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Top Iowa Fishing Spots for the Week of September 7.
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.
Stay Where You
Play
Make your next
fishing trip an overnight stay. Take advantage of state park cabins and
campgrounds near many of these bodies of water. Make your reservation now. For
more information on availability and rates, visit iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com
Arrowhead Lake
Bluegill - Fair: Catch 8- to 9-inch bluegills near structure in 5- to 10-feet of water. For deeper fish, drift a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler. Use a bobber if fishing closer to shore.
Black Hawk Lake
Surface water temperature is around 70 degrees. Water levels are near the crest of the spillway. Bluegill - Fair: Pick up bluegill just about anywhere along the shoreline in 2- to 5-feet of water. Use a small jig tipped with live bait or a small piece of crawler fished below a bobber off the floating fishing pier, the west stone pier, and the inlet bridge. Black Crappie - Fair: Use a jig with a minnow in 2- to 6-feet of water along
Ice House Point, the floating dock and the stone piers in Town Bay. Walleye - Fair: Use live bait fished along the Ice House Point shoreline
and the rock piles near Cottonwood Point and in the east basin. Largemouth Bass - Good: Catch largemouth bass just about anywhere along the
shoreline with topwater lures, twisters or live bait.
Brushy Creek Lake
Bluegill - Fair: Use a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler in 5- to 15-feet of water. Drift near structure, drop-offs and weed lines. Black Crappie - Fair: Try a small piece of crawler or minnow on a jig in 10- to 15-feet of water. Largemouth Bass - Good: Throw topwater lures, weedless baits, spinners and plastic worms along weed lines, near cover and wood structure. Fish deeper for larger fish. Pick up small fish in the shallows. Walleye – Fair.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Surface water temperatures are around 70 degrees. Dredge is in operation in the northeast portion of the lake; boaters must maintain a 100 foot distance from the dredge, booster pump and dredge pipes at all times. 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: Troll shad raps or drift crawlers on the edges of the dredge cuts around the lake. White Bass - Fair: Use crankbaits; most action has been from boat while fishing dredge cuts.
Swan Lake
Bluegill - Fair: Try areas with rocky structure and along weed lines in 2- to 6-feet of water near the jetties, the fish house and the dam. Use a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler or minnow under a bobber. Expect 6- to 9-inch fish.
Yellow Smoke Park Lake
Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills can reach 9 inches or more. Look for bluegills in 5- to 10-feet of water near the arm north of the swim beach, the flooded timber near the southwest shoreline, and the coves on the
south shore.
Surface water temperature in area lakes is around 70
degrees. Panfishing has been fair to good in most lakes. The channel catfish
bite in rivers and lakes continues to be fair. Expect Walleye fishing to pick
up as water temperatures cool.For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Bluebill
Lake
Largemouth
Bass - Fair: Bass are biting on a
variety of baits fished near vegetation. Bluegill - Fair: Use a bobber and
small piece of crawler near the edge of the vegetation.
Clear Lake
The water temperature is 68 degrees. Yellow Bass - Good: Drift a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler in 8- to 10-feet of water until you find fish. Walleye - Fair: Use a slip bobber and leech or crawler near the rock
reefs or try trolling bottom bouncers with bright colored
blades and a nightcrawler. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use cut bait on the windward side of the lake. Late evening bite is best. Muskellunge - Fair: Fish the weed edge and shady areas near docks.
Crystal
Lake
Bluegill
- Fair: Use a small piece of crawler under a slip bobber near the dredge cut. Black Crappie - Fair: Try a slip bobber and small minnow in the deeper water in the
dredge cut. Look for suspended fish on your electronics.
Rice
Lake
Walleye - Fair: Use a jig and minnow in the deeper parts of the lake in
the late evening.
Silver
Lake (Worth)
Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth bass are biting on a variety of baits.
For information in the north central area, contact the Clear Lake Fish
and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
East Okoboji Lake
Lots of keeper fish are being caught on
East Okoboji, with yellow bass being the majority of kept fish. Yellow Bass - Excellent: Good sized yellow bass are still being caught
shallow near docks; use jig with pilkies and crawlers. Yellow Perch - Good: Jig
with tube jigs and pilkies around docks and weed lines.
Five
Island Lake
Recent surveys show good amount of channel catfish and panfish. Black
Crappie - Good: There are lots of angler acceptable fish. Bluegill
- Good: There are lots of angler acceptable fish; try along weed
lines in shallow water. Channel Catfish - Good: Lots of channel
catfish have been caught in recent sampling.
Little
Sioux River (state line to Linn Grove)
Walleye - Fair: Walleye activity is starting to pick up as the water starts to
cool down.
Spirit Lake
Walleye - Fair: Walleye are still active, but are harder to find as
they move to deeper water. Yellow Perch - Good: The yellow perch bite picked up over the past week; use tube jigs and
pilkies.
West Okoboji Lake
Bluegill - Good: Nice sized bluegill are coming off the lake. Try in
shallow areas around weed lines. Black Crappie - Good: Crappie are very
active; cast tube jigs along weed lines.
The walleye fishing will pick up as the water
temperature continues to cool down. For more information throughout the week, contact the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
Cedar River (above Nashua)
Fish are more active with stable water levels and
cooler temperatures. Fish are taking a variety of lures and baits. Cedar Lake near Nashua is temporarily experiencing a
naturally occurring die-off of channel catfish mainly due to a large algal
bloom. Catfish are occasionally susceptible to environmental and handling
stress. Walleye - Good: Troll main channel or deeper holes and along current
breaks. Use a jig tipped with a minnow or twister tail. Channel Catfish - Good: Use a hook with a dead chub or crawler for a 2 pound catfish. Try also chicken liver, stink bait and nightcrawlers around brush piles. Black Crappie - Good: Use a hook tipped with a minnow in eddies
below dams and backwaters around brush piles. Smallmouth Bass - Slow: Use crawdad crankbaits along rocky shorelines and
substrates.
Decorah District Streams
Hunting season has started. Many streams run through
wildlife management areas where hunting is allowed. Wear bright clothing when
not stalking a trout. Trout streams are in good condition. Call 563-927-5736
for current catchable trout stocking locations. Brook Trout - Good: A variety of small mayflies are hatching mid-afternoon. Use a dry fly
for insects hatching off the water surface. Use a nymph or scud dropper for
subsurface critters. Brown Trout - Good: A hopper pattern with a scud dropper is a dangerous combination. Rainbow Trout - Good: Freshly stocked trout are hitting a variety of lures
and baits. Drift a feathered spinner along an undercut bank.
Lake Hendricks
Lake Hendricks is an electric motor only lake. With
cooler weather coming, panfishing is picking up. Black
Crappie - Fair: Use a worm or spinnerbait around the
jetties. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try topwater lures along the edge of a vegetation for a hiding bass. Channel Catfish - Good: Use a hook tipped with stink bait. Bluegill - Fair: Find bluegills near vegetation edges.
Lake Meyer
Water temperatures are in the low 60's. Panfishing
should start to pick up with cooler temperatures. Lake Meyer is an electric
motor only lake. Bluegill - Fair: Use a small hook tipped with a piece of worm under a
bobber near jetties in the evening. Black Crappie - Fair: Find crappie suspended near submersed structure. Use
a spinner or jig with bright colored twister tail. Largemouth Bass - Good: Early morning and evening bite is best. Use topwater
lures fished along vegetation beds or spinners along rocky edges.
Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
The Upper Iowa is in excellent condition. Be prepared to walk through riffles as water
levels fall. Walleye - Fair: Drift through a deeper hole or
along a current break. Use a jig tipped with a twister tail or worm. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Try jigs tipped with natural colored plastic tails.
Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
Water temperatures are in the mid to low 60's. Water
is slightly muddy below Highway 76. Northern
Pike - Fair: Use a steel leader tipped with 1/4 oz. jig
tipped with natural colored plastic to a 3 inch jerk bait fished around
tributaries or brush piles. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Use jigs tipped with plastic tails in the current breaks or near rock ledges. Walleye - Fair: Drift a jig tipped with a twister tail or worm through a deeper hole or along a current break. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catch a catfish from shore with a hook tipped with a crawler. Evening
is best.
Volga Lake
The lake is currently experiencing a green algae
bloom. Black Crappie - Fair: Use a jig with a minnow under a bobber near submersed trees for suspended crappie. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass are hitting jigs tipped with a nightcrawler or twister tail. Try a topwater lure
in the evening as fish come in shallow to feed. Bluegill - Fair: Use a small hook tipped with a piece of worm under a
bobber. Channel Catfish - Good: Use stink bait, worms, and cheese baits. Catfish are active in the evening. Catfish are active in the evening. They are occasionally susceptible
to environmental and handling stress. Open sores are visible and likely
caused by a bacterial infection. Please release these fish back into the water. Usually, these infections are non-life threatening to fish and people.
Temperature highs in the low 70's and upper 40's for
lows in weekend forecast. Area streams and rivers are in good condition. For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.
Alice
Wyth Lake
Reports of anglers catching some crappie in Alice Wyth Lake. Black
Crappie - Fair: Try a crappie minnow under a bobber in 4- to 6-feet of
water.
Big
Woods Lake
Reports of anglers catching some crappie in Big Woods Lake. Black
Crappie - Fair: Use a crappie minnow under a bobber in 4- to 6-feet of
water.
Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)
Bluegill - Fair: Try a piece of nightcrawler under a bobber. Channel Catfish - Good: Use dip baits on the bottom of the lake near the old
beach area or the west, shallower end of the lake.
Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
The Cedar River is in excellent condition and
producing good catches of walleye, smallmouth bass, channel catfish and
northern pike in Bremer and Black Hawk Counties. Walleye - Fair: Cast and retrieve a jig tipped with a crawler below
drop-off sandbars when river levels are low. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Cast and retrieve artificial lures for some great
smallmouth action. Channel Catfish - Good: Use dip baits or cut baits near riffle areas or
upstream of logjams. Northern Pike - Excellent: Pike are going crazy on the river; cast
and retrieve bucktail spinners or spoons. Black
Crappie - Fair: Use a minnow under a bobber on the river
impoundments and above where there is structure. Anglers have to search for
crappie. Quality and size has been nice.
Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
Smallmouth Bass - Good: TCast and retrieve artificial lures for some great
smallmouth action. Walleye - Good: Cast and retrieve a jig tipped with a crawler below
drop-off sandbars when river levels are low.
Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
Walleye - Fair: Cast and retrieve a jig tipped with a crawler below
drop-off sandbars when river levels are low. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Cast and retrieve artificial lures for some great smallmouth
action. Channel Catfish - Good: Use dip baits or cut baits near riffle areas or
upstream of logjams. Northern
Pike - Excellent: Pike are going crazy on the river; cast and retrieve
bucktail spinners or spoons.
Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
Northern Pike - Excellent: Pike are going crazy on the river; cast and retrieve
bucktail spinners or spoons. Walleye - Fair: Cast and retrieve a jig
tipped with a crawler below drop-off sandbars when river levels are low. Smallmouth
Bass - Good: Cast and retrieve artificial lures for some great smallmouth
action. Channel Catfish - Good: Use dip baits or cut baits near riffle
areas or upstream of logjams.
The weather has held fantastic for angling
opportunities this weekend. Reports are excellent for many species on all of
the interior rivers.Trout streams remain in excellent condition. Call the N.E. Iowa district office at 563-927-3276 for more information.
Mississippi River Pool 9
River level at Lansing 9.4 feet and is predicted to
fall slightly, then stabilize there. Water temperature has fallen into the mid
60's. Bluegill - Excellent: Some larger bluegills are being picked up near
structure on the side channels. Use a small hook tipped with worm fished under a slip bobber. Channel Catfish - Good:Try nightcrawlers or stink bait fished on the bottom
in areas of moderate current where side channels form an eddy. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Lots of drum are still being caught in the swifter
current breaks. Bounce a nightcrawler along the bottom or try crayfish for
bigger fish. Smallmouth Bass - Excellent: Smallmouth fishing is improving with reports of many
2-3 pound fish being caught with a worm harness along the riprap near the Black
Hawk bridge. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth fishing is good on side channel and main
channel shoreline structure. Walleye - Fair: Try a little slower presentation as the water
temperature is falling. One eye jigs or bait-rig off the bottom has been
effective. Yellow Perch - Fair: Look for perch in vegetated areas along the main
channel. Northern
Pike - Fair: Northern pike fishing is picking up in the
shallows or in the mouths of tributary streams. Flathead
Catfish - Fair: Try live shiners or small bluegill in woody
debris to attract flatheads in slack areas off the side channels. Black
Crappie - Good: Use light colored jigs or hook tipped with
crappie minnows in backwater side-channels.
Mississippi River Pool 10
Lynxville water level is 17 feet and is predicted to
drop slightly then remain stable at this level over the next week. Water
temperature is 67 degrees at the lock and dam. Bluegill - Excellent: Some larger bluegills are being picked up near
structure on the side channels. Use a small hook tipped with worm fished under a slip bobber. Channel Catfish - Good: Try nightcrawlers or stink bait fished on the
bottom in areas of moderate current where side channels form an eddy. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Lots of drum are still being caught in the swifter
current breaks. Bounce a nightcrawler along the bottom or try crayfish for
bigger fish. Smallmouth Bass - Excellent: Use live bait or artificials along rocky shorelines
with good current. Best bite is towards evening. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth fishing is good on side channel and main
channel shoreline structure. Walleye - Fair: Try a little slower presentation as the water
temperature is falling. One eye jigs or bait-rig off the bottom has been
effective. Yellow Perch - Fair: Look for perch in vegetated areas along the main
channel. Northern
Pike - Fair: Northern pike fishing is picking up in the
shallows or in the mouths of tributary streams. Flathead
Catfish - Fair: Use live shiners or small bluegill in woody
debris to attract flatheads in slack areas off the side channels. Black
Crappie - Good: Use light colored jigs or hook tipped with
crappie minnows in backwater side channels.
Mississippi River Pool 11
Mississippi River at Guttenberg has bumped up to 8.4 feet
and is predicted to drop slightly this week. Water temperature is 65
degrees at the Lock and Dam. Bluegill - Excellent: Some larger bluegills are being picked up near
structure on the side channels. Use a small hook tipped with worm fished under a slip bobber. Channel Catfish - Good: Try nightcrawlers
or stink bait fished on the bottom in areas of moderate current where side channels
form an eddy. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Lots of drum are still being caught in the swifter
current breaks. Bounce a nightcrawler along the bottom or try crayfish for
bigger fish. Smallmouth Bass - Excellent: Use live bait or artificials along rocky
shorelines with good current. Best bite is towards evening. Largemouth Bass -Good: Largemouth fishing is good on side channel and
main channel shoreline structure. Walleye - Fair: Try a little slower presentation as the water
temperature is falling. One eye jigs or bait-rig off the bottom has been
effective. Yellow Perch - No Report: Look for perch in vegetated areas along the main
channel. Northern
Pike - Fair: Northern pike fishing is picking up in the
shallows or in the mouths of tributary streams. Flathead
Catfish - Fair: Try live shiners or small bluegill in woody
debris to attract flatheads in slack areas off the side channels. Black Crappie - Good: Use light colored jigs or hook tipped with crappie minnows in
backwater side-channels. Bertom Lake area has been picking up.
Upper Mississippi water levels are holding steady this week. Late summer
fishing has been consistent for many species. Water clarity continues to be
good with lots of vegetation present. Many backwater species have moved to main
channel borders and side sloughs. Water temperature has been gradually falling
into the mid to upper 60's this week.
Mississippi River Pool 12
River levels rose this week. Water levels are 7.8
feet at the Dubuque Lock and Dam and 10.1 feet at the RR bridge. Water clarity
is good. Water temperature is 67 degrees in the main channel. The River should hold steady this week. Channel Catfish - Good: Use worms and stink
bait; move often if you do not find biting fish. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: A simple egg sinker
and worm rig works best. White Crappie - Good: Good numbers and size of crappie reported this week.
Most anglers are using small minnows as bait. Walleye - Fair: The wing dam fishing fishing is well underway on the
Mississippi River. Some anglers are
using worm rigs while others are throwing crankbaits on the dams. Floating weeds are being a real hindrance at times. Bluegill - Good:Find bluegills at the mouths of large
backwater areas and along the channel border rock. Flathead
Catfish - Excellent: Pull worm rigs near rocky
habitats. Lots of flatheads have been caught this year. Smallmouth Bass - Excellent:Throw spinners or small crankbaits around rocky
areas with strong current in the evenings. Largemouth
Bass - Excellent: Largemouths have pulled out of the
shallow backwater areas and are on trees and sandy shoals often chasing
minnows. The scum frog bite has been very good in the weed pads.
Mississippi River Pool 13
Water level is 8.7 feet at the Bellevue Lock and
Dam. Water levels should hold steady this week. Water
clarity has been improving. Water temperature is around 69 degrees in the main
channel. Northern Pike - Good: Use flashy white lures lures. Channel Catfish - Good: Use worm rigs and stink bait above log jams
and rock piles; let the smell of the bait flow into the log piles. Move often if you don’t find fish. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Use egg
sinker rigs with worms. Drum bite in all types of river conditions. Walleye - Fair: Throw
crank baits over the rock piles. Try also worm rigs. Floating vegetation is becoming a hindrance to wing dam
fishing. Smallmouth Bass - Excellent: Throw crank baits or spinners near rock piles with
strong current. Bluegill - Good: Use worm rigs in log piles in larger backwater and
sloughs. Flathead Catfish - Excellent: Small flathead catfish are hitting on worms; mostly
by people fishing for channel cats. Try large
live bait fished in the evening hours for bigger flatheads. Largemouth
Bass - Excellent: Some fish are on weed edges while others are in logs in deeper sloughs. Use scum frogs and other frog imitations. Black Crappie - Good: Some nice crappies have been reported from the sloughs in Pool
13. Most anglers are using small minnows.
Mississippi River Pool 14
Water levels are 7.9 feet at Fulton, 11.3 feet at
Camanche and 6.1 feet at LeClaire. Water clarity has been poor, but is improving. Water levels are predicted to hold steady. Water temperature is 69 degrees
in the main channel. Largemouth Bass - Good: Bass had moved out of the large shallow areas into
deeper slough habitats. Use frog imitation lures along the weed edges. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Freshwater drum are biting on worm rigs. Catch drum in nearly all moderate current
areas. Channel Catfish - Good: Use worm rigs and prepared stink baits fished
close to shoreline snags or along rock lines. Walleye - Good: Try Twister tails near the outside tips of wing dams in low water
levels. Flathead
Catfish - Excellent: Flathead are most active during the night and evening hours. Smallmouth
Bass - Good: Try along rock piles with current. Bluegill
- Good: Fish deeper sloughs next to large backwater
complexes that have been dewatered due to lower water levels. White Bass - Fair: Use minnow imitation spinners.
Mississippi River Pool 15
Levels are up slightly and are at 8.3 feet at Rock
Island. Water temperature is 69 degrees in the main channel.
Water levels should hold steady this week. Channel
Catfish - Good: Try stink bait along the rock
piles near Campbells and Arsenal Island. Move often if fish are not hitting. Freshwater
Drum - Good: Freshwater drum bite well this time of
year. Put them on ice immediately if you
are going to clean them. Flathead
Catfish - Good: Use large live bait fished near shore
during the night and evening hours. Smallmouth
Bass - Fair: Find smallmouths along rock lines with
strong current.
The main channel water temperature is has fallen
again and is now in upper 60's. Fishing conditions have been generally good
throughout the district this week. Some aquatic vegetation is floating in the
River right now, please do your best to clean your boats and trailers and not
transport vegetation to other bodies of water. If you have any angling questions, please contact the Bellevue Fisheries
Station 563-872-4976.
Mississippi River Pool 16
Tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad Cities is 8.19 feet and has been fairly steady the past week. Channel Catfish - Good: Try worms, stink bait or cut shad in brush piles and
snags along the main channel and side channels. White Crappie - No Report: Look for crappies in the backwaters and flowing side
channels. Use jigs and minnows/plastics or minnows under a bobber around brush
piles. Walleye - Fai: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Cast crankbaits over the wing dams or troll three-way rigs with nightcrawlers in front of the wing dams.
Mississippi River Pool 17
Tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 16 in Muscatine is 6.63 feet and has been fairly steady. Channel Catfish - Good: Try worms, cut shad, or dip baits in brush piles and
snags along the main channel and side channels. White Crappie - Fair: Try jigs and minnows/plastics or minnows under a
bobber around brush piles in Big Timber and Cleveland Slough. Walleye - Fair: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Cast crankbaits or pull three-way rigs with crawlers. Bluegill - Fair: Look for bluegills in the backwaters. Use pieces of worm under a
bobber around brush piles.
Mississippi River Pool 18
Tailwater stage is 7.75 feet at Lock and Dam 17 at New Boston. Channel Catfish - Good: Try dip baits, nightcrawlers or cut shad in snags
and brush piles along the main channel and side channels. White Crappie - No Report: Use jigs/minnows or minnows under a bobber in the
backwaters and flowing side channels around brush piles. Walleye - No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Cast crankbaits to the wingdams or pull three-way rigs with crawlers.
Mississippi River Pool 19
Tailwater stage is 4.18 feet at Lock and Dam 18 above Burlington. We have not received any fishing reports for this pool this week. Channel Catfish - No Report: Try dip baits, nightcrawlers, or cut shad in brush
piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. White Crappie - No Report: Use jigs and minnows/plastics or minnows under a bobber crappies in brush
piles in the backwaters and flowing side channels.
River stages have been fairly steady this past week.
Water clarity has been fair and main channel water temperature is around 68
degrees. If you have questions on fishing Pools 16-19, contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.
Big
Hollow Lake
Colder night time temperatures are cooling off the
water. Water temperature is in the low 70's. Expect to find the fish in shallow
pretty soon. Black Crappie
- Fair: The crappie bite has picked up some. Try in the
flooded timber and down about 8 feet. Largemouth
Bass - Fair: Go shallow in the early morning and late
evening; as the day gets warmer flow them out to deeper water. Bluegill – Fair: Try around the jetties and the deeper sides of
the island where the bluegills still have access to deeper water.
Iowa
River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River)
The Iowa fell just a few inches since last week. The
water is still pretty shallow for outboard motors, but with the slow current a
nice float trip down the river would be fun. Channel
Catfish - Fair: Look for the deeper holes with brush piles; getting to them
is the hard part.
Lake Belva Deer
The lake is back to being a little murky; water
clarity is about 36 inches. Water temperature is down to the upper 60's. Bluegill - Good: Bluegill fishing has picked back up. They are still
out in the deeper 10- to 12-foot water, but with a few more cool nights expect
to see them come in shallower. Channel Catfish - Excellent: Catfish are biting. Look for them in the upper end of the lake
where the arm from the north connects to the main lake. Black Crappie -
Good: Anglers are starting to catch crappies. They are still out in the 10-foot depth range
vertical jigging or slip bobbers with minnows.
Lake Darling
A couple of mid 40's degrees nights cooled off the
water. Water temperature is down to 68 degrees. Once the fish acclimate to the
cooler water, expect them to move in shallow. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use soft plastics on the shallow edge of the
drop-offs. Black Crappie - Fair: Most anglers were still catching them out in deeper
water, but expect them to move in shallow very soon.
Lake
Geode
Water clarity is improving at 66 inches, but is
still a little on the green side. Water temperature is in the lower 70's. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are starting to work the outer edges of the water willow
beds close to deeper water. Black
Crappie - Fair: Crappies are starting to move into the
brush piles and tree falls in shallow water, but still near the deeper
drop-offs.
Lake
Odessa
The water level is stable and cooling off with the cooler weather. The
September teal season continues through the 10th (Sunday). Black Crappie -
Fair: Look for crappies around the beaver lodges and around the fallen trees
from Sand Run on down. Bluegill - Fair: Use bobbers and worms or small
jigs tipped with wax worms around the beaver lodges and around the fallen trees
from Sand Run on down.
Skunk River (Coppock to Mississippi River)
The water level in the Skunk is holding pretty
steady. Not much angler activity and no boat activity because of the shallow
water conditions. It’s a good time to take a float trip. Channel Catfish – Fair: With the water cooling off, catfish should start to
fatten up before they start migrating to their overwintering holes.
For more information on the above lakes and rivers, contact the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at 319-694-2430.
Coralville Reservoir
The lake is at normal summer pool of 683.4'. Black
Crappie - Slow: Most fish have been smaller. Channel Catfish - Fair: Drift/troll cut bait along the channel. Largemouth
Bass - Fair: Cast crankbaits along rock.
Diamond Lake
Channel
Catfish – Fair. Bluegill – Slow. Black
Crappie – Slow.
Hannen
Lake
Largemouth
Bass – Good.
Iowa
Lake (Iowa County)
Channel
Catfish – Good. Bluegill – Fair. Redear
Sunfish – Fair. Largemouth Bass – Good. Black Crappie – Fair.
Lake Macbride
The motor restriction is now off and all motors may
be used at no-wake speed (5 mph). Bluegill - Fair. Walleye - Slow: Troll crankbaits or crawlers in 8- to 14-feet of water. Largemouth
Bass – Fair. Black Crappie - Slow: Fish around
brush/wood in 10- to 15-feet of water.
Otter Creek Lake
The lake is a little low and the water has lots of color to it. Bluegill
– Slow. Channel Catfish – Fair. Black Crappie – Slow. Yellow
Bass – Fair.
Pleasant Creek Lake
The lake is still 9.5 feet low from the restoration project. The main boat ramp is usable, but is still shallow; use caution. Inspect, clean, drain, and dry your boat/trailer
before leaving as there is a lot of the invasive species, Brittle Naiad, in the
lake.
Wapsipinicon
River (Troy Mills to Oxford Junction)
Bluegill – Fair. Smallmouth Bass – Fair. Walleye - Fair: Use nightcrawlers,
either on a split shot rig or jighead.
For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.
Lake Keomah
Bluegill - Slow: Try small jigs tipped with live bait along the edge of the vegetation and around the fishing jetties. Largemouth
Bass - Fair: Use rubber worms or spinnerbaits along the shorelines and around the vegetation. Try submerged structure in 6- to 8-feet of water. Channel
Catfish - Fair: Try nightcrawlers or liver in about 4- to 6-feet of water.
Lake Sugema
Black Crappie - Fair: Try jig tipped with live bait in the flooded timber. Sorting is needed for larger fish. Walleye - Slow: Cast crankbaits along the dam and other rip-rapped
shorelines. Try also drifting or trolling nightcrawlers. Bluegill - Fair: Use a small jig tipped with live bait in structure in 8-to 10-feet. Sorting is needed for larger fish. Largemouth
Bass - Fair: Try spinnerbaits or crawdad imitating baits along the shorelines and around the jetties. Use a rubber worm among the
vegetation and around deep structure.
Lake Wapello
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try crankbaits or spinnerbaits around the cedar tree
piles and around the fishing jetties. Use topwater lures or rubber worms among the lily
pads. Channel
Catfish - Fair: Use chicken liver or nightcrawlers fished in 6- to 8-feet of water. Black Crappie - Fair: Try live bait around submerged structure. Sorting may be needed for larger fish.
Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 903.96 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. White Crappie
- Fair: Troll crankbaits over submerged points and
underwater islands. Crappies are suspended over these areas. Channel Catfish - Good: Use nightcrawlers or cut bait in coves and bays where the wind is blowing toward the
shoreline. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair: Troll crankbaits or blade baits around submerged
points and rock piles or vertically jig in these same areas. Walleye - Slow: Troll crankbaits that mimic gizzard shad around submerged points and rock piles; look for areas with changing depths.
Red Haw Lake
Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs tipped with a chunk of nightcrawler and a bobber around the fishing jetties. Largemouth
Bass - Fair: Try spinnerbaits and rubber worms along the
shorelines, around the jetties, and along the face of the dam. Channel
Catfish - Fair: Use nightcrawlers or chicken liver around the
fishing jetties.
Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions about
fishing in south central Iowa.
Big
Creek Lake
Walleye - Fair: Troll live bait rigs and cast or troll shallow
diving crank baits on the upper end of the lake.
Des
Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock)
White Bass - Fair: Cast jigs and twister tails or shallow diving, shad imitating
crankbaits. Channel Catfish - Good: Use stink baits and cut baits.
Don
Williams Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Drift or troll tube jigs and twister or paddle tail jigs 3- to 8-feet down in 10- to 20-feet of
water. The middle section of the lake has been the most consistent.
Red
Rock Reservoir
Channel
Catfish - Good: Drift cut creek chubs or
shad above the mile long bridge in 6- to 12-feet of water.
Saylorville
Reservoir
Channel
Catfish - Good: Drift cut creek chubs in the upper end of the reservoir
above and just below the mile long bridge.
Late summer and early fall is a good time to slow
drift for crappies and bluegills. Channel catfishing on the reservoirs and the
Des Moines River is good. For information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers, contact Andy Otting or Ben Dodd at 515-432-2823.
Cold Springs District Farm Ponds
Pond fishing was fair this week. Always get permission to fish privately owned farm ponds. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth bass are active and easy to catch. Cast a variety of spinner type baits or plastics for fun catch and release fishing. Bluegill - Fair: Catch bluegills around weed edges and deep structure. Black Crappie - Slow: Cast minnows under a slip bobber. Channel Catfish - Good: Use cut bait or prepared baits around structure and vegetation edges.
Greenfield Lake
Greenfield Lake has a good fish population. The lake is 3 feet low. Black Crappie - Slow: A few crappies can be caught around structure. Late
afternoon bite is best. Fish average 9 inches. Bluegill - Slow: Drift small jigs tipped with a crawler to catch 8 inch bluegill. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use cut bait or shrimp in less than 8 feet of water. Anglers have a chance to catch large catfish at
Greenfield.
Lake Anita
Lake Anita will provide good fishing this year. Find a large crappie population averaging 9 inches and bluegills up to 9.5 inches. Black Crappie - Fair: Anglers are catching crappies in the tree piles. Fish will average 9 inches. Bluegill - Fair: Catch bluegills up to 9.5 inches with small jigs tipped power bait or nightcrawlers on steep drop offs near the creek channel and in
deep tree pile. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Find bass around underwater reefs and vegetation edges. Fish are all sizes.
Middle
Raccoon River (above Van Meter)
Walleye – Fair. Smallmouth Bass – Fair.
Prairie Rose Lake
Expect to catch quality size bluegills. The crappies stocked in 2014 will reach an acceptable size to harvest in 2017. The lake also supports a good population of channel catfish and the largemouth bass will provide good catch and release fishing. Bluegill - Fair: Anglers report catching quality size bluegills around the underwater reefs placed in the lake during the renovation. Fish are 8.5- to 9-inches. Largemouth Bass - Slow: There are many 12 inch bass in the lake that will provide fun catch and release fishing. Black Crappie - Slow: A few 8 inch black crappie are being picked up drifting or trolling along the dam. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use liver or nightcrawlers in the upper end of the lake for 14- to 16-inch catfish.
Viking Lake
Anglers report catching crappies in deep brush piles. Largemouth Bass - Good: Anglers are catching largemouth bass in tree piles with plastics and around the shoreline with
spinnerbaits. Fish are all sizes. Channel Catfish - Fair: Viking has a good channel catfish population; fish will average 2 pounds with the opportunity to catch larger fish. Anglers report chicken livers was the bait of choice
this week. Black Crappie - Fair: Vertical jig any tree pile in 12- to 14-feet of water. Sorting is needed for larger fish. Bluegill - Fair: Drifting has been good for 7 inch bluegill.
Water temperatures are in the low to mid 70's in the
S.W. district. Anglers are catching panfish in brush piles and catfishing has
been fair in lakes. For more information, call the Cold Springs District Office at 712-769-2587.
Green Valley
Lake
Largemouth
Bass - Fair: Catch largemouth bass up to 18 inches with spinnerbaits or finesse plastics fished along cedar
tree brush piles and stake beds. Black
Crappie - Good: Catch crappies up to 8 inches using small spinners or small jigs fished near cedar tree brush piles or rock piles.
Lake
Icaria
Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish of all sizes have
been caught with cut bait or nightcrawlers fished along the fish mounds or windblown points.
Lake
of Three Fires
Largemouth
Bass - Fair: Largemouth bass of all sizes have been
caught with finesse plastics fished along rocky shoreline areas. Black
Crappie - Fair: Catch crappie up to 10 inches using jigs tipped with a
minnow fished along cedar tree brush piles or fish mounds.
Little
River Watershed Lake
Largemouth
Bass - Fair: Catch largemouth bass up to 18 inches with finesse
plastics fished near cedar tree brush piles. Bluegill - Good: Catch bluegill up to 8 inches with small jigs or nightcrawlers fished along main lake
points and rock fields. Channel
Catfish - Fair: Catch channel catfish up
to 10 pounds with nightcrawlers or cut bait fished along rock fields or fishing
jetties. Black Crappie - Fair: Catch crappie up to 11 inches using
minnows fished near cedar tree brush piles, rock piles, or rock fields. Walleye - Slow: Use
crankbaits fished along main lake points.
Summit
Lake
Black Crappie - Slow: Catch black crappie up to 9 inches with small spinners or jigs fished
along the HWY 25 bridge. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Catch largemouth bass
up to 15 inches using spinnerbaits fished along rocky shoreline areas or cedar
tree brush piles.
Twelve
Mile Creek Lake
Largemouth
Bass - Slow: Catch largemouth bass up to 20 inches with finesse plastics fished along weed lines. Bluegill - Good: Catch bluegill up to 8 inches using small jigs tipped with nightcrawlers or waxworms fished along rock piles. Black Crappie - Good: Catch black crappie up to 10 inches with small jigs tipped with a minnow fished along cedar tree brush piles, rock piles, or the weed line. Yellow Perch - Good: Catch yellow perch up to 8 inches with jigs tipped with a minnow or nightcrawler fished
along shallow flats or main lake points. Walleye
- Fair: Walleyes of all sizes have been caught with jigs tipped with a leech or minnow fished along rock piles or along the dam.
Water temperaturea in most Mount Ayr District lakes
are in the mid-70's. The district includes Page, Taylor, Adams, Union,
Ringgold, Decatur, Clarke and Madison counties. For
more information, contact the Mount Ayr Fisheries office at 641-464-3108.
Missouri River (Sioux City to Little Sioux)
Flathead Catfish - Good: Use rod and reel and trotlines with live bait
off the tips of wing dikes and rock structures. Evening or after dark is best. Blue Catfish - Good: Use fresh cut bait fished just off the bottom in or near the current. Channel Catfish - Good: Use worms, chicken livers, cut bait and dip baits along wing dikes, brush piles and along the rock revetment.
Missouri River (Little Sioux to Council Bluffs)
Flathead Catfish - Good: Use rod and reel and trotlines with live bait off the tips of wing dikes and rock structures. Evening or after dark is best. Blue Catfish - Good: Use fresh cut bait fished just off the bottom in or near the current. Channel Catfish - Good: Use worms, chicken livers, cut bait and dip baits near wing dikes, brush piles and along the rock revetment.
Missouri River (Council Bluffs to Missouri State Line)
Flathead Catfish - Good: Use rod and reel and trotlines with live bait off the tips of wing dikes and rock structures. Evening or after dark is best. Blue Catfish - Good: Use fresh cut bait fished off the bottom in or near the main river channel. Channel Catfish - Good: Use chicken livers, worms, cut bait and dip baits near wing dikes, brush piles and along the rock revetment.
The Missouri River at Decatur, Nebraska is at 21.93
ft. /33,500 cfs./68 degrees Fahrenheit (water temperature dropped 5 degrees
from last week). The Missouri River dropped 0.40 feet from last week. Anglers are mainly catching
catfish species (channels, flatheads and blue cats). Fishing continues to be
fair to good overall for all catfish species. The Decatur Bridge West of Onawa has reopened.
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