish the eddies and drop-offs. Jigs tipped with minnows or twister tails work well.
Volga Lake
Water temperatures are in the low 70’s. A green algae bloom is present. Bluegill – Fair: Find fish at depths of 6 feet or less. Use a small piece of worm on a small hook under a bobber. Black Crappie – Fair: Slowly troll through the lake to find suspended fish. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Run a crank or jerk bait along the edge of rocky or woody structure. Channel Catfish – Good: Find a shallow shoreline littered with woody debris. Use cut bait or worms and wait for a whiskery tug.
Chance for rain through the weekend. Temperatures in the low 70’s for highs to 50’s for lows. Water clarity on area streams is good. Fish action is picking up with cooler temperatures. For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.
Brinker Lake
Anglers are still having fair to good success catching crappie in Brinker Lake. Black Crappie – Fair: Look for structure; fish a live minnow or jigs at various depths to find suspended fish.
Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)
Bluegill – Fair: Find structure or fish from jetties or off of the dam to find bluegill. Cast and retrieve small jigs or use a piece of nightcrawler under a bobber. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use dead cut baits or stink baits fished after dark.
Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
Channel Catfish – Fair: Look for log jams or snags to find channel catfish on the rivers. Use chicken liver, stink baits and cut baits. Walleye – Fair: Cast and retrieve a half a crawler on a jig or cast a crankbait. Look for woody structure or drop-offs of downstream sandbars to find walleye. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Cast a jig and plastic or spinnerbaits along rocky shorelines.
Lake Delhi
Lake Delhi has been producing bluegill and largemouth bass. Bluegill – Fair: Find structure or fish from docks to find bluegill. Cast and retrieve small jigs or use a piece of nightcrawler under a bobber. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Cast and retrieve spinnerbaits, crankbaits or plastics along area docks and shorelines.
Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
There have been no reports for the Maquoketa River this past week. The river rose and become turbid with the recent rainfall.
Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
A few good reports of walleye from the Shell Rock River. Walleye – Good: Cast and retrieve a half of a crawler on a jig or cast a crankbait. Look for woody structure or drop-offs of downstream sandbars to find walleye. Channel Catfish – Fair: Look for log jams or snags to find channel catfish on the rivers. Use chicken liver, stink baits and cut baits. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Cast a jig and plastic or spinnerbaits along rocky shorelines.
Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
There have been no reports for the Wapsipinicon River this past week.
Interior river levels remain in good condition, but may be a bit more turbid with the recent rainfall. Lakes in and around Black Hawk County have been hit and miss but, anglers are catching crappie on some area lakes. Trout streams vary in condition with the recent rainfall; call ahead to check stream conditions. Call the N.E. Iowa district office at 563-927-3276 for more information.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Mississippi River Pool 9
River level at Lansing has risen to 8.6 feet and is expected to continue to rise this week. Water temperature is 71 degrees. Use caution exiting to the channel at Lansing Village Creek; the channel is very shallow. Dredging in this area is planned later this year. Largemouth Bass – No Report: Largemouth are scattered, but hungry. Bass may move to deeper water and wing dams as water levels drop. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Use crankbaits fished on rocky areas along main channel shoreline. Bluegill – Fair: Fish fallen trees in 5-6 feet of water in side channels with slight current. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Use crawlers or stink bait fished in side channel current. Freshwater Drum – Good: Drum are biting. Use worms on the bottom or crayfish to target larger fish. Walleye – Fair: Expect the walleye bite to improve as they move on the wing dams, but so far the bite is slow. Yellow Perch – No Report: Use crawlers fished just off the bottom in about 6-8 feet of water. Black Crappie – No Report: Try a minnow in the fallen trees in slight current of backwater sloughs.
Mississippi River Pool 10
River level at Lynxville has risen a foot to 16.2 feet with a rise of several feet expected this week. Water temperature is 72 degrees at Lock & Dam 9. Largemouth Bass – No Report: Largemouth are scattered, but hungry. Bass may move to deeper water and wing dams as water levels drop. Bluegill – Fair: Fish fallen trees in 5-6 feet of water in side channels with slight current. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Use crawlers or stink bait fished in side channel current. Freshwater Drum – Good :Drum are biting. Use worms on the bottom or crayfish to target larger fish. Walleye – Slow: Expect the walleye bite to improve as they move on the wing dams, but so far the bite is slow. Yellow Perch – No Report: Use crawlers fished just off the bottom in about 6-8 feet of water. Black Crappie – No Report: Use a minnow in the flooded trees in slight current of backwater sloughs. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Try crankbaits fished on rocky areas along main channel shoreline.
Mississippi River Pool 11
River level at Guttenberg has risen a foot to 8.8 feet and is expected to continue to rise several feet this week. Turkey River boat ramp is still closed for flood repair work. Water temperature is near 65 degrees at Lock & Dam 10. Largemouth Bass – No Report: Largemouth are scattered, but hungry. Bass may move to deeper water and wing dams as water levels drop. Bluegill – Fair: Fish fallen trees in 5-6 feet of water in side channels with slight current. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Use crawlers or stink bait fished in side channel current. Freshwater Drum – Fair: Drum are biting. Use worms on the bottom or crayfish to target larger fish. Walleye – Fair: Expect the walleye bite to improve as they move on the wing dams. but so far the bite is slow. Yellow Perch – No Report: Try crawlers fished just off the bottom in about 6-8 feet of water. Black Crappie – No Report: Crappies have moved into side channels with flooded trees and slight current flows; use a minnow. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Try crankbaits fished on rocky areas along main channel shoreline.
Upper Mississippi River levels are once again rising after recent heavy rains. Expect levels to come up several feet. Water clarity is poor. Look for fish in side channels or backwaters with cleaner water. Water temperature is in the lower 70’s.
Mississippi River Pool 12
The water levels is around 6.6 feet at the Dubuque Lock and Dam and 9 feet at the RR bridge. Water clarity is good. River levels at Dubuque are expected to recede over the next week. The water temperature has fallen to near 69 degrees. The water is clear, but a lot of vegetation is floating downriver. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Catfish are on the bite with most anglers using stink bait. Largemouth Bass – Good: Still some bass being taken in the vegetation lines using frog imitation lures. Other bass are hitting spinners fished along rock and wood piles. Walleye – Good: Walleye fishing is up and down daily. Most anglers are hitting wing dams with crankbaits, but floating vegetation has made that somewhat difficult. Black Crappie – Good: Find crappie around downed trees and submerged logs out of the current. Use a small minnow for bait. Bluegill – Good: Some gills are being caught along the rock lines with simple bobber and worm rigs. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Use a simple egg sinker and worm rig fished in moderate current areas. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Use spinners or crankbaits in high current areas along rocks.
Mississippi River Pool 13
Water level is around 9 feet at the Bellevue Lock and Dam. River levels at Bellevue are expected to recede over the next week. The water temperature has fallen to near 69 degrees. The water is clear, but a lot of vegetation is floating downriver. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Still some bass being taken in the vegetation lines using frog imitation lures. Other bass are hitting spinners fished along rock and wood piles. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Catfish are on the bite with most anglers using stink bait. Walleye – Good: Walleye fishing is up and down daily. Most anglers are hitting wing dams with crankbaits, but floating vegetation has made that somewhat difficult. Black Crappie – Good: Find crappie around downed trees and submerged logs out of the current. Use a small minnow for bait. Bluegill – Good: Some gills are being caught out along the rock lines with simple bobber and worm rigs. Other fish are being found near the mouths of large backwater areas. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Use a simple egg sinker and worm rig fished in moderate current areas. Use large crayfish for bait to catch larger freshwater drum. Flathead Catfish – Good: Use live black bullheads or green sunfish for bait. The best bite is toward the evening hours when flatheads start moving around. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Fish smallmouths in areas of high current and rock.
Mississippi River Pool 14
The water level is around 6.7 feet at the Fulton Lock and Dam, Camanche is near 10.4 feet and LeClair is at 5.4 feet. River levels are expected to recede over the next week. The water temperature has fallen to near 70 degrees. The water is clear, but a lot of vegetation is floating downriver. Largemouth Bass – Good: Still some bass being taken in the vegetation lines using frog imitation lures. Other bass are hitting spinners fished along rock and wood piles. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Catfish are on the bite with most anglers using stink bait. Black Crappie – Good: Find crappie around downed trees and submerged logs out of the current. Use a small minnow for bait. Bluegill – Good: Some gills are being caught along the rock lines with simple bobber and worm rigs. Other fish are being found near the mouths of large backwater areas such as Rock Creek and Cattail Slough. Freshwater Drum – Good: Use a simple egg sinker and worm rig fished in moderate current areas. Catch larger freshwater drum with large crayfish for bait. Flathead Catfish – Good: Use live black bullheads or green sunfish for bait. The best bite is toward the evening hours when flatheads become active. Walleye -Good: Walleye fishing is up and down daily. Most anglers are hitting wing dams with crankbaits, but floating vegetation has made that somewhat difficult. Lots of slot walleyes are being caught. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Fish smallmouths in areas of high current and rock.
Mississippi River Pool 15
Water levels are around 7.1 feet at Rock Island. River levels at Rock Island are expected to recede over the next week. The water temperature has fallen to near 70 degrees. The water is clear. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Catfish are on the bite with most anglers using stink bait along rock lines. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Use a simple egg sinker and worm rig fished in moderate current areas. Catch larger freshwater drum with large crayfish for bait. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Fish smallmouths in areas of high current and rock. Flathead Catfish – Fair: Use live black bullheads or green sunfish for bait. The best bite is toward the evening hours when flatheads start moving around.
The Mississippi River has not been this low for some time. Use caution when boating; many new snags have appeared after flooding. Most parks and campgrounds are back up and running. If you have any fishing questions, please contact the Bellevue Fisheries Station 563-872-4976.
SOUTHEAST
Big Hollow Lake
Water temperature is in the mid-70’s. Bluegill – Fair: Anglers are picking up nice bluegills in 6 to 8 feet of water in the flooded timber. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Work the flooded timber with soft plastics in 6 to 8 feet of water or around the big brush piles near the upper end of the lake.
Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River)
The heavy rains in the upper watershed are forecast to make the water level at this end jump up a couple of feet by the middle of next week. Channel Catfish – Good: The rains should flush more food into the river; don’t pass up any mouth of the feeder creeks.
Lake Belva Deer
Water temperature is 75 degrees. The lake is still a little green. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Anglers are starting to pick up more bass in the shallow water with the cool weather. Bluegill – Good: Anglers are picking up more bluegills, but they remain in the deeper 10 to 12 feet of water. Channel Catfish – Fair: Most catfish have moved into deeper water; start along the old creek channel.
Lake Darling
The recent rains knocked the green color of the water back a little, but it’s still green. Water temperature is 75 degrees. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Anglers are still picking up some bass in shallow, but the catch rates have dropped a little. Bluegill – Fair: The bigger bluegills are still mostly in the deeper water (8-10 feet) around the rock piles and brush piles. A few smaller ones are in shallow. Channel Catfish – Slow: If we get some rain this Sunday, they might perk back up. Black Crappie – Good: Catch rate is picking up a little. Work the deeper habitat as they haven’t made that transition to shallow water just yet.
Lost Grove Lake
Largemouth Bass – Good: Bass fishing has picked back up. The bigger ones are in deeper water, but the smaller ones have moved in shallow. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers continue to pick up crappies out around edges of the flooded timber in 8 to 10 feet of water. Some anglers are finding them all the way down to 20 to 25 feet deep. Try vertical jigging or using a slip bobber and minnow. Bluegill – Fair: The nicer bluegills remain out in deeper water; smaller ones are in shallow.
Skunk River (Coppock to Mississippi River)
The Skunk River got a little bit of a jump in water level from recent rains up river. Look for this to make the catfish hungry. Water levels are still fairly low for the bigger jon boats to get around. Channel Catfish – Good: Work the pools just downstream of the rock riffles, slow drifting crawdads or nightcrawlers to catch some nice eating-size catfish. Don’t forget to work the brush piles.
For more information on the above lake, call the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at 319-694-2430.
Coralville Reservoir
The lake level is 684.2 feet. Channel Catfish – Slow: Slow troll or drift cut bait. White Crappie – Fair: Use minnows or bright jigs over brush piles. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Flip jigs/plastics or shallow running crankbaits along chunk rock.
Diamond Lake
Channel Catfish – Fair: Try stink bait or chicken liver. Bluegill – Fair: Use worms or small jigs fished in brush. Black Crappie – Fair: Fish brush piles or drift the basin with jigs.
Lake Macbride
Any sized motor may now be used at no wake speed (5 mph). Walleye – Slow. Black Crappie – Slow. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Slow. Largemouth Bass – Fair.
Pleasant Creek Lake
The main ramp is still closed for repaving. Bluegill – Fair. Channel Catfish – Fair: Evenings are best.
For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.
Hawthorn Lake
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try rubber worms or spinnerbaits along the rock jetties and the face of the dam. Use topwater lures early and late in the day in the same spots. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use dead chubs or nightcrawlers in 4-8 feet of water. Bluegill – Fair: Try small jigs tipped with a waxworm. Sorting is needed for larger fish.
Lake Miami
Bluegill – Fair: Try small jigs tipped with a chunk of nightcrawler fished around the fishing jetties and rip-rapped shorelines. Drifting this time of year can also produce some fish. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use spinnerbaits or rubber worms around the fishing jetties and around the submerged cedar trees. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try nightcrawlers along the shorelines.
Lake Sugema
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try rubber worms around openings in the vegetation or spinnerbaits around the jetties and rip-rapped shorelines. Black Crappie – Slow: Use jigs tipped with a minnow around the flooded timber and submerged structure. Drifting in open water areas can also produce some fish this time of year. Bluegill – Fair: Try small jigs tipped with a chunk of nightcrawler in the open areas of the aquatic vegetation.
Lake Wapello
Channel Catfish – Fair: Use cut bait or dead chubs along the shore. Don’t fish too deep, most lakes have stratified. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try rubber worms or spinnerbaits around rock jetties and submerged cedar trees. Bluegill – Fair: Use small jigs along the shorelines and around the aquatic vegetation. Black Crappie – Fair: Try drifting in open water areas for suspended crappie.
Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 905.16 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 – Good: Try cut bait or nightcrawlers fished along the shorelines or any place with some water flowing into the lake. Black Crappie – Slow: Catch suspended crappie with small crankbaits. Sorting is needed for larger fish. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Anglers have been successful trolling crankbaits along rocky shores. Anglers are also vertically jigging over rock piles with some success. Walleye – Slow: Troll baits that imitate gizzard shad or bottom bouncers with a nightcrawler over submerged points or along rocky shores.
Red Haw Lake
Channel Catfish – Fair: Use cut bait or nightcrawlers along the shorelines. Don’t fish too deep; the lake is stratified. Bluegill – Fair: Try small jigs with a chunk of nightcrawler fished around the shores and submerged structure. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use rubber worms or spinnerbaits around brush piles and other submerged structure.
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
Big Creek Lake
Walleye – Slow: Walleye fishing is slower after the gizzard shad hatch. Use live bait on jigs or troll spinner rigs and shad imitating crankbaits in the upper half of the lake around road beds humps and weed edges in 10 feet of water and less. Black Crappie – Fair: Drift or troll jigs with twister tails or minnows in the West Boat Ramp bay. Shore anglers should fish live minnows near the rock jetties in the evenings.
Des Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock)
Channel Catfish – Good: Use cut baits and dip baits below the Saylorville spillway.
Des Moines River (Stratford to Saylorville Lake)
Channel Catfish – Excellent: Use stink baits or cut baits.
Don Williams Lake
Black Crappie – Good: Catch crappies from shore casting live minnows under a bobber 2 to 3 feet deep from the docks. Slowly troll jigs 3 to 6 feet deep. Good areas to troll are mid-lake between the boat ramp and the beach and from the beach north to the next bend. Largemouth Bass – Good: Catch quality 3 to 6 pound bass with shallow diving crankbaits and soft plastics around the tree falls and submerged stumps throughout the lake. Fish at depths of 8 feet and shallower.
Red Rock Reservoir
White Bass – Fair: Troll spoons and crankbaits in the main lake from the marina to the dam. White Crappie – Fair: Drift jigs in bays off the main lake and the marina cove.
For more information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers, call Ben Dodd at 641-891-3795 or Andy Otting at 515-204-5885.
Greenfield Lake
Channel Catfish – Good: Shrimp and dip baits work best around the jetties.
Lake Anita
Lake Anita is being drawn-down three to four feet to install a new seawall. Boat access may be limited as the water comes down. The DNR will try to keep one ramp usable. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers targeting brush piles are catching fish. Late afternoon has been good around the roadbeds. Bluegill – Fair: Anglers report catching bluegill slow trolling jigs and crawler in 10 to 14 feet of water. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Look for largemouth bass around deeper structure during the day. Channel Catfish – No Report: Fishing has been good for catfish off the jetties in the south arm.
Lake Manawa
A few anglers report catching walleye on the west side of the lake. Manawa’s no-wake restriction has been lifted. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try dip baits fished in the windblown shoreline. Walleye – Fair: Troll shad raps on the west shoreline.
Littlefield Lake
Anglers report catching bluegills in the cedar tree piles. Bluegill – Fair: Use slip bobbers and crawlers around the tree piles; sorting is needed for larger fish.
Meadow Lake
The DNR put the stop logs back in at Meadow Lake. The lake will now refill with fall rains.
Nodaway Lake
Nodaway has a good catfish population. Channel Catfish – Good: Catfish are being caught in the upper end of the lake on shrimp.
Prairie Rose Lake
Prairie Rose has a quality panfish population and an abundance of largemouth bass. Bluegill – Slow: Look for bluegills around tree piles. Drift close or cast to find quality sized fish. Black Crappie – No Report: Troll along the dam or around brush piles to find 10 inch black crappie. Largemouth Bass – Good: Bass fishing has been very good along vegetation edges. Fish are 12 to 14 inches long.
Viking Lake
Viking is down 8 feet and will be maintained at this level until October. At that time, the gate will be closed and the lake will be allowed to refill.
For more information, contact the S.W. District Office at 712-769-2587.
Green Valley Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Try nightcrawlers under a bobber fished along the fishing jetties or cedar tree brush piles for bluegill up to 8 inches. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Use finesse plastics fished near cedar tree brush piles for largemouth bass of all sizes.
Little River Watershed Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Catch bluegill up to 9 inches with small jigs or nightcrawlers fished near cedar tree brush piles. Largemouth Bass – Good: Try finesse plastics or jigs fished near cedar tree brush piles or along the weed line for largemouth bass of all sizes. Channel Catfish – Slow: Catch channel catfish up to 10 pounds with nightcrawlers or stink bait fished along the flooded timber.
Three Mile Lake
Walleye – Slow: Catch walleye up to 15 inches with a nightcrawler or minnow fished along the roadbed or fish mounds.
Twelve Mile Creek Lake
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try jigs or finesse plastics fished along the weed line or cedar tree brush piles for largemouth bass of all sizes. Bluegill – Slow: Catch Bluegill up to 8 inches with small jigs or nightcrawlers fished along cedar tree brush piles.
Water temperature in most Mount Ayr district lakes is in the mid-70’s. For more information, please call the Mount Ayr Fisheries office at 641-464-3108.
