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Top Iowa Fishing Spots for the Week of October 5.
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 64 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 as water temperatures continue to 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 in the low to mid 60's. 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. Channel
Catfish - Fair: Try cut bait or crawlers on the bottom in 5-
to 10-feet of water.
Surface water temperatures in area lakes are in the
mid 60's. With cooler temperatures comes increased feeding activity; expect
good shore fishing action 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 60 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 jig and minnow near the rock
reefs. Black Crappie - Fair: Try a small jig or minnow near the vegetation in 3- to 5-feet of water. Channel
Catfish - Good: Use cut bait or a live chub
on the windward side of the lake.
Crystal
Lake
Bluegill
- Fair: Use a small piece of crawler under a slip bobber near the dredge cut.
Rice
Lake
Walleye - Good: Walleyes are biting on a variety of baits. With the clear water, the
best bite is during low light periods.
Silver
Lake (Worth)
Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth bass are biting on a variety of baits. Yellow Perch – Fair.
For information in the north central area, contact the Clear Lake Fish
and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
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 - Good: 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, dead chubs and nightcrawlers around brush piles. Black Crappie - Fair: Use a hook tipped with a minnow in eddies
below dams and backwaters around brush piles. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Use crawdad crankbaits or spinnerbaits along rocky shorelines and
substrates.
Decorah District Streams
All stream stockings are unannounced in October. All
streams continue to be stocked. 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: Fall rains will 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. Water will be shut off sometime this week. Black
Crappie - Fair: Troll over rock mounds with a jig tipped with minnow
or spinnerbait. Largemouth Bass - Good: Try topwater lures along the edge of a vegetation. Slowly troll over rock reefs for fish seeking
structure. Channel Catfish - Slow: Use a hook tipped with a worm or chicken liver. Bluegill - Good: Find bluegills in deeper water. Use a small hook tipped with small piece of worm.
Lake Meyer
Lake Meyer is an electric
motor only lake. The bite should pick up with cooler weather. 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: Try a jig tipped with plastic twister or worm or a spinner near structure.
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 - Good: Drift a jig tipped with a twister tail or worm through a deeper hole or
along a current break. Smallmouth Bass - Good: 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)
Another shot of rain should bring on the bite and
bump water levels a little. Northern
Pike - Good: 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 - Good: Use jigs tipped with plastic tails or crawfish imitations in the current breaks or near rock ledges. Walleye - Good: 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
Panfishing has been hit or miss. Black Crappie - Fair: Troll the deeper areas for suspended crappie; use
small jig tipped with a minnow. Largemouth Bass - Good: 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 cheese baits fished on the bottom. Catfish are more active in the
evening.
Chance of rain likely Friday and Saturday. Fall
weather is in the air with temperature highs in the low 70's and 50'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.
Brinker
Lake
Anglers are catching a good number of
largemouth bass and crappie; morning bite is best. Under the Hwy 218 bridge has been most successful for crappie. Largemouth
Bass - Good: Use
imitation shad lures. Black Crappie - Fair: Try a crappie minnow under a bobber at various depths.
Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
Topwater baits have been good for smallmouth during
the early morning and late evening hours. Anglers have been catching some
flathead catfish near the downtown Waterloo area also. 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 - Good: Cast spinnerbaits, crankbaits and topwater lures along rip-rap
shorelines and woody structure. Northern Pike - Fair: Use artificial baits.
Maquoketa
River (above Monticello)
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.
Plainfield
Largemouth Bass - Good: Artificial baits, particularly spinnerbaits, have been the best.
Yellow Bass - Fair: Cast jigs for some good yellow bass action.
Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
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 - Good: Cast spinnerbaits or crankbaits along rip-rap shorelines and woody structure.
Three
Rivers Pond
Largemouth
Bass - Good: Artificial baits, particularly
spinnerbaits, have been the best. Early morning and late evening hours are
best.
Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
Northern Pike - Excellent: Cast and retrieve large bucktail spinner baits near
structure or float a live chub or shiner under a bobber in the deeper pools in
Buchanan County and upstream into Bremer County. 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.
Anglers are catching walleye, smallmouth bass and
northern pike on the interior rivers. There have been good reports on
largemouth bass and some crappies being caught on the area Black Hawk County
Lakes. 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 has risen to 8.9 feet and is predicted to rise about
a foot near 10.2 feet. Water temperature is 66 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 - Fair: Drum are still being caught in the swifter
current areas along main channel borders. 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 another foot to 16.2 feet and is predicted to rise around 2 feet.
Water temperature is 60 degrees at the
lock and dam. Bluegill - Good: 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 - Fair: Drum are still being caught in the swifter current
areas along main channel borders. 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 a
foot to 7.5 feet and is predicted to rise 2 feet by end of next week. Water temperature is 60 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 - Fair: Drum are still being caught in the swifter
current areas along main channel borders. 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: Use 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 are forecast to rise about 2 feet this week.
Boaters should still use caution to avoid dropping off the ends of ramps during
low water conditions. Water clarity will diminish with localized rain this
week. Cooler temperatures will have fish moving toward their winter holes. Water
temperature has fallen into the low to mid 60 degrees this week.
Mississippi River Pool 12
Levels will rise slightly in the next few days. Current
water levels are 6.4 feet at the Dubuque Lock and Dam and 8.9 feet at the RR
bridge. Water clarity is good. Water temperature is near 69 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 - Fair: Fall is the best time to catch crappies
on the Mississippi River. Look for them along log jams in backwater sloughs. Walleye - Good: 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 - Slow: Find bluegills along the channel borders and in tree piles in large
sloughs. 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 - Good: Largemouths have pulled out of the
shallow backwater areas and are on trees and sandy shoals often chasing
minnows. Lots of anglers are slow rolling spinner baits
through the weed pads Yellow
Perch - Fair: Yellow perch are being caught in backwater areas on
minnows by anglers fishing for bluegills or crappies.
Mississippi River Pool 13
Water
level is 6.8 feet at the Bellevue Lock and Dam. Look for levels to rise slightly this week.
Water clarity is good. Water temperature is 70 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: Most anglers are fishing on the wing dams using worm
rigs. Smallmouth Bass - Excellent: Throw crank baits or spinners near rock piles with
strong current. Bluegill - Slow: 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 - Good: 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
Water levels up a bit and presently are 6.2 feet at
Fulton, 10.2 feet at Camanche and 5.2 feet at LeClaire. Water clarity is good. Water temperature is 70 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
Levels are up a bit around 6.4 feet at Rock Island.
Expect water to rise slightly this week. Water clarity is decent. Water temperature is
near 70 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 - Good: 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.
The channel temperature has been near 70 degrees.
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.
Mississippi River Pool 16
Tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad Cities is 6.37 feet. Tailwater stage has risen slightly over the past few
days. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try dip baits, crawlers or shad around the mouth of
Sunset Marina, mouth of the Rock River, and around brush piles along the side
channels and main channel. Bluegill - Good: Use waxworms under a bobber along brush piles in Sunset Marina
and the Andalusia Island complex. Walleye - No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Try fishing with three-way rigs with crawlers or casting crankbaits.
Mississippi River Pool 17
Tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 16 in Muscatine is 5.21 feet and has risen slightly the past few days. Channel Catfish - No Report: Try worms, cut shad, or dip baits in brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels or wing dams. White Crappie - Fair: Try jigs and minnows or minnows under a bobber around brush piles in the backwaters and side channels. Walleye - No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Cast crankbaits or pull three-way rigs with crawlers. Bluegill - No Report: Look for bluegills in the backwaters. Use worms or waxworms under a bobber along brush
piles in Big Timber(The Breaks) or Cleveland Slough.
Mississippi River Pool 18
Tailwater stage is 5.66 feet at Lock and Dam 17 above New Boston and has risen slightly the past few days. Channel Catfish - Use dip baits, shad or nightcrawlers around brush
piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. White Crappie - No Report: Use jigs and 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 wing dams or pull three-way rigs with crawlers. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Cast crankbaits or pitch plastics around riprap
shorelines with some current.
Mississippi River Pool 19
Tailwater stage is 2.78 feet at Lock and Dam 18 above Burlington and has risen slightly over the past few days. 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 or minnows under a bobber in the side channels and backwaters around brush
piles.
River stages have risen slightly the past few days.
Main channel water temperature is 68-70 degrees and water clarity is fair.
River stages are forecasted to rise slightly over the next few days. If you have questions on fishing Pools 16-19, contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.
Lake Belva Deer
Water temperature is still holding at 70 degrees.
Water clarity is at 36 inches. Bluegill - Slow: They are still out deep; waiting for cooler weather. Black Crappie - Slow:Crappies are waiting for cooler water temperatures before moving into
shallow water.
Lake Darling
Water temperature has fallen to 70 degrees. The water clarity is 25 inches. Largemouth Bass - Fair: A few smaller fish are being caught in shallow. The
bigger bass are out around the deeper habitat. Black Crappie - Fair: Last weekend anglers were starting to catch some crappies
in shallow water; need some cooler weather to really bring them in. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are starting to bite a little better now with a few more coming
in shallow.
Lake
Geode
Getting closer to starting to drain the lake; will still be a while yet. Water
temperature is 70 degrees and water clarity is 38 inches. One more planktonic
algae bloom has started before fall weather arrives. Very few anglers were out
this week. Bluegill – Slow. Black Crappie – Slow.
Lost
Grove Lake
Water temperature is at 69 degrees. The water is
fairly clear at 48 inches. Black Crappie - Slow: Crappies are sticking it out in the deeper water; very
few are in shallow. Largemouth Bass
- Fair: Bass have worked their way into shallow water. Work
the edges of the weed beds in 3 to 4 foot of water. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are in and around the edges of the weed beds in 3 to 4
foot of water. Still plenty out in the deeper water, too.
For more information on the above lakes and rivers, contact the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at 319-694-2430.
Central
Park Lake
The lake has been drained for a renovation project.
Coralville Reservoir
As of Oct. 5th, the lake level is 684.8' and is rising
about an inch per day. The water temperature is about 70 degrees. Black Crappie - Fair: Use jigs and minnows along rock bluffs or over brush piles. White
Crappie - Fair: Try jigs and minnows along rock bluffs or
over brush piles. Channel Catfish - Slow: Slow troll or drift cut bait along the channel,
particularly from Macbride and upstream to 965/380. White Bass - Slow: Throw jigs or crankbaits to windblown banks.
Kent
Park Lake
The lake has been drained for a renovation project.
Lake Macbride
All motors may be used at no wake speed (5 mph).
Water temperatures this week were in the upper 60's. Bluegill - Fair: Use small worms around rock or brush. Walleye - Slow. Black Crappie - Fair: Use jigs and minnows over brush piles to catch 10- to 12-inch crappie.
Otter
Creek Lake
Yellow Bass - Fair: Cast spinners or jigs or use small worms or minnows.
Pleasant Creek Lake
The lake is still 10 feet low due to lack of rain following the draw-down project. The main boat ramp is usable, but is still shallow; use caution. Four wheel drive vehicles are strongly recommended.
For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.
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 of water. Sorting is needed for larger fish. Largemouth
Bass - Fair: Try spinnerbaits or crankbaits 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. Black Crappie - Fair: Use jigs tipped with live bait around submerged structure. Sorting may be needed for larger fish. Black Bullhead - Slow: Try nightcrawlers fished on the lake bottom in about 6 feet of
water.
Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 903.73 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 areas where recent rains are flowing into the lake. 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 or crankbaits 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 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 in the Red Rock tailwaters. Channel Catfish - Good: Use stink baits and cut baits. White Bass - Good: Find good white bass fishing 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. Anglers will have to fish through the younger fish
that are around 5 inches to find the older 9 inch fish.
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. Black Crappie - Fair: Anglers fishing near the rocks on the jetties and on the deep
side of the island are picking up some crappies.
Red
Rock Reservoir
Channel
Catfish - Good: Use dead 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.
Fall is a good time to target crappies. 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 has picked up with cooler water
temperatures. 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 - Good: Cast small jigs or crawlers under a bobber to structure
and along the shoreline. Black Crappie - Fair: Cast minnows under a slip bobber. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use cut bait around structure.
Greenfield Lake
Greenfield Lake has a good fish population. The lake is 3 feet low. Black Crappie - Fair: Fish any tree pile and along the creek channel to
find fish up to 12 inches. Bluegill - Fair: Drift crawlers to catch bluegills up to 8.5 inches. Largemouth
Bass - Good: Cast the shoreline and around jetties to
find largemouth bass. Greenfield has a good number of 12- to 16- inch bass.
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 - Good: Slowly troll or drift small jigs tipped with power bait.
Fish are 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 piles. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Find bass around underwater reefs and vegetation edges. Fish are all sizes.
Meadow
Lake
Meadow lake bluegills have gained size and body condition after the
mid-summer drawdown in 2016. Black Crappie - Fair: Find deeper tree piles and
vertical jig to catch crappies up to 12 inches. Bluegill - Fair: Drift
the open part of the lake for bluegills up to 9 inches.
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: Slow drift crawlers to find bluegills up to 9
inches. ,Largemouth Bass - Good: There are many 12 inch bass in the lake that will provide fun catch and release fishing. Black Crappie - Fair: A few 8 inch black crappie are being picked
up drifting or trolling along the dam.
Viking Lake
Largemouth Bass - Good: Cast the shoreline and brush piles to catch
largemouth of all sizes. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use liver in the campground arm of the lake. Anglers
have an opportunity to catch large channel catfish. Black Crappie - Fair: Vertical jig deeper brush piles for black crappie up
to 10 inches. Bluegill - Good: Drifting has been good for 7 inch bluegill.
Water temperatures are in the mid 60's around the
S.W. district. Fish are more active now with cooler water temperatures, so get
out to your favorite lake for good fall fishing. 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
or stake beds Black
Crappie - Good: Catch crappies up to 8 inches using small jigs along the dam, fishing jetties, or fishing piers. Bluegill - Fair: Catch bluegill up to 7.5 inches with nightcrawlers under a
bobber or small jigs fished along weed lines in bays or shallow cedar tree
brush piles. Channel
Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish of all sizes have been
caught with cut bait fished along windblown points.
Little
River Watershed Lake
Largemouth
Bass - Good: Catch largemouth bass up to 18 inches with spinnerbaits or 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 fishing jetties. Walleye - Fair: Catch walleyes up to 22 inches using jigs tipped with a minnow fished
along main lake points.
Summit
Lake
Black Crappie - Slow: Catch black crappie up to 9 inches with small jigs 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 or weed lines.
Twelve
Mile Creek Lake
Largemouth
Bass - Good: Catch largemouth bass up to 20 inches with spinnerbaits fished near rock piles or cedar tree brush piles. Black Crappie - Good: Catch crappies up to 9 inches using jigs tipped with a minnow
fished along the dam, fishing jetties and rock piles. Bluegill - Good: Catch
bluegill up to 8 inches with jigs tipped with a nightcrawler fished near rock
piles. Yellow Perch - Good: Catch yellow perch up to 9 inches using jigs
tipped with a minnow or nightcrawler fished along weed lines or shallow bays. Walleye
- Fair: Walleye of all sizes have been caught with crankbaits or jigs tipped
with a minnow fished near rock piles or along the dam.
Water temperature in Mount Ayr district lakes is in
the mid to upper 60'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 - Fair: 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 the rock revetment.
Missouri River (Little Sioux to Council Bluffs)
Flathead Catfish - Fair: 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 along the wing dikes, brush piles and the rock revetment.
Missouri River (Council Bluffs to Missouri State Line)
Flathead Catfish - Fair: 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 along the wing dikes, brush piles and the rock revetment.
The Missouri River at Decatur, Nebraska is at 22.53
ft. /36,200 cfs./65 degrees Fahrenheit (water temperature dropped 1 degree from
last week). The Missouri River is up 0.61 ft 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.
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