Iowa Fishing Report 05-12-11

Basshawk

Iowa Fishing Report Officer
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Location
North Liberty, Iowa
#1
For immediate release: May 12, 2011

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issues a weekly fishing report on Thursdays in an effort to provide the latest information heading into the weekend. The weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys, and county and state parks staff. For current information, contact the district fisheries office at the phone number listed at the end of each district report.

NORTHWEST
Nelson Park Lake
Anglers are catching 8 to 9-inch bluegills at Nelson Park. Try using a small jig and wax worm or a small piece of night crawler.

Oldham Lake
Anglers are doing well for bluegill in the 6 to 9-inch size range and crappie in the 7 to 9-inch size range.

Badger Lake
Anglers are catching 8 to 10-inch crappie slow trolling small white twisters.

Brushy Creek Lake
Water clarity at Brushy Creek is excellent. The water in the bays is starting to warm up. Anglers are catching some nice bluegill with a few crappie mixed in.

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Anglers are allowed three walleye per day, all fish between 17 and 22 inches must be released; only one of the three fish can be over 22 inches. Boaters should use caution on Storm Lake. The hydraulic dredge is in operation in the east basin of the lake. There is a pipeline running from the dredge to the shoreline and may rise to the surface at times. Crappie - Good: Nice crappie are being caught in the State Marina. Use a small jig and a wax worm or a small minnow under a bobber around the docks and shoreline. Walleye - Fair: The walleye bite on Storm Lake continues to be slow but has improved over this past week. Larger fish including those in the slot are beginning to bite. Success has been slightly better from shore but the high winds have made navigation difficult.

Swan Lake
Large numbers of black crappie are in close to shore all around Swan Lake and fishing should pick up as the week goes on.

Black Hawk Lake
Water clarity at Black Hawk Lake is excellent. Anglers are allowed three walleye per day and all fish must be at least 15 inches. Channel Catfish - Fair: Good numbers of channel catfish can be still caught on real windy days. Target the points on the north shore of the lake where there are strong currents moving around the point. The south shore between Cottonwood Point and the inlet culvert can be good too. Walleye - Fair: The walleye fishing is starting to pick up. Target the rock piles and rocky points. Leeches have been working best. The legal fish that are being caught are very chunky. Yellow Bass - Fair: Anglers can catch quite a few 8 to 9-inch yellow bass fishing the windward shoreline close to the shore. The bite dies off when the wind dies.

Southwood Conservation Area Pond (west)
Anglers are still catching crappie and a few catfish. Bluegills are starting to move into the shallows and anglers are starting to pick up some nice ones.

Surface water temperatures are in the low 70s at many of the lakes. For more information on lakes and rivers in this area contact Ben Wallace or Don Herrig at the Black Hawk District Office in Lake View at 712-657-2638.

Clear Lake
The yellow bass bite is on! With the recent warm weather, anglers have been catching yellow bass using small jigs with live bait or twister tails in 8 feet of water or less. Anglers are also catching some crappie and bluegill in the shallows on jigs. Walleye are still being caught using the same tactics as with yellow bass, just larger jig heads.

Rice Lake
Crappie and a few perch have been caught from shore using tube jigs and jigs with a piece of night crawler. A few bullheads have been caught as well using the same bait.

For more fishing information contact the Clear Lake fish and wildlife station at 641-357-3517.

Lake Pahoja
Bluegill - Good: Anglers are reporting catches of bluegill using a bobber and small piece of worm. Crappie - Good: Anglers are starting to catch crappies in shallow water.

Big Spirit Lake
Bullhead - Good: Many fish are being caught along the north grade. Some fish have been reported up to 14.5 inches, just shy of the Master Angler size of 15 inches. White Bass - Good: White bass fishing is good around Angler's Bay. The new state record white bass was caught on opening weekend on Big Spirit Lake! Bluegill - Good: Try fishing in protected areas on sunny days by docks. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Some fish were reported last week. Try fishing along rocky shorelines and points. Crappie - Good: Crappie fishing has picked up on warmer days in protected shallow areas on the lake. Walleye - Good: Many fish have been caught both on shore and in boats. The best bite has been at sunrise and sunset near inlets of the lake and the old footbridge.

East Okoboji Lake
White Bass - Good: Anglers are catching white bass on the north side of the lake, the Hwy. 9 Bridge, and along the west shoreline near Hwy. 71. Yellow Perch - Fair: Some yellow perch are being caught while fishing for white bass and yellow bass. Walleye - Good: Walleye fishing has been good all week along rocky shorelines and near Parks Marina. Yellow Bass - Excellent: Anglers on the spillway are catching many yellow bass. On sunny calm days the bite can be excellent. Many master angler qualifying 10-inch fish have been caught during the spawn.

Silver Lake (****inson)
Bullhead - Good: Anglers are reporting catches of bullhead at inlet areas on the lake. Yellow Perch - Good: Try fishing along sandy shorelines in the early morning and at sunset. This lake has many yellow perch up to 12 inches. Walleye - Good: Walleye fishing has been good on the windblown shorelines at night. Many large fish have been reported.

West Okoboji Lake
White Bass - Good: Anglers fishing for white bass have had some success in the past week. Bluegill - Good: Try fishing along docks in shallow bays with a small jig and piece of worm or wax worm. Walleye - Good: Dock fisherman and anglers fishing rocky points have had success this past week.

Little Sioux River (state line to Linn Grove)
Walleye - Good: Try using a jig and minnow with slow presentation.

Fishing has picked up with the warmer weather; however windy days are making it difficult to fish many area lakes. Walleye season is officially opened on the Iowa Great Lakes and fishing is good! Remember that there is a protected slot limit from 17 to 22 inches and only one fish is allowed over 22 inches.

NORTHEAST
Volga Lake
Angling activity has picked up this week but action continues to be slow. Bigger fish seem to be caught on a jig tipped with a chunk of night crawler. Bluegill - Slow: A few big bluegills are being caught while fishing for crappies. Crappie - Slow: Small crappies are being caught off the rocks at the dam.

Lake Hendricks
A few anglers have been out but not much action is happening. Bluegill - Slow: Largemouth Bass - Good: Best luck on bass is using artificial lures. Crappie - Slow: Anglers are using wax worms with some luck.

Lake Meyer
Water temperature is still cool and fishing is slow.

Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Water levels were dropping but may level out. Water clarity is poor due to the rain earlier in the week. Fish activity is slow. Sucker - Slow: Anglers should try using a slip bobber and a hook tipped with a worm. Walleye - Slow: Anglers have been catching walleye using a jig tipped with a long piece of night crawler retrieved slowly.

Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
Water levels are up and off-color. Sucker - Slow: Northern Pike - No Report: Smallmouth Bass - No Report: Yellow Perch - No Report: Walleye - Slow: Anglers are catching walleye but it is slow going.

Wapsi River (state line to Tripoli)
We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week.

Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water levels have come up a bit and turned off-color with the rain up north. Northern Pike - Slow: Anglers have been catching pike while fishing for catfish. Channel Catfish - Good: Best success for bait for cats in the Cedar now is using a dead chub or frog fished off the bottom. Walleye - No Report:

Decorah District Streams
Blue wing olive and caddis hatches continue to be excellent on northeast Iowa streams. Watch for light Hendricksons in the coming two to three weeks. Evening blue wing olive spinner falls have been very good. Try a delicate #16 Blue Wing Olive or Griffith's Gnat pattern for the evening spinner fall. For stocking information, please call 563-927-5736 or visit our website.

Area lakes continue to slowly warm and action continues to be slow. River water levels have been steadily dropping and clarity has decreased. Trout streams should be in good condition by the weekend. This could change depending on rainfall amounts to the north. For more information, please contact the Decorah fish hatchery at 563-382-8324.

Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)
Water temperature is nearly for ideal crappie spawning. Concentrate in the shallow bays and off of the jetties. Bluegill - Good: Try fishing with a small hook or small jig with a piece of night crawler fished under a bobber. Crappie - Fair: Try fishing with a crappie minnow under a bobber or casting colored tube jigs.

George Wyth Lake
Fishing has been slow for crappie but with the warming forecast fish should be moving into the shallow water bays. Bluegill - Fair: Try fishing with a small hook or small jig with a piece of night crawler fished under a bobber. Crappie - Slow: Try fishing with a crappie minnow under a bobber or casting colored tube jigs.

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
Current conditions on the Cedar River have water levels dropping and water warming. Anglers have been doing well on northern pike on the Cedar River and Shell Rock River. Fishing should pick up for channel catfish, walleye and smallmouth bass. Channel Catfish - Fair: Dead cut baits or minnows fished on the bottom in slack water areas has been productive on channel catfish. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Jigs tipped with a twister and night crawler slowly retrieved off of the bottom works well. Walleye - Fair: Jig and a twister tail tipped with a minnow or night crawler is productive.

Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
The Shell Rock River continues to drop and there have been good reports of northern pike being caught. Recent warm weather should improve fishing for channel catfish, walleye and smallmouth bass. Northern Pike - Good: Cut baits have been the bait of choice. Walleye - Fair: Jig and a twister tail tipped with a minnow or night crawler is productive.

Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
The Wapsipinicon River is dropping in Buchanan County and the river stage is currently at 5.8 feet. With the recent warm weather fishing should pick up for channel catfish, walleye and smallmouth bass.

Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
There have been reports of walleye being caught. With the recent warm weather fishing should pick up for channel catfish and smallmouth bass also. Walleye - Good: Jig and twister tipped with a minnow or crawler has been productive.

Manchester District Streams
Trout streams are excellent but rain is in the forecast, call ahead for stream conditions. Call the Manchester district office for the most recent conditions at 563-927-3276.

The interior rivers are in good condition once again and have been providing angling opportunities for a variety of different species. Lakes have been slow to come around this spring with all of the cold weather. Trout streams in the Manchester District are excellent condition but rain is in the forecast, please call ahead for stream conditions. For further information contact the Manchester district office at 563-927-3276.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Mississippi River Pool 9
River level at Lansing is 11.6 feet and expected to fall to near 11 feet over the next week. Village Creek ramp is open but Army Road Ramp at New Albin is still closed. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Fish along exposed rock shorelines with current. Largemouth Bass - Good: Bass are hitting well but finding good shoreline to fish may take some work. Freshwater Drum - Good: Drum are really starting to bite on worm on the bottom.

Mississippi River Pool 10
River level at Lynxville is 21.6 feet and expected to fall to near 21 feet over the next week. Boat ramps at Harpers Ferry and Bussey Lake are open but Sny Magill is still closed. Northern Pike - Fair: Some nice northern pike being caught in the Sny Magill area. Channel Catfish - Slow: A few channel cats starting to bite on cut bait or worms. Bluegill - Fair: A few bluegills hitting in Bussey Lake. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Fish along exposed rock shoreline with current. Largemouth Bass - Excellent: Bass are really hitting well in the upper part of the pool below the dam and near Harpers Ferry. Yellow Perch - Fair: Some nice perch have been caught in the Harpers Ferry area.

Mississippi River Pool 11
River level at Guttenberg is 12.8 feet and expected to fall to near 12 feet over the next week. The Guttenberg city ramp is still closed but the DNR ramp is open. Parking is limited so boaters may have to park on nearby side streets. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Fish exposed rock shoreline with current. Largemouth Bass - Good: Bass are hitting pretty well in the upper part of the pool along shorelines. Sauger - Fair: Sauger still biting in the tail waters. Walleye - Slow: A few walleye are still being caught in the tail waters. Freshwater Drum - Good: Drum are starting to bite well on worm fished on the bottom.

River levels on the Upper Mississippi have are just below flood stage in most areas and expected to fall slowly over the next week. Some boat ramps are beginning to open up but many others are still flooded or closed for clean up. Boaters should be cautious of floating debris and be conscious of their boat wake and potential damage to shorelines and private property. Water temperature is 52 degrees.

Mississippi River Pool 16
Current river level in pool 16 is 14.4 feet, flood stage is 15.0 feet. Fishing is starting to pick up. Many of the ramps are still closed so check locally before making a long trip. White Bass - Good: White bass are biting in Sunset Marina. Walleye - Good: Walleyes are being caught in Sylvan Slough and on the tips of wing dams lower in the pool. Try the old standard of a jig and minnow or a crankbait.

Mississippi River Pool 17
Current river level in pool 17 is 14.1 feet; flood stage is 15.0 feet. The ramp in Muscatine is accessible, but most of the rest of the boat ramps in the pool are still closed for cleanup and drying out. There were no fishing reports available

Mississippi River Pool 18
Current river level in pool 18 is 15.4 feet and flood stage is 15.0 feet. Most of the ramps in the pool are closed. A few catfish are being caught on bank poles Channel Catfish - Slow: A few catfish are being caught on bank poles

Mississippi River Pool 19
Pool 19 river level is currently 11.4 feet; flood stage is 10.0 feet. Most of the ramps in the pool are still closed. There were no fishing reports available.

The Mississippi River is continuing to drop along the southern section of Iowa. Pools 16 and 17 are currently just below flood stage. Pools 18 and 19 are still above flood stage. Most of the boat ramps and parking areas are still closed but some at the upper pools are open or should be open by the weekend as crews work hard to clean up after the flood.

SOUTHEAST
Lake Odessa
The ramps at Odessa remain underwater. The flood waters do not seem to have caused any significant damage to the levee; just washed away some of the sand off the levee. The Toolesboro road is remains closed but the water is no longer going over the spillway. As the river level goes down, so will the level in Odessa.

Lake Geode
Largemouth Bass - Good: Anglers have been catching some nice largemouth bass along the weed lines during the warmer afternoons. Work the west side of the lake. Crappie - Good: The crappies are in the shallow water along the dam and along the trees on the west side of the lake.

Lake Belva Deer
Bluegill - Good: The recent spike in water temperature has some of these guys building nest in the shallows. Crappie - Good: The recent hot weather has moved the crappies in shallow around the riprap as well as the flooded trees.

Lake of the Hills
Rainbow Trout - Good: Look for where there is flow from the other lakes into the lake the find the nearest deep water ledge. They are still hitting on a variety of baits. Channel Catfish - Slow: Catfish are starting to bite on chicken liver and anglers are also having limited success using stink baits. Concentrate your efforts on the warmer afternoons. Bluegill - Good: The bluegills are coming in shallow with a few starting to build nests. Crappie - Good: Start by working the tree falls in the upper end of the lake. The crappies are in next to shore as they start to spawn.

Skunk River (Coppock to Mississippi River)
The river is finally starting to go down, but slowly. It is still about three-fourths bank full. Very little fishing going on. Channel Catfish - Slow: The catfishing needs to have some more stable weather patterns. Hard freezes one week and 90+ degrees the next does not do it.

Big Hollow Lake
This new lake in Des Moines County is starting to get some angler attention. Go to the Des Moines County Conservation Board website for details about its location and a contour map of the lake. Water temperature May 11 spiked to 73 degrees at the upper end of the lake and 66 degrees at the dam. Channel Catfish - Fair: Average size is 10 to 14 inches. Using nightcrawlers around the creek channel and gully bottoms are good places to start. Bluegill - Good: The bluegills are being found around the jetties and shallow timber. Worm and bobber seem to be working the best. They are starting to build nests. Largemouth Bass - Excellent: While these fish are running just below the legal length there are lots of them and they are hungry. Fish during sunny afternoons in the shallow bays and terraces around the islands where the water will be a little warmer. Crappie - Good: The crappies were in shallow around just about every tree in the lake. Most are about 8 inches.

For more information on the above rivers and lakes call the Lake Darling fisheries office at 319-694-2430.

Iowa Lake
Bluegill - Fair: Fish around brush with small worms or jigs. Crappie - Fair: Fish around brush or rock with small jigs or minnows.

Kent Park Lake
Some bass and bluegills are being caught in the ponds, but the lake has been pretty slow.

Lake Macbride
Any sized motor may be used at no wake speed at this time. Water temperature has broken 70 degrees. Crappie - Fair: Fish in the 9 to 12-inch range are common. Fish around submerged brush/trees with a slip bobber/minnow or jig. The upper ends of the lake have been the most productive. Walleye - Good: Some fish have been caught jigging over structure, and some fish have been caught trolling crankbaits.

Pleasant Creek Lake
White Bass - Fair: Look for schools moving into the shallows to spawn. Use jigs, spinners or small crankbaits. Crappie - Fair: Fish around brush with tube jigs or minnows. Walleye - Fair: A few fish are coming from jigging or trolling crankbaits.

Diamond Lake
Remember, minnows are not allowed here. Bluegill - Fair: Fish around brush piles. Use a small jig or small worm under a bobber. Crappie - Good: Size has been a bit small (8 inches) but numbers are good. During the warm weather, fish have been caught right along the shoreline on small tube jigs.

Otter Creek Lake
Fishing has been poor here lately. Yellow Bass - Good: The yellow bass are spawning now. Large schools will be roaming the shallows. Use a small jig, spinner, or minnow to catch these scrappy, tasty fish.

Union Grove Lake
Bluegill - Good: Fish around wood and brush with a small worm or jig. Crappie - Good: Fish around shallow brush and rock with a small jig or minnow.

Coralville Reservoir
The current lake level as of May 12 is 685 feet and falling. Current predictions show the lake falling to 683.3 feet on May 17 and holding at this level. Channel Catfish - Fair: Anglers are catching catfish using cut bait and nightcrawlers. Crappie - Fair: Some bigger sized crappies are being caught. Fish shallower brush and along rocky banks in coves.

Iowa River (Coralville Lake to River Junction)
Current flows coming out of Coralville Reservoir are 4300 cubic feet per second and are predicted to stair step down daily. Channel Catfish - Slow: Some catfish are still being caught on crawlers and cut bait. White Bass - Fair: Try jigs or small crankbaits below the dams. Walleye - Fair: Jigs and crankbaits have been producing a few fish.

For more information, contact the Lake Macbride fisheries station at 319-624-3615.

Red Haw Lake
Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs along shoreline structure and around submerged structure in 6 to 10 feet of water. These fish will continue to move shallower as the water temperature rises. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use rubber worms along the shoreline structure. Crappie - Good: Use small jigs in shallow water. Crappies are starting to move shallow to spawn.

Hawthorn Lake (aka Barnes City Lake)
The lake had been drained for a lake renovation but work is now complete. New fish habitat areas have been built along with some new jetties. The gate has been closed and the lake is now starting to fill. As of May 4, the lake is approximately one-third full. Boat ramps are not usable.

Lake Miami
Channel Catfish - Slow: Anglers have been having some success in the evenings using cut bait or dead chubs. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Try using jig ’n’ pig combo or spinner baits in 2 to 8 feet of water around submerged structure. Crappie - Fair: Use small jigs along the shoreline. Some sorting will be necessary for large fish.

Lake Sugema
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Some nice bass are being caught. Use a jig ‘n' pig combo or try slow rolling spinner baits. Fish areas with submerged structure. Crappie - Good: Anglers have been doing well. Use small jigs or minnows along the shorelines.

Ottumwa Lagoon
Trout were stocked on March 19. Try using spinners, worms, or other trout bait. Don't forget your trout stamp.

Rathbun Reservoir
The lake level is at 905.72 feet with 904.0 feet being normal pool. Water temperature has been in the upper 50s. Crappie anglers should try deeper water areas first and then move shallower as the water temperature rises. Anglers are reminded that walleyes have been tagged in Lake Rathbun and if tagged fish are caught please report the tag to the hatchery at 641-647-2406. Crappie - Fair: Use small jigs or minnows. Anglers have been having some success fishing from shore.

For further fishing reports in south central Iowa, call the Rathbun fish hatchery at 641-647-2406

SOUTHWEST
Rock Creek Lake
Crappie - Good: Crappie have started to move shallow, especially into any areas with rock shoreline. Anglers are catching them with small tube jigs and minnows under a bobber.

Roberts Creek Lake
Crappie - Fair: Since the hot weather on Tuesday and Wednesday crappies are being caught. The bite doesn't seem to be consistent day to day, but on the better days good numbers are being caught. The crappie population in Roberts Creek is strong right now and should provide some excellent fishing this spring.

Big Creek Lake
Crappie - Slow: The crappie spawn is just beginning in Big Creek. Small catches are being reported, but most fish have not moved in yet. Concentrate on wood in the bays. The clear water right now may cause crappies to spawn a little deeper. Also try fishing deeper structure in 6 to 8 feet of water. Minnows under a bobber are working best. Walleye - Fair: Walleye are being caught on jigs, soft swim baits, crankbaits, and minnows. The fish are being caught in the east ramp bay, the dam, and any jetties on the south half of the lake. Most fish being caught are sublegal, but fish over 15 inches are coming in.

Hickory Grove Lake
Crappie - Fair: The crappie bite is beginning at Hickory Grove, but the spawn is not going full steam yet. Most crappies are being caught from habitat in 4 to 8 feet of water, but should be moving shallower soon.

Lake Ahquabi
Bluegill - Fair: Anglers fishing the brush piles near the fishing shelter are doing well on bluegills and also picking up a few crappie. Boat anglers targeting the dam area and northwest shore are having similar success.

Petersons Pit, West
Crappie - Good: Crappie from 8 to 11 inches are being caught shallow on minnows. The flooded dead willows and tree falls are holding lots of fish.

Des Moines River (Stratford to Saylorville Lake)
Channel Catfish - Excellent: Anglers fishing for channel catfish in the Boone area have been doing very well. Nightcrawlers and cut bait have been working best on the slower waters on inside bends. White Bass - Good: Anglers continue to catch good numbers of white bass and an occasional wiper below the Saylorville Reservoir. The backwater ponds below Saylorville are producing a variety species including white bass, crappie, and northern pike.

Des Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock)
White Bass - Fair: The white bass bite is fair below the Red Rock spillway casting jigs or drifting minnows under a bobber.

Warmer water has started the crappie spawn on many central Iowa lakes. Crappies are starting to be caught shallow. Water temperatures are in the middle to upper 60s. Farm ponds have been and continue to be very productive for bluegill and crappie. For information on central Iowa lakes and rivers contact Ben Dodd or Andy Otting at 515-432-2823.

Greenfield Lake
Greenfield has one concrete boat ramp and is trolling motor only. Lake is full. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Largemouth bass are being caught using jigs in the cedar tree piles and along the dam. Crappie - Fair: Crappies have picked up along the dam using small jigs. Sorting is necessary for larger fish.

Nodaway Lake
Nodaway has one concrete boat ramp. Crappie bite has improved. Fish the dam and rocky shoreline on south side of lake. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfish are being caught in the upper end of the lake using dead minnows. Crappie - Fair: Crappies are being caught on the dam casting small jigs. Fish average 8 inches with a few 12-inch fish being caught.

Lake Anita
The crappie bite has improved. Fish the north arm around the pontoons and around the jetties. Bluegills are beginning to spawn. Bluegill - Fair: Work the shore line casting small jigs to find spawning bluegill. Fish are all sizes up to 9 inches. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Largemouth bass are being caught along the road beds and in brush piles. Crappie - Good: Crappies up to 10 inches are being caught on jigs under a bobber.

Willow Lake
Willow lake has one concrete boat ramp and excellent water clarity. Bluegill and crappie have been fairly steady around the bridge and jetties. Fish close to structure and as deep as possible using worms or small casting jigs. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are being caught using worms around jetties. Fish are up to 8 inches. Crappie - Fair: Crappies up to 9 inches are being caught along the dam and around jetties.

Viking Lake
Viking Lake fish populations are coming back following the 2006 renovation. The lake has three concrete boat ramps and good water quality. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish are being caught using dead minnows. Fish average 2 to 3 pounds. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Largemouth bass up to 18 inches are being caught around cedar tree piles using plastic baits.

DeSoto Bend
Water levels are very high at Desoto. There is only one boat ramp available in the middle of the lake. Walleye - Good: 15 to 18 inch walleye are being caught in 10 to 12 feet of water using jigs tipped with minnows.

Lake Manawa
Crappie fishing is good on the west side of the lake. The canals have been producing the most fish. Catfish are biting on dead minnows. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish are being caught on the windy shorelines using dead minnows. Crappie - Good: Crappies up to 12 inches are being caught on jigs and minnows in the canals and around docks.

Cold Springs District Farm Ponds
Farm ponds provide good early season fishing. Larger ponds with crappie populations are good now as crappies are close to shore spawning. Remember to always get permission to fish private farm ponds. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegill fishing is picking up as water temperatures warm. Fish small jigs close to shore or a worm under a bobber. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Largemouth are being caught next to shore casting small spinner baits using a slow retrieve. Crappie - Fair: Cast small jigs alone dam for best success.

Fish are close to shore with water temperatures being in the mid 60s. For more information on fishing call the district office in Lewis at 712-769-2587.

Lake Icaria
The lake level is normal, the water temperature is in the upper 50s and the water clarity is good. Angling activity is increasing. Channel Catfish - Good: The catfish bite has picked up a lot with several fish coming from the shallows in the evening or just after sunset. Largemouth Bass - Good: Several largemouth bass are being caught from near shore, spinners or small crankbaits cast into 2 feet of water is very productive. Crappie - Good: Several crappie are coming from the shoreline gravel areas. Walleye - Fair: Anglers are starting to find a few walleye from the steeper shoreline areas. Jigs or jigs tipped with crawlers are working well.

Fogle Lake S.W.A.
Water temperature is near 60 degrees and clarity is good. The bite is picking up fast. Crappie - Fair: Some nice crappie are being caught out from the dam and down about 4 feet during the evenings.

Mt. Ayr Old Reservoir
Water temperature is in the upper 60s and clarity is very good. Crappie - Good: A lot of 8 to 9-inch crappie are coming off the dam and shoreline between the dam and boat ramp. Small white or black jigs are working very well.

East Lake (Lenox)
Water temperature is above 65 degrees and clarity is about 2 feet. Crappie - Good: A lot of crappie are being caught from shore along the east road. Most fish range from 7 to 11 inches and are very near shore.

Lake of Three Fires
Water temperature is in the upper 60s and clarity is 3 feet at the dam, but the upper end is cloudy. Largemouth Bass - Good: Several mid-sized largemouth bass are being caught from near shore along the west bank. Crappie - Fair: A few crappie are being caught from just off the deeper shoreline areas of the jetties or the dam. Some are moving shallower during the evenings.

Wilson Park Lake
Water temperature is in the upper 60s and clarity is about 2 feet. Bluegill - Fair: a few mid-sized bluegills are coming from just off-shore in about 5 feet of water. Crappie - Good: A few nice sized crappie are being caught from the dam.

Windmill Lake
The water temperature is above 65 degrees and the clarity is about 18 inches. Crappie - Good: The dam and jetties are producing a low of nice sized crappie. Small white or black jigs work very well.

Green Valley Lake
The lake level is down 9 feet for a sediment removal project. The main concrete ramp is operational and accessible. The lake has a lot of nice sized fish of all species. The water temperature is in the middle 60s and clarity is fairly good. A big storm went through Wednesday evening. Channel Catfish - Fair: A few channel catfish are biting near shore on crawlers or stink baits. Crappie - Fair: A few real chunky, mid-sized crappie are being caught from the base of the dam in about 5 feet of water.

Three Mile Lake
The water temperature is in the middle 60s and clarity is good at mid-lake and the dam. A big storm went across the watershed Wednesday evening. Largemouth Bass - Good: A lot of largemouth bass are near structure in water less than 3 feet deep. Crappie - Fair: The crappie bite is a little better with a few crappie can being caught from just off shore of the steep shoreline areas in 5 to 7 feet of water. Size ranges from 8 to 11 inches. Walleye - Slow: A few walleye are biting from the old roadway between the middle ramps. The mounds and the base of the dam still hold a few fish.

Twelve Mile Creek Lake
The water temperature is in the middle 60s and clarity is very good. A big storm went across the watershed Wednesday evening. Most fish species are biting a lot better than last week. Bullhead - Fair: The shallows of the upper end are producing a lot of giant bullheads. Crawlers on the bottom during the evenings are the most effective. Bluegill - Fair: The bluegills are starting. Small jigs fished about 5 to 8 feet down are catching a few. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Several mid-sized bass are being caught from near shore. Crappie - Fair: The crappie are still in water about 5 feet deep just off-shore of the steep shoreline areas. Small jigs are working well but minnows work a little better. Walleye - Slow: The walleye have moved out to the mounds and creek channel edges. Jigs tipped with a crawler work well but the big bluegill and channel catfish steel a lot of bait.

West Lake (Lenox)
Water clarity is good and the temperature is above 65 degrees. Bluegill - Fair: A few bluegills are being caught from just off-shore on small jigs. Crappie - Good: Several mid-sized crappie are being caught from near shore of the dam.

Mt. Ayr District Farm Ponds
Several ponds are producing very good fishing for panfish and largemouth bass. A few bluegills are starting to move into the shallows during the evening. Water temperatures can be above 65 degrees. Crappie - Good: Anglers are finding several crappies near shore.

Water temperatures are in the middle to upper 60s. Fishing at the small lakes and farm ponds is very good. Fish are still just off-shore at the big lakes. Water clarity is still good at most lakes.