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Top Iowa Fishing Spots for the Week of September 28.
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
Black Hawk Lake
Surface water temperature is 68 degrees. Water levels are near the crest of the spillway. Bluegill - Good: 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. Expect walleye fishing to pick up near shore in the
next couple of weeks as water temperatures cool. Channel
Catfish - Fair: Use nightcrawlers and cut bait fished on
the bottom near the floating dock, Ice House Point, and the rock piles near
Cottonwood Point and the east basin. Largemouth
Bass - Good: Use topwater lures, twisters, or live bait
to catch largemouth bass just about anywhere along the shoreline.
Brushy Creek Lake
Bluegill - Fair: Use a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler in 5- to 15-feet of water. Drift near deep 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. Muskellunge – Fair.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Surface water temperatures are around 68 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: Walleye activity will increase as water temperatures
continue to drop. Use a minnow or leach fished below a bobber in shallower
areas near shore. Some action may still be in deeper water - troll shad raps or
drift crawlers on the edges of the dredge cuts around the lake. White Bass - Fair: Use crankbaits or live bait fished from shore and in
the 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 temperatures in area lakes are in the
upper 60's. With cooler temperatures comes increased feeding activity;
panfishing has been fair to good from shore in most lakes. Expect good walleye
action near shore as water temperatures continue to drop. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Clear Lake
The water temperature is 65 degrees. Yellow Bass - Good: Drift a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler or cut bait in 8- to 10-feet of water until you find fish. Try also near the rock reefs. Walleye - Fair: Use a slip bobber and leech or minnow near the rock
reefs. Black Crappie - Fair: Try near the vegetation in 3- to 5-feet of water.
Crystal
Lake
Bluegill
- Fair: Use a small piece of crawler under a slip bobber near the dredge cut.
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
Fork Des Moines (state line to Algona)
Walleye - Fair: Walleye activity has started to pick up with increased water
temperatures.
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 wigglers. Yellow Perch - Good: Jig
with tube jigs and pilkies around docks and weed lines.
Five
Island Lake
Recent surveys show good numbers of angler acceptable channel catfish.
Little
Sioux River (state line to Linn Grove)
Walleye - Fair: Walleye activity is starting to pick up as the water starts to
cool down.
Lost
Island Lake
Yellow Bass - Good: Yellow bass activity is reported to have improved with the cooler
water temperatures.
Mill
Creek (Lake)
Black Crappie - Good: Good numbers of angler acceptable crappie are being caught.
Spirit Lake
Walleye - Good: Walleye are active after dark; fish the north end of
the lake. 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.
For more information throughout the week, contact the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water levels are low. Use caution when backing boats
down boat ramps. Trailers going off the ends of the ramps have been reported. Walleye - Fair: Troll main channel or deeper holes and along current
breaks. Use a jig tipped with a minnow or twister tail. Channel Catfish - Slow: Use a hook with a dead chub or crawler. Try also chicken liver, stink bait and nightcrawlers around brush piles. Black Crappie - Slow: 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: Recent rain turned many streams off color; this
should put the browns in a feeding frenzy. Use a hopper pattern in pastured or open areas. In
wooded areas in the morning, use #22-24 trico patterns. In the evening, use #18-20
blue wing olive patterns. 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. The bite should improve with the return of cooler
weather. Black
Crappie - Slow: Troll over rock mounds with a jig tipped with minnow
or spinnerbait. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Try topwater lures along the edge of a vegetation. Channel Catfish - Slow: Use a hook tipped with a worm or chicken liver. Bluegill - Slow: Use a small hook tipped with small piece of worm in deeper water.
Lake Meyer
Lake Meyer is an electric
motor only lake. Few people have visited the lake this week. Bluegill - Slow: Use a small hook tipped with a piece of worm under a
bobber near jetties in the evening. Black Crappie - Slow: Find crappie suspended near submersed structure. Use
a spinner or jig with bright colored twister tail. Largemouth Bass - Fair: 10- to 12-inch bass are hitting crankbaits.
Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
The Upper Iowa is stable but low. Be prepared to
walk through riffles. Fly fishers, watch for evening hatches of white and grey
mayflies. Flying ants are hatching mid-day. Fall is a good time to use
streamers or minnow patterns for bass, trout, and walleye. Walleye - Slow: Drift a jig tipped with a twister tail or worm through a deeper hole or
along a current break. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Try jigs tipped with worms or crankbaits imitating
crawdads in deeper holes and along rocky shorelines. Rock Bass - Fair: Use jigs tipped with worms along rocky shorelines.
Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
Water temperatures are in the low 70's. This shot of rain should bring on the bite. Northern
Pike - Slow: 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 - Slow: Use jigs tipped with plastic tails in the current breaks or near rock ledges. Walleye - Slow: Drift a jig tipped with a twister tail or worm through a deeper hole or along a current break. Channel Catfish - Slow: Catch a catfish from shore with a hook tipped with a crawler. Evening
is best.
Volga Lake
Warmer water temperatures are sparking green algae
blooms on the lake. Panfishing has been hit or miss for the last week. Black Crappie - Fair: Troll the deeper areas for suspended crappie; use
small jig tipped with a minnow. Largemouth Bass - Slow: 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 along rocky shorelines. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use chicken liver and stink baits. Catfish are more active in the
evening.
Fall-like temperatures will return over the weekend
with temperature highs in the low 70's and 40's for lows in the forecast. Area
streams and rivers are low. For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.
Big Woods Lake
Largemouth Bass – Good: Use imitation shad lures; morning bite
is best.
Brinker
Lake
Largemouth
Bass - Good: Anglers are catching good numbers of
largemouth bass; morning bite is best. Use
imitation shad lures.
Casey
Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)
Bluegill - Fair: Try a piece of worm under a slip bobber at various depths.
Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
Walleye - Good: Use a jig and plastic tail tipped with half a
nightcrawler on the downstream sandbar drop-offs or woody structure as the
river is low Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Cast spinnerbaits, crankbaits and topwater lures along rip-rap
shorelines and woody structure. Channel
Catfish - Fair: Try nightcrawlers or dead chubs on the
bottom above log jams or below riffle areas.
Maquoketa
River (above Monticello)
There have been few reports on the Maquoketa River this past week. Smallmouth
Bass - Fair: Cast spinnerbaits or crankbaits along rip-rap shorelines and
woody structure. Walleye - Fair: Try a jig and plastic tail tipped with
half a nightcrawler on the downstream sandbar drop-offs or woody structure as
the river is low.
Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
There have been few reports on the Shell Rock River
this past week. Walleye - Fair: Use a jig and plastic tail tipped with half a
nightcrawler on the downstream sandbar drop-offs or woody structure as the
river is low. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Cast spinnerbaits or crankbaits along rip-rap shorelines and woody structure.
Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
There have been few reports on the Wapsipinicon
River this past week; anglers have had best success fishing for northern pike. Northern Pike - Good: Cast and retrieve large bucktail spinnerbaits near
structure or float a live chub or shiner under a bobber in the deeper pools. Walleye - Fair: Try a jig and plastic tail tipped with half a
nightcrawler on the downstream sandbar drop-offs or woody structure as the river
is low. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Cast spinnerbaits or crankbaits along rip-rap shorelines and woody structure.
Fishing reports are those of the typical late summer
lulls, but anglers are catching some fish on the interior rivers. There are
reports of anglers catching smallmouth bass, walleye and northern pike. Best reports
have been northern pike on the Wapsipinicon River.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 is 8.3 feet and is predicted to remain stable. Water temperature is near 70 degrees. 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 - Good: The fall perch bite is picking up. Use small jigs
tipped with worm in backwaters with slight flow. Northern
Pike - Good: Try soft plastics in areas with slight current in
shallow backwaters. 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 10
Lynxville water level has risen a foot to 15 feet
and is predicted to rise slightly then remain stable. Water temperature is 71 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 - Good: The fall perch bite is picking up. Use small jigs
tipped with worm in backwaters with slight flow. Northern
Pike - Good: Try soft plastics in areas with slight current in
shallow backwaters. 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 risen nearly a
foot to 6.5 and is predicted to level out around 7 feet 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 - Good: The fall perch bite is picking up. Use small jigs
tipped with worm in backwaters with slight flow. Northern
Pike - Good: Try soft plastics in areas with slight current in
shallow backwaters. 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 have bumped up slightly this week. Boaters
should still use caution to avoid dropping off the ends of ramps during low
water conditions. Water clarity continues to be good with lots of vegetation
present. Many fish are spreading out into backwaters with the cooler
temperatures. Water temperature remains in the upper 60's to 70 degrees this
week.
Mississippi River Pool 12
Use caution when backing up on any ramp; river
levels are low and it is easy to back off the ends of ramps. River
levels will rise slightly in the next few days. Water levels are 5.9 feet at the Dubuque Lock
and Dam and 8.4 feet at the RR bridge. Water clarity is good. Water temperature is near 74 degrees. 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: Fall is the best time of the year to catch crappies
on the Mississippi River. Look for them along log jams in backwater sloughs. Walleye - Fair: The wing dam 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 - Fair: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. Yellow
Perch - Good: Yellow perch are being caught in backwater areas on
minnows by anglers fishing for bluegills or crappies.
Mississippi River Pool 13
Use caution when backing up on any ramp; river
levels are getting low and it is easy to back off the ends of ramps. Water
level is 6 feet at the Bellevue Lock and Dam. Water clarity is good. Water temperature is 75 degrees in the main
channel. Try to remove any vegetation off your trailers. Northern Pike - Good: Use flashy white lures. Channel Catfish - Good: Try 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 and worm rigs. Drum bite in all types of river conditions. Walleye - Good: Mixed reports on walleye the past couple of weeks. Mixed reports on walleye the past couple of weeks,
but the bite has improved. Most angers are fishing on the wing dams. Smallmouth Bass - Excellent: Throw crank baits or spinners near rock piles with
strong current. Bluegill - Fair: 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 - Slow: Fall is a great time to fish for crappies. Use small
minnows in the woody snags in backwater sloughs. The bite slowed down during the warm spell, but
crappies are expected to turn on soon.
Mississippi River Pool 14
Use caution when backing up on any ramp; river
levels are getting low and it is easy to back off the ends of ramps. Water
levels are 5.9 feet at Fulton, 10 feet at Camanche and 4.8 feet at LeClaire.
Water clarity is good. Water temperature is 76 degrees in the main
channel. Largemouth Bass - Good: Bass had moved out of the large shallow areas into
deeper slough habitats. Use spinnerbaits along the channel weed lines. 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: Most anglers are chasing walleyes on the wing dams
this time of year. Flathead
Catfish - Excellent: Some anglers are trot lining flathead catfish using
large bullheads as bait. Flathead are most active during the night and evening hours. Smallmouth
Bass - Good: Try along rock piles with current. Bluegill
- Fair: Use worms and bobbers along vegetation lines.
Mississippi River Pool 15
Use caution when backing up on any ramp; river
levels are getting low and it is easy to back off the ends of ramps. Levels are
around 5.9 feet at Rock Island. It will rise slightly during the week. Water clarity has improved. Water temperature is
near 76 degrees in the main channel. 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. White
Bass - Fair: A few white bass are being caught in the tailwater reaches on white twister
tails.
Use caution when using any ramp, as you can back off
the ends in low water levels. The channel temperature has been in the mid to upper 70's.
Fishing conditions are good throughout the district. Aquatic vegetation is floating
in the River, so 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.
Big
Hollow Lake
Water temperature is still holding on to the low
70's. Not many anglers have been out this week. Black Crappie
- Slow: Anglers are still finding the crappies in deeper water. Bluegill – Slow: Still look in deeper water, but the hungry ones are
harder to find.
Lake Belva Deer
Water temperature dropped a couple of degrees last night, but is still
pretty warm; the water needs to cool off
so the fish will come in shallow. Bluegill - Slow: Warm weather has slowed the bluegill bite again. Anglers
have to work for them. Channel Catfish - Excellent: Use chicken liver and cut bait along the dam and at
the upper end of the lake around the mounds. Black Crappie - Slow: Crappie fishing went from pretty good, to hard to find.
Lake Darling
Water temperature has fallen to 73 degrees. Need
some more cool nights to get it down into the low 60's to bring the fish in
shallow. Largemouth Bass - Fair: A few smaller fish are being caught in shallow. The
bigger bass are out around the deeper habitat. Black Crappie - Slow: Most anglers were still catching them out in deeper
water (10-12 feet). The water needs to cool off before they
come in shallow. Bluegill - Slow: Anglers are picking up some nice eating sized bluegills, but
they have to work the deeper habitat fairly hard to find them. A few bluegills are starting to move in shallow.
Lake
Geode
Contractors are starting work on the drain pipe to
get it ready to drain the lake. It will be a while yet before we start to drain
the lake. Bluegill - Slow: Most have moved back to the deeper side of the
drop-offs. Black
Crappie - Slow.
Lost
Grove Lake
Black Crappie - Slow: Still out around the trees in deeper water. Largemouth Bass
- Fair: Most are caught around the deeper habitat, a few are in shallow later
in the evening.
For more information on the above lakes and rivers, contact the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at 319-694-2430.
Lake Keomah
Bluegill - Slow: Try small jigs tipped with live bait along the shorelines and structure. Largemouth
Bass - Fair: Use rubber worms or spinnerbaits along the shorelines and around the vegetation. Try to find submerged structure in 6- to 8-feet of water.
Lake
Miami
Bluegill - Fair: Try small jigs around brush piles and the standing timber. Largemouth
Bass - Fair: Use rubber worms and crankbaits around the fishing jetties and
brush piles.
Lake Sugema
Black Crappie - Fair: Try jig tipped with live bait in the flooded timber. Sorting is needed for larger fish. Walleye - Slow: Use crankbaits along the dam and other rip-rapped
areas. Try also a minnow and bobber. Bluegill - Fair: Use a small jig tipped with live bait in structure in 4-to 6-feet or areas among the lily pads. 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 brush piles. Use topwater lures or rubber worms among the lily
pads. Black Crappie - Fair: Use jigs tipped with live bait around submerged structure. Sorting may be needed for larger fish.
Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 903.88 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
rock piles. Use small crankbaits that mimic gizzard shad as the
crappies are suspended over these areas. Crappie will start to move shallow as the water
cools. 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 rock piles or vertically jig in these same areas. Walleye - Slow: Troll crankbaits around submerged points; look for areas with a variation in depths. Try also trolling nightcrawler rigs.
Red Haw Lake
Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs tipped with a chunk of nightcrawler and a bobber in areas along the shoreline with structure. Largemouth
Bass - Fair: Try rubber worms and spinnerbaits along the
shorelines in areas with rip rap or other types of structure. 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 or cast or troll shallow
diving crank baits on the upper end of the lake. Black
Crappie - Fair: Use minnows or panfish jigs near riprap on
the jetties for 9-to 10.5-inch crappies.
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. White Bass - Good: Find good white bass in the river with the low water conditions.
Cast spinners or twister tail jigs in current breaks, sandbar drop-offs and
below the dams.
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.
Hickory
Grove Lake
Bluegill - Fair: Bluegill are biting near shoreline vegetation
and sunken brush piles. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass are being caught
off of main lake points.
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.
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.
Green Valley
Lake
Largemouth
Bass - Good: Catch largemouth bass up to 18 inches with finesse plastics fished along cedar tree brush piles
or stake beds Black
Crappie - Good: Catch crappies up to 8 inches using small jigs under a bobber fished along cedar tree brush piles, stake beds, or fishing piers. Bluegill - Good: Catch bluegill up to 7.5 inches with nightcrawlers under a
bobber or small jigs fished in shallow bays, along weed lines or cedar tree brush piles.
Lake
Icaria
Black Crappie - Fair: Catch black crappie up to 10 inches with jigs or minnows fished
near cedar tree brush piles. Walleye - Fair: Walleye of all sizes have
been caught using jigs tipped with a minnow fished along the roadbed or main
lake points.
Little
River Watershed Lake
Largemouth
Bass - Good: Catch largemouth bass up to 18 inches with spinnerbaits 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 fishing jetties. Channel
Catfish - Fair: Catch channel catfish up
to 10 pounds with nightcrawlers or cut bait fished along windblown points or fishing jetties. Black Crappie - Fair: Catch crappie up to 10 inches using jigs or minnows fished near cedar tree brush piles, rock piles, or rock fields. Walleye - Slow: Use
crankbaits fished along main lake points or jigs tipped with a minnow fished along the
roadbed.
Summit
Lake
Black Crappie - Slow: Catch black crappie up to 9 inches with small spinners fished
along the dam or HWY 25 bridge. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Catch largemouth bass
up to 15 inches using spinnerbaits fished along cedar tree brush piles or
rocky shoreline areas.Bluegill - Slow: Catch bluegill up to 7.5 inches with small jigs tipped with a
nightcrawler fished along the dam, HWY 25 bridge or cedar tree brushpiles.
Twelve
Mile Creek Lake
Largemouth
Bass - Good: Catch largemouth bass up to 20 inches with finesse plastics fished along cedar tree brush piles or topwater baits fished along the shoreline early
and late in the day.
Water temperature in Mount Ayr district lakes is in
the low to 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 (bluegills, bullheads, and green sunfish) 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 (bluegill, bullhead, and green sunfish) 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 the 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 (bluegill, bullhead, green sunfish) 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 current. 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 21.92
ft. /33,400 cfs./66 degrees Fahrenheit. 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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