- Joined
- Jun 16, 2010
- Location
- North Liberty, Iowa
For immediate release: July 21, 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
Nelson Park has the invasive plant brittle naiad. Be sure to clean boat and trailer before you leave lake to avoid spreading this species to other water bodies. Fishing has been slow for all species.
Yellow Smoke Park Lake
Yellow Smoke has the invasive plant brittle naiad. Be sure to clean boat and trailer before you leave lake to avoid spreading this species to other water bodies. Water clarity is excellent. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish are being caught around the lake on night crawlers. Bluegill - Fair: Anglers have been picking up bluegill around the submerged trees in 8 to 10 feet of water. Use a small piece of night crawler for bait.
Crawford Creek Impoundment
Crawford Creek has the invasive plant brittle naiad. Be sure to clean boat and trailer before you leave lake to avoid spreading this species to other water bodies.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Boaters use caution. The hydraulic dredge is in operation at Storm Lake. Stay clear of dredge barge, booster pump barge, and pipeline. 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. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use the usual baits like stink bait, shrimp, cut bait, and minnows. White Bass - Fair: Cast white twisters or shad colored crankbaits. Look for white bass breaking the surface pursuing baitfish and cast into the school. Walleye - Slow: Boat anglers have been doing the best for walleye. Most anglers are drifting or trolling bottom bouncers with a crawler harness or a leech around the dredge cuts. The Mustad Slow Death hooks have been very popular with anglers. Trolling small shad colored crankbaits has been working well.
North Twin Lake
Water temperature is in the 80s. Channel catfish and yellow bass fishing remains fair around the lake.
Black Hawk Lake
Anglers are allowed three walleye per day and all fish must be at least 15 inches. Channel Catfish - Excellent: Fish for channel catfish within 20 feet of shore. The catfish are in tight to shore attempting to spawn in Black Hawk.
Browns Lake
The boat ramp is closed, but boaters may utilize the lake with electric trolling motors (no outboards) for power. Also, those wishing to kayak or canoe would be able to use Brown's Lake. Any boaters choosing to go onto Brown's Lake will need to load their boat without the use of the ramp. Campground is still open and fishing from shore is allowed.
Snyder Bend Lake
Snyder Bend is closed to boat traffic.
Great Western Park Lake
Great Western Park has the invasive plant brittle naiad. Be sure to clean boat and trailer before you leave lake to avoid spreading this species to other water bodies.
Little Sioux River (Linn Grove to Correctionville)
River conditions are starting to improve. Some anglers are catching catfish.
Aquatic vegetation has come in at many of the lakes in the area. Boaters and anglers should inspect their boats, trailers, and live wells to avoid spreading nuisance species to other water bodies. 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.
Eldred Sherwood Lake
Try for panfish with crawlers fished under a bobber or small plastic baits on a jig. Be aware that this lake contains brittle naiad. Please clean, drain, and dry your boat and equipment before going to another water body.
Upper Pine Lake
Largemouth bass can be caught using bass baits fishing around the fallen trees. Channel catfish can be caught from shore using cut bait or crawlers fished off the bottom.
Lake Smith
Try fishing for channel catfish using crawlers, chicken liver, or stink bait fished off the bottom. Panfish can still be caught using a piece of crawler on a small jig or hook fished under a bobber.
Clear Lake
Fishing has slowed this past week due to the high temperatures. Channel catfish are still being caught using crawlers and stink bait while fishing from shore or on the rock piles from a boat. A few walleyes were caught trolling the reefs with crankbaits or jig fishing with crawlers or minnows on top of the reefs and rock piles. Remember that Clear Lake contains zebra mussels. Please clean, drain, and dry your boat and equipment before going to another water body.
Lake Cornelia
Anglers have been catching bullheads and channel catfish from shore using crawlers fished off the bottom.
Crystal Lake
Try fishing for largemouth bass using plastic tube baits, spinners, or just a jig and crawler. Bluegill of a variety of sizes can be caught on crawlers and minnows fishing from the jetties.
Due to the higher temperatures this past week fewer anglers have been fishing. For more fishing information in north central Iowa contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife station at 641-357-3517.
Lake Pahoja
Bluegill - Good: Anglers are catching bluegill on spawning beds in shallow water with small jigs tipped with a wax worm or plastic tail. Crappie - Good: Crappies can be caught drifting a small jig or jig and minnow across structure in deeper water
Big Spirit Lake
Walleye fishing has continued to slow down; however, anglers are still reporting limits. Yellow perch are continuing to pick up in the past week. Northern Pike - Good: Anglers casting into the bulrushes in Angler's Bay are catching good numbers of northern pike. Bluegill - Good: Try fishing along Jackson Point and Trickles Slough as fish are on their spawning beds. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Try casting live bait on Big Stoney and Cottonwood points. Some fish are being caught in the bulrushes also. Anglers are also catching a lot of smallmouth fishing with slip bobbers and a leech. Largemouth Bass - Good: Many largemouth bass have been reported while fishing for smallmouth. Yellow Perch - Fair: Yellow perch fishing is just starting to pick up. Anglers have been catching perch in vegetation in 8-12 feet of water on leeches and slip bobbers. Walleye - Good: Walleye fishing has been good to excellent in the past week. Try fishing early morning and late afternoon along rock points and in vegetation. During the day fish are being caught in 18-20 feet of water along the lake. Muskellunge - Fair: Anglers are reporting a few muskies being caught and many followers. A few northern pike have been caught while fishing for muskies.
East Okoboji Lake
Channel Catfish - Good: Now is the time of year to be fishing along the shoreline for channel catfish as they are protecting their nests. Try fishing with cut bait or night crawlers along the shoreline. White Bass - Good: Anglers fishing near the Spirit Lake spillway are catching a few white bass. Fish are starting to feed in schools so watch for them breaking the water and use a minnow or imitation minnow to get them to bite. Walleye - Good: Anglers are catching walleye along the west shoreline by Parks Marina in the late afternoon.
Little Spirit Lake
Bullhead - Good: Anglers are reporting catches of large bullhead near the outlet of Little Spirit Lake. Freshwater Drum - Good: Drum have been caught while fishing for bullhead.
West Okoboji Lake
Northern Pike - Good: Try fishing weed lines in the bays with a spinner bait. 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 Muskellunge - Fair: Anglers seeking muskies are reporting some luck in the past week
Five Island Lake
Channel Catfish - Good: Recent hoop net surveys on Five Island Lake have shown excellent numbers of channel catfish. Try fishing on the bottom in the north basin from the rock point to the dredge for the best luck. Bluegill - Good: Bluegill are being caught in the same areas as crappies. Largemouth Bass - Good: Try fishing along rock piles and tree falls along the shorelines.
Lost Island Lake
Walleye - Fair: Anglers are still reporting fish near the rock point and on the rock pile.
Little Sioux River (state line to Linn Grove)
With last week's rainfalls, the river has gone up dramatically and is not ideal for fishing.
Fishing has slowed slightly over the past week due to high water and hot weather. There is a 600 foot no wake zone extending from shore where boats are restricted to operating at no more than 5 mph. For more information, contact the Spirit Lake Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
NORTHEAST
Volga Lake
Construction began on July 11 on the road to the lake and new campground. The lake and campground will be inaccessible during construction.
Lake Hendricks
Water temperature was around 88 degrees. A new fishing jetty is being constructed on the southeast side of the lake. Channel Catfish - Slow: Try angling during the early morning and late evening. Bluegill - Slow: Try using a worm fished under a bobber.
Lake Meyer
Bluegill - Fair: Nice sized bluegills are being caught off the weed line in about 7 to 9 feet of water. Try using a small piece of worm fished under a bobber or a small jig.
Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Water is clearing up and is very fishable. Smallmouth Bass - Slow: Try using a crawfish plastic jig. Walleye - Slow: A jig tipped with a worm is still the best bet floated through deeper holes.
Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
Water has cleared some since last week and is very fishable. Channel Catfish - Good: The best time to catch catfish is early am or late pm. Anglers are having the best luck using night crawlers. Walleye - Slow: A few small walleye were being caught last week.
Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water levels are coming back down and clarity is getting better. Angling activity has been slow but is expected to pick up this week. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try chicken liver or dead chubs, or, with this hot weather, a good stink bait. Smallmouth Bass - Slow: With water levels dropping, smallies will start biting again. Try a crawdad imitation lure. Crappie - Slow: With more stable water levels, the crappies will be more aggressive. Try live minnows or similar imitation lure.
Decorah District Streams
July is a great month for fishing dry terrestrial patterns. Trout have recently been taken on #12 Hoppers. A Hopper pattern fished in slow water or the tails of pools has been very effective whether trout are rising or not, especially near weedy banks or in the open slots between watercress beds. Cricket, beetle, ant and bee patterns can be fished effectively in the same fashion. For spin fishing, using jigs or plastics that imitate crawfish. For stocking information, call 563-927-5736.
Area rivers and streams are looking great this week. Lakes are in good condition and weeds are starting to die back. Trout streams are in excellent condition. For more information, call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.
Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)
Largemouth bass are biting aggressively on Casey Lake. There is an 18-inch minimum size limit on largemouth bass on this lake. Please check boat trailers for any presence of Brittle naiad when leaving the boat ramp. Bluegill - Fair: Try fishing small jigs under a bobber or small worm on a hook fished near weed edges or sunken habitat. Largemouth Bass - Excellent: Crankbaits and rubber worms have been working excellent for largemouth bass.
Big Woods Lake
Largemouth bass are biting well around woody structures or sunken habitat mostly along the north shoreline. Largemouth Bass - Good: Crankbaits and rubber worms have been working excellent for largemouth bass.
Brinker Lake
There have been reports of crappie being taken on Brinker Lake. Crappie - Fair: Try a crappie minnow under a slip bobber fished around sunken trees in 10 to 12 feet of water.
George Wyth Lake
Anglers have been catching crappie fishing off of the floating dock during the early to late morning hours. Crappie - Fair: Try floating a crappie minnow under a bobber or casting colored tube jigs.
Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
River levels are currently falling. In Black Hawk and Bremer counties channel catfish angling remains good. Fishing should improve towards the weekend without additional rainfall. Channel Catfish - Good: Most anything – cut baits, nightcrawlers, chicken livers – fished on the bottom in most areas of the river has been productive.
Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
Walleye and smallmouth bass are being caught. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Jigs tipped with a twister and nightcrawler slowly retrieved off of the bottom or casting crankbaits can be productive. Walleye - Fair: Jig and twister tipped with a crawler or casting crankbaits work very well.
Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
The river is in good condition in Buchanan County. Walleye and smallmouth bass fishing has been fair. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Jig tipped with a nightcrawler or crankbaits are working well for smallmouth bass. Walleye - Fair: Try a jig tipped with half a nightcrawler or casting crankbaits.
Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
The Maquoketa River is looking excellent. Smallmouth bass and walleye fishing should be good. Channel catfish are also being caught. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try nightcrawlers, dead cut baits or stink baits fished on the bottom of the river. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Crankbaits or live baits are working well on smallmouth bass. Walleye - Fair: Crankbaits or jig and crawler fished off of current breaks can be productive.
Manchester District Streams
Trout streams remain in excellent condition. Call the Manchester District Office for any additional information at 563-927-3276.
Interior rivers are in fair to good condition with slight chances of rain over the weekend. Channel catfish have been biting well on most of the interior rivers with occasional walleye and smallmouth bass being caught. Anglers are still catching some crappie and bluegill on area Black Hawk and Bremer County lakes. Trout streams in the Manchester District are in good condition. For any additional information contact the Manchester District Office at 563-927-3276.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Mississippi River Pool 9
River level at Lansing is 10.2 feet and expected to rise slowly to 10.7 feet over next week. Army road ramp at New Albin is now open. Village Creek and Heytman's ramps remain open as well. Northern Pike - Fair: Nice pike reported recently. As water temperature warms, look for pike near the mouths of cold water springs or creeks. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel cat spawning is ending and hungry fish should begin to bite on stink bait soon. Bluegill - Good: Bluegills still biting well in backwaters. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Fish along exposed rock shorelines with current. Small spinners and jigs are working well for concentrated fish. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth fishing remains good along vegetation as water clarity begins to improve. Yellow Perch - Fair: Really good numbers of yellow perch are in the river this year and usually being caught by those fishing for drum and bluegills. Walleye - Good: Walleye wing dam fishing picking up as river level stabilizes. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Drum are biting well using an egg sinker and worms near shoreline areas.
Mississippi River Pool 10
River level at Lynxville is 19 feet and expected rise slowly to 19.7 feet over the next week. All boat ramps on Pool 10 are now open. Northern Pike - Fair: Some really nice pike reported lately. As water temperature warms, look for pike near the mouths of cold water springs or creeks. Channel Catfish - Good: A lot of catfish being caught fishing crawlers in the Harpers Ferry area above and below the dam. This is the time of year when stink bait becomes very effective. Bluegill - Good: Good catches of bluegill reported near Harpers Ferry, Bussey Lake bite has dropped off a bit but good fish still being caught. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Fish along exposed rock shoreline with current. Work the whole shoreline to look for pockets of active fish. Largemouth Bass - Good: Some decent catches of largemouth reported in backwaters of Pool 10 but many are smaller. Remember largemouth must be 14 inches to keep. Yellow Perch - Good: Some nice perch have been caught in the Harpers Ferry area. They are a pleasant surprise as they often are caught by bluegill or drum anglers. Walleye - Fair: A few walleyes being caught near wing dams and bottoms of running sloughs. Some eyes are also coming out of Harpers Slough by folks using worm rigs. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Drum are being taken all over the river, with most anglers using an egg sinker and nightcrawlers for bait.
Mississippi River Pool 11
River level at Guttenberg is 9.8 feet and is expected to rise slowly to 10.3 feet over the week. All ramps are now open for launching. Northern Pike - Fair: Good catches of pike reported in the ponds above dead slough. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel cat spawning is ending and hungry fish should be hitting on stink bait soon. Bluegill - Good: Bluegill fishing really starting to pick up in backwaters. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Fish exposed rock shoreline with current. As the river level falls, more rock is being exposed and fishing for smallies is expected to improve. Largemouth Bass - Good: Bass are hitting pretty well in the upper part of the pool along shorelines. They tend to be on the small side and remember they need to be 14 inches to keep. Walleye - Fair: Walleyes are being caught near wing dams and the bottoms of running sloughs. They tend to be just under the legal size of 15 inches. Wing dams are just starting to become fishable as water recedes. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Drum are biting well on worm fished on the bottom. Drum are one of the fish that continue to bite well in rising and muddy waters.
River levels on the Upper Mississippi have stabilized and should begin to rise slowly over the next week. Water temperature is 86 degrees. Fishing reports have been slow as the hot weather has kept many anglers away. With river levels stabilizing and the water warming up fish should be feeding consistently. A slight rise in water level often brings more active fish towards shorelines.
Mississippi River Pool 12
River stage at Dubuque is 10.84 feet and stable. Water clarity is fair and temperature is in the mid 80s. Be aware that the Mississippi River is infested with zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil, curly-leaf pondweed, and brittle naiad. Please clean, drain, and dry your boat and equipment before transporting to another water body. Channel Catfish - Fair: Cats are biting on cut bait around snags in the side channels. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegill are biting on small jigs and crawlers in the backwaters in shallow water and along rip rap in the side channels. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass are being caught in the backwaters and marinas around structure on soft plastics and crankbaits. Crappie - Fair: Anglers are catching a few crappie on minnows or jigs in the backwaters and side channels around wood. Walleye - Fair: Walleye are being caught on wing dams, closing dams, and at Steamboat on three-way rigs and crankbaits. Fishing should continue to improve as water levels continue to drop. Freshwater Drum - Fair: Drum are biting on crawlers fished on the bottom around wing dams and in side channels in areas of moderate current.
Mississippi River Pool 13
River stage at Bellevue is 9.64 feet and stable. Water clarity is fair and temperature is in the mid 80s. With high temperatures, dissolved oxygen levels in many of the backwaters has dropped significantly; look for bass and panfish to be in side channels near the entrance to backwaters or areas of backwaters with flowing water. Be aware that the Mississippi River is infested with zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil, curly-leaf pondweed, and brittle naiad. Please clean, drain, and dry your boat and equipment before transporting to another water body. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfish biting on cut baits, crawlers, and stink bait in the side channels around structure. Bluegill - Fair: Anglers are catching bluegill in the backwaters and side channels around snags on crawlers or small jigs. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass are being caught in side channels around structure. Crappie - Fair: Anglers are catching a few crappie in side channels around snags on minnows and small jigs. Walleye - Fair: Walleye are being caught on wing dams with slower current on three-way rigs, crankbaits, and jigs. Freshwater Drum - Fair: Drum are biting good on crawlers fished on the bottom.
Mississippi River Pool 14
River stage at Camanche is 11.93 feet and stable. Water clarity is fair. Water temperature is in the mid to high 80s. Be aware that the Mississippi River is infested with zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil, curly-leaf pondweed, and brittle naiad. Please clean, drain, and dry your boat and equipment before transporting to another water body. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel cats are biting on stink bait in the side channels wing dams around structure. Bluegill - Fair: The bluegill bite has picked up as the water levels have dropped. Crappie - Fair: The crappie bite has picked up as water levels have dropped. Walleye - Fair: Walleye are being caught on wing dams and flats on jigs and leeches or crankbaits. Freshwater Drum - Fair: Drum are biting on crawlers fished on the bottom in areas with moderate current.
For fishing information in Pool 12-15 of the Mississippi River contact the Bellevue Fish Management and Research Station at 563-872-4976
Mississippi River Pool 16
Tail water stage at Lock and Dam 15 is 8.87 feet. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel catfish are being caught on nightcrawlers and stink bait. Try fishing above snag piles along the main channel or side sloughs. White Bass - No Report: Bluegill - No Report: Crappie - No Report: Walleye - No Report:
Mississippi River Pool 17
Tail water stage at Lock and Dam 16 is 7.28 feet. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel catfish are being caught on nightcrawlers and stink bait. Trying fishing above snags along the main channel or in side sloughs. Some fish are being caught along GPC. White Bass - No Report: Bluegill - Slow: Some bluegills are being caught in the backwaters fishing worms under a bobber. Crappie - Fair: Some crappies are being caught in the backwaters fishing small minnows under a bobber or on tube jigs. Look for crappies in the backwaters and sloughs around brush piles. The bite has been best early in the morning or right before dark due to the hot weather. Walleye - No Report:
Mississippi River Pool 18
Tail water stage at Lock and Dam 17 is 8.97 feet. The Toolesboro ramp is now open. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel catfish are being caught on stink baits and chicken livers. Try fishing above snag piles along the main channel or in the side sloughs. Bluegill - No Report: Crappie - No Report: Walleye - No Report:
Mississippi River Pool 19
Tail water stage at Lock and Dam 18 is 5.56 feet. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel catfish are being caught on nightcrawlers, stink baits, and chicken livers. Try fishing above snag piles along the main channel or in the sloughs. Bluegill - No Report: Largemouth Bass - Fair: Some largemouth bass are being caught on crankbaits fished around snags and brush piles. Crappie - Fair: Some crappies are being caught in the backwaters on jigs and minnows. Walleye - No Report:
Pools 16-19: River level has been falling slightly the last few days. Main channel water temperature is around 86 degrees. Fishing has been slow due to the hot weather. Remember to clean, drain, and dry your boat before going to another water body. For more fishing information on Pools 16-19 contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.
SOUTHEAST
Lake Odessa
The Toolesboro road opened last Saturday. All the ramps are now open and cleared off. The water level will continue to fall as there is still some water up in the trees. Northern Pike - Fair: Anglers are picking up a few northerns. I normally see them along the trees in the upper end of sand run and along the lower end of the main lake. Bluegill - Fair: With a little work and knowledge of the lake anglers are catching some big bluegills. Work the deeper water of the sand run and Yankee chute areas. Crappie - Fair: There are some slab crappies being caught along the trees dropped into deeper water.
Lake Belva Deer
The water temperature is up to 81 degrees. The thermocline is at 6 to 8 feet deep. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfishing has been good during the evening hours. Bluegill - Fair: The bluegills have for the most part moved out to deeper water. Look for them to be around the trees in the old creek channel.
Pollmiller Park Lake
Channel Catfish - Good: 1 to 3 pound fish are common. Fish during the cooler parts of the day along the face of the dam. Bluegill - Fair: Light tackle and small baits, such as wax worms, are a must. Still, good numbers of fish up to 9 inches are being caught. Largemouth Bass - Fair: The evenings are producing the best fishing. During the heat of the day look for the fish to be around the deep structure.
Skunk River (Coppock to Mississippi River)
The river continues to drop. Water temperature during the day is around 86 degrees. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfishing has been good as the river level has stabilized. Try a few freshly caught grass frogs as bait. Flathead Catfish - Good: Anglers had a lot of bank poles out over the Fourth of July weekend and caught some nice fish.
Big Hollow Lake
Channel Catfish - Slow: Anglers are picking up a few catfish while fishing for bluegills around the jetties. Bluegill - Slow: The rock along the jetties are still producing bluegills.
For more information on the above lakes call the Lake Darling fisheries office at 319-694-2430
Lake Macbride
The 10 hp maximum motor restriction is in effect. The invasive plant brittle naiad is found here, so make sure to inspect and clean your boat/trailer when leaving the lake. Channel Catfish - Fair: Some fish are still around shallow rock, while others have moved offshore. Try sunfish or crawlers for best results. Largemouth Bass - Good: Try a variety of lures around shallow rock or wood. Some fish have been caught on deeper rock/points using crankbaits. Early and late in the day are best.
Pleasant Creek Lake
Remember, there is an 18-inch minimum on largemouth bass here. The invasive plant brittle naiad is here, so make sure to inspect and clean your boat/trailer when leaving the lake. Channel Catfish - Slow: Try fishing along the dam or other rocky areas with stink bait, liver, or crawlers. White Bass - Slow: Try jigs, spinners, small spoons, or small crankbaits. Many fish have been small, but nice sized fish are available. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Try crankbaits, soft plastics, or crawlers. Walleye - Slow: Most fish have been small but they are being caught on live bait rigs and crankbaits. Target depths around 15 feet.
Diamond Lake
Remember, no minnows are allowed here. Channel Catfish - Fair: Anglers using stink bait have been catching catfish, especially early and late in the day.
Otter Creek Lake
Otter Creek Park and Lake are closed due to storm damage at this time.
Coralville Reservoir
The current lake elevation on July 21 is at normal summer pool of 683.3 feet. Channel Catfish - Fair: A few fish are still being caught along the rocks on live bait. Some fish are also being caught a bit deeper on cut bait. White Bass - Slow: A few white bass are being caught on jigs and small crankbaits.
Maquoketa (Hopkinton to Canton)
Channel Catfish - Good: Use chicken liver or stink bait for best results. Night fishing has been the most productive.
For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.
Red Haw Lake
Channel Catfish - Fair: Use dead chubs fished around the rock jetties. Bluegill - Good: Use small jigs fished along shoreline structure. Try adding a chunk of nightcrawler. Largemouth Bass - Good: Rubber worms and spinner baits are usually good this time of year. Try areas around the jetties and along the shoreline.
Hawthorn Lake (aka Barnes City Lake)
The lake was drained for a lake renovation last year 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 full.
Albia (lower)
Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs tipped with a chunk of nightcrawler. Largemouth Bass - Good: Try plastic worms fished along the shoreline.
Lake Miami
Channel Catfish - Fair: Anglers have been having some success in the evenings using cut bait or dead chubs. Try areas along the east shoreline.
Lake Sugema
Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs around shoreline structure. Some sorting will be necessary for larger fish. Add a chunk of nightcrawler to your jig. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use a jig n' pig combo or try spinner baits. Fish areas with submerged structure and along the shoreline. Try top water baits fished in the early morning hours.
Rathbun Reservoir
The lake level is at 912.35 feet with 904.0 feet normal pool. Water temperature has been in the upper 70s. Don't forget Lake Rathbun contains zebra mussels so make sure to clean, drain, and dry boats before transporting to another water body. Spray boats and trailers with high pressure water above 104 degrees or let them dry for at least 10 days, with 5 days in sun. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use dead chubs or chicken liver around areas with the wind blowing into them. Crappie - Fair: Use small jigs or minnows. Areas along the shore with overhanging trees or vegetation are good places to start. Small chrome colored crankbaits can also work this time of year. Walleye - Fair: Try using nightcrawler rigs and bottom bouncers. With the higher lake levels the walleye are spread out so try new areas. Try fishing baits that mimic small shad like chrome colored crankbaits or blade baits. Tagged walleyes should be reported at 641-647-2406.
For further fishing reports in south central Iowa call the Rathbun fish hatchery at 641-647-2406
SOUTHWEST
Beaver Lake
Bluegill - Good: Large bluegill are being caught fishing crawlers near any of the flooded trees.
Big Creek Lake
White Bass - Good: White bass are providing some action, especially late in the afternoon and evenings. Mid lake has been best, look for them on the windblown side. They can often be seen breaking the surface. Cast jigs or shallow running crankbaits. Bluegill - Good: Bluegill are being caught drifting pieces of nightcrawler over the roadbeds and brush piles that are in 15 feet of water or less. Crappie - Fair: Anglers drifting small jigs mid lake out from the beach and marina area are picking up a few crappie. Walleye - Fair: Walleyes are being caught on the upper third of the lake by drifting or jigging nightcrawlers, or casting and trolling crankbaits. Many fish being caught are sublegal, but fish over 15 inches are coming in. Check legal size fish for yellow tags near the tail. If one is caught follow the instructions on the signs at the boat ramps.
Hickory Grove Lake
Bluegill - Excellent: Bluegill fishing has been excellent. They are being caught drifting small pieces of crawler or still fishing over the pallet piles near the island and off the south shoreline across from the island. The bluegill are good size with some going over 9 inches. Crappie - Fair: Crappie are being caught drifting throughout the lake. Use small tube jigs, jigs with small spinners, or live minnows.
Lake Ahquabi
Bluegill - Good: Decent bluegill and large redear sunfish are being caught with crawlers fished in any open pockets of vegetation.
Red Rock Reservoir
White Bass - Fair: The white bass bite has been off over the past week. However, the recent hot weather should increase white bass activity. Trolling lipless crankbaits to find fish is the preferred method. Try multiple colors to find their preference. Good starting colors are chrome or a blue/chrome combo. Teeter Creek and west of the mile long bridge are usually good areas. Crappie - Fair: Large crappie are being caught on the very upper reaches of the reservoir in flooded timber. The habitat is endless. Anglers that keep moving, hitting as much flooded debris and timber as possible aren't catching limits, but do end up with a decent number of big crappies.
Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake
Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Good: Wipers are chasing shad and can be seen breaking the surface. Anglers are having fun casting into this action. The wipers are currently around 17 inches and it is recommended to turn most fish back. This will allow for some exciting fishing for large wipers in the near future.
Des Moines River (Stratford to Saylorville Lake)
Channel Catfish - Excellent: Channel catfish are being caught in good numbers on cut bait and stink bait. Stink bait is currently out fishing cut bait. Flathead Catfish - Fair: Anglers bank poling for flatheads are doing fair. Post spawn and dropping water levels is creating a little lull, but it should pick up again late July into August. White Bass - Good: Anglers continue to catch good numbers of white bass and an occasional wiper below the Saylorville Reservoir. Walleye - Good: Anglers trolling crankbaits that dive 6 to 12 feet in the river below Saylorville are catching some nice walleye. This method is also catching white bass, wipers, and smallmouth bass.
Des Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock)
Channel Catfish - Good: Good numbers of 4 to 8 pound catfish are being caught on cut bait. White Bass - Fair: The white bass bite is fair below the Red Rock spillway casting jigs or drifting minnows under a bobber.
Fishing remains similar to last week, with a little more heat. Bluegill and crappie are in summer patterns. Crappie are being caught suspended by drifting in deeper water. Bluegill are feeding heavily and are being caught fishing near brush piles, pallets, and the edges of vegetation in lakes that have it. Don't fish too deep as most lakes now have a thermocline between 6 and 10 feet. 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. Water clarity is good. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish are being caught around jetties using shrimp. Fish average two pounds. Bluegill - Fair: 7 to 8-inch bluegill can be caught drifting small jigs. Largemouth Bass - Good: Many 12 to 15-inch largemouth are being caught casting around jetties and weed edges. Crappie - Slow: A few crappies are being caught in the evenings along the dam using minnows.
Nodaway Lake
Nodaway has one small boat ramp. Water temperature is in the low 80s and the lake has a slight algae bloom. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfish are being caught along the north shoreline and the dam with dip bait. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegill are being caught around brush piles with nightcrawlers. Crappie - Slow: Crappies can be caught trolling jigs around brush piles in 10 to 12 feet of water. Fish average 9 inches with a few 11-inch fish being caught. Evenings seem to be best.
Orient Lake
Orient Lake has one concrete boat ramp. Water temperatures remain in the low 80s. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfish are close to rocky shorelines and being caught on shrimp. Fish average 14 to 18 inches.
Lake Anita
Lake Anita has two concrete ramps and good water quality. Water temperature has reached 80 degrees. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills up to 9 inches are being caught drifting and around brush piles. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Largemouth bass are being caught along the road beds and in brush piles. Bass are all sizes up to 20 inches.
Willow Lake
Willow has one concrete boat ramp and excellent water clarity. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish can be caught along the campground shoreline and around jetties using dip bait. Bluegill - Fair: The best bluegill bite is early in the morning using nightcrawlers under a bobber. Fish average 8 inches. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth are being caught using Power Bait worms around sunken trees. Most fish are 12 to 14 inches.
Viking Lake
Viking Lake continues to have good water clarity after recent heavy rains. The lake has three concrete boat ramps. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfishing has been fair in the evenings around the jetties using liver. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Anglers are catching largemouth bass in the sunken cedar trees using plastic baits. Casting spinner baits along weed edges has also produced fish up to 20 inches.
Cold Springs District Farm Ponds
There are numerous farm ponds in southern Iowa that can provide a quality fishing trip. Remember to always get permission to fish private farm ponds. Aquatic vegetation is starting to come on. Small boats or bass buggies will aid in fishing small ponds this time of year. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish can be caught using a variety of prepared baits in the summer. Fish in 3 to 6 feet of water. Bluegill - Fair: Fish for bluegills around deeper structure and outside edges of vegetation. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth bass are aggressive now and can be caught casting around structure and along the shoreline. Early morning and late evenings are the best times to target largemouth.
Water temperatures are staying in the low 80s on most lakes. Bluegills and crappies remain deep with the warm water temps. Catfish can still be caught close to shore in the rocks. For more information on fishing call the district office in Lewis at 712-769-2587.
Lake Icaria
The water level is near normal. Water clarity is near 24 inches at the dam. Channel Catfish - Good: A lot of channel catfish are being caught from areas less than 8 feet deep on liver. Small jigs and crawlers are working over the mounds. Bluegill - Fair: Several bluegills can be caught from the mounds using crawlers.
Lake of Three Fires
The water level is near normal and the clarity is good. Channel Catfish - Fair: The channel catfish are biting on liver.
Green Valley Lake
The lake is being lowered to allow the sediment removal project to continue. The lake is accessible and the main concrete ramp is easily usable. The fish are growing well. Channel Catfish - Good: Several mid-sized channel catfish are being caught on liver from the shoreline areas around the camp ground and along the dam.
Three Mile Lake
The water level is normal. Crappie - Fair: A few scattered crappies are coming from the timber and coves.
Twelve Mile Creek Lake
The water level is normal. Bullhead - Good: Several giant bullheads can be caught using crawlers or liver from most areas of the lake. Bluegill - Fair: Several big bluegills are biting on crawlers fished over the mounds and steep drop-offs. Walleye - Fair: A few walleye are biting on crawlers trolled over the mounds and the old roadway in 8 to 12 feet of water.
Water temperatures above normal. Water levels are normal. Most lakes have established thermo-clines ranging from 15 feet to as shallow as 5 feet. Water clarity is normal for mid-summer
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
Nelson Park has the invasive plant brittle naiad. Be sure to clean boat and trailer before you leave lake to avoid spreading this species to other water bodies. Fishing has been slow for all species.
Yellow Smoke Park Lake
Yellow Smoke has the invasive plant brittle naiad. Be sure to clean boat and trailer before you leave lake to avoid spreading this species to other water bodies. Water clarity is excellent. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish are being caught around the lake on night crawlers. Bluegill - Fair: Anglers have been picking up bluegill around the submerged trees in 8 to 10 feet of water. Use a small piece of night crawler for bait.
Crawford Creek Impoundment
Crawford Creek has the invasive plant brittle naiad. Be sure to clean boat and trailer before you leave lake to avoid spreading this species to other water bodies.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Boaters use caution. The hydraulic dredge is in operation at Storm Lake. Stay clear of dredge barge, booster pump barge, and pipeline. 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. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use the usual baits like stink bait, shrimp, cut bait, and minnows. White Bass - Fair: Cast white twisters or shad colored crankbaits. Look for white bass breaking the surface pursuing baitfish and cast into the school. Walleye - Slow: Boat anglers have been doing the best for walleye. Most anglers are drifting or trolling bottom bouncers with a crawler harness or a leech around the dredge cuts. The Mustad Slow Death hooks have been very popular with anglers. Trolling small shad colored crankbaits has been working well.
North Twin Lake
Water temperature is in the 80s. Channel catfish and yellow bass fishing remains fair around the lake.
Black Hawk Lake
Anglers are allowed three walleye per day and all fish must be at least 15 inches. Channel Catfish - Excellent: Fish for channel catfish within 20 feet of shore. The catfish are in tight to shore attempting to spawn in Black Hawk.
Browns Lake
The boat ramp is closed, but boaters may utilize the lake with electric trolling motors (no outboards) for power. Also, those wishing to kayak or canoe would be able to use Brown's Lake. Any boaters choosing to go onto Brown's Lake will need to load their boat without the use of the ramp. Campground is still open and fishing from shore is allowed.
Snyder Bend Lake
Snyder Bend is closed to boat traffic.
Great Western Park Lake
Great Western Park has the invasive plant brittle naiad. Be sure to clean boat and trailer before you leave lake to avoid spreading this species to other water bodies.
Little Sioux River (Linn Grove to Correctionville)
River conditions are starting to improve. Some anglers are catching catfish.
Aquatic vegetation has come in at many of the lakes in the area. Boaters and anglers should inspect their boats, trailers, and live wells to avoid spreading nuisance species to other water bodies. 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.
Eldred Sherwood Lake
Try for panfish with crawlers fished under a bobber or small plastic baits on a jig. Be aware that this lake contains brittle naiad. Please clean, drain, and dry your boat and equipment before going to another water body.
Upper Pine Lake
Largemouth bass can be caught using bass baits fishing around the fallen trees. Channel catfish can be caught from shore using cut bait or crawlers fished off the bottom.
Lake Smith
Try fishing for channel catfish using crawlers, chicken liver, or stink bait fished off the bottom. Panfish can still be caught using a piece of crawler on a small jig or hook fished under a bobber.
Clear Lake
Fishing has slowed this past week due to the high temperatures. Channel catfish are still being caught using crawlers and stink bait while fishing from shore or on the rock piles from a boat. A few walleyes were caught trolling the reefs with crankbaits or jig fishing with crawlers or minnows on top of the reefs and rock piles. Remember that Clear Lake contains zebra mussels. Please clean, drain, and dry your boat and equipment before going to another water body.
Lake Cornelia
Anglers have been catching bullheads and channel catfish from shore using crawlers fished off the bottom.
Crystal Lake
Try fishing for largemouth bass using plastic tube baits, spinners, or just a jig and crawler. Bluegill of a variety of sizes can be caught on crawlers and minnows fishing from the jetties.
Due to the higher temperatures this past week fewer anglers have been fishing. For more fishing information in north central Iowa contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife station at 641-357-3517.
Lake Pahoja
Bluegill - Good: Anglers are catching bluegill on spawning beds in shallow water with small jigs tipped with a wax worm or plastic tail. Crappie - Good: Crappies can be caught drifting a small jig or jig and minnow across structure in deeper water
Big Spirit Lake
Walleye fishing has continued to slow down; however, anglers are still reporting limits. Yellow perch are continuing to pick up in the past week. Northern Pike - Good: Anglers casting into the bulrushes in Angler's Bay are catching good numbers of northern pike. Bluegill - Good: Try fishing along Jackson Point and Trickles Slough as fish are on their spawning beds. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Try casting live bait on Big Stoney and Cottonwood points. Some fish are being caught in the bulrushes also. Anglers are also catching a lot of smallmouth fishing with slip bobbers and a leech. Largemouth Bass - Good: Many largemouth bass have been reported while fishing for smallmouth. Yellow Perch - Fair: Yellow perch fishing is just starting to pick up. Anglers have been catching perch in vegetation in 8-12 feet of water on leeches and slip bobbers. Walleye - Good: Walleye fishing has been good to excellent in the past week. Try fishing early morning and late afternoon along rock points and in vegetation. During the day fish are being caught in 18-20 feet of water along the lake. Muskellunge - Fair: Anglers are reporting a few muskies being caught and many followers. A few northern pike have been caught while fishing for muskies.
East Okoboji Lake
Channel Catfish - Good: Now is the time of year to be fishing along the shoreline for channel catfish as they are protecting their nests. Try fishing with cut bait or night crawlers along the shoreline. White Bass - Good: Anglers fishing near the Spirit Lake spillway are catching a few white bass. Fish are starting to feed in schools so watch for them breaking the water and use a minnow or imitation minnow to get them to bite. Walleye - Good: Anglers are catching walleye along the west shoreline by Parks Marina in the late afternoon.
Little Spirit Lake
Bullhead - Good: Anglers are reporting catches of large bullhead near the outlet of Little Spirit Lake. Freshwater Drum - Good: Drum have been caught while fishing for bullhead.
West Okoboji Lake
Northern Pike - Good: Try fishing weed lines in the bays with a spinner bait. 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 Muskellunge - Fair: Anglers seeking muskies are reporting some luck in the past week
Five Island Lake
Channel Catfish - Good: Recent hoop net surveys on Five Island Lake have shown excellent numbers of channel catfish. Try fishing on the bottom in the north basin from the rock point to the dredge for the best luck. Bluegill - Good: Bluegill are being caught in the same areas as crappies. Largemouth Bass - Good: Try fishing along rock piles and tree falls along the shorelines.
Lost Island Lake
Walleye - Fair: Anglers are still reporting fish near the rock point and on the rock pile.
Little Sioux River (state line to Linn Grove)
With last week's rainfalls, the river has gone up dramatically and is not ideal for fishing.
Fishing has slowed slightly over the past week due to high water and hot weather. There is a 600 foot no wake zone extending from shore where boats are restricted to operating at no more than 5 mph. For more information, contact the Spirit Lake Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
NORTHEAST
Volga Lake
Construction began on July 11 on the road to the lake and new campground. The lake and campground will be inaccessible during construction.
Lake Hendricks
Water temperature was around 88 degrees. A new fishing jetty is being constructed on the southeast side of the lake. Channel Catfish - Slow: Try angling during the early morning and late evening. Bluegill - Slow: Try using a worm fished under a bobber.
Lake Meyer
Bluegill - Fair: Nice sized bluegills are being caught off the weed line in about 7 to 9 feet of water. Try using a small piece of worm fished under a bobber or a small jig.
Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Water is clearing up and is very fishable. Smallmouth Bass - Slow: Try using a crawfish plastic jig. Walleye - Slow: A jig tipped with a worm is still the best bet floated through deeper holes.
Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
Water has cleared some since last week and is very fishable. Channel Catfish - Good: The best time to catch catfish is early am or late pm. Anglers are having the best luck using night crawlers. Walleye - Slow: A few small walleye were being caught last week.
Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water levels are coming back down and clarity is getting better. Angling activity has been slow but is expected to pick up this week. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try chicken liver or dead chubs, or, with this hot weather, a good stink bait. Smallmouth Bass - Slow: With water levels dropping, smallies will start biting again. Try a crawdad imitation lure. Crappie - Slow: With more stable water levels, the crappies will be more aggressive. Try live minnows or similar imitation lure.
Decorah District Streams
July is a great month for fishing dry terrestrial patterns. Trout have recently been taken on #12 Hoppers. A Hopper pattern fished in slow water or the tails of pools has been very effective whether trout are rising or not, especially near weedy banks or in the open slots between watercress beds. Cricket, beetle, ant and bee patterns can be fished effectively in the same fashion. For spin fishing, using jigs or plastics that imitate crawfish. For stocking information, call 563-927-5736.
Area rivers and streams are looking great this week. Lakes are in good condition and weeds are starting to die back. Trout streams are in excellent condition. For more information, call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.
Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)
Largemouth bass are biting aggressively on Casey Lake. There is an 18-inch minimum size limit on largemouth bass on this lake. Please check boat trailers for any presence of Brittle naiad when leaving the boat ramp. Bluegill - Fair: Try fishing small jigs under a bobber or small worm on a hook fished near weed edges or sunken habitat. Largemouth Bass - Excellent: Crankbaits and rubber worms have been working excellent for largemouth bass.
Big Woods Lake
Largemouth bass are biting well around woody structures or sunken habitat mostly along the north shoreline. Largemouth Bass - Good: Crankbaits and rubber worms have been working excellent for largemouth bass.
Brinker Lake
There have been reports of crappie being taken on Brinker Lake. Crappie - Fair: Try a crappie minnow under a slip bobber fished around sunken trees in 10 to 12 feet of water.
George Wyth Lake
Anglers have been catching crappie fishing off of the floating dock during the early to late morning hours. Crappie - Fair: Try floating a crappie minnow under a bobber or casting colored tube jigs.
Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
River levels are currently falling. In Black Hawk and Bremer counties channel catfish angling remains good. Fishing should improve towards the weekend without additional rainfall. Channel Catfish - Good: Most anything – cut baits, nightcrawlers, chicken livers – fished on the bottom in most areas of the river has been productive.
Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
Walleye and smallmouth bass are being caught. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Jigs tipped with a twister and nightcrawler slowly retrieved off of the bottom or casting crankbaits can be productive. Walleye - Fair: Jig and twister tipped with a crawler or casting crankbaits work very well.
Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
The river is in good condition in Buchanan County. Walleye and smallmouth bass fishing has been fair. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Jig tipped with a nightcrawler or crankbaits are working well for smallmouth bass. Walleye - Fair: Try a jig tipped with half a nightcrawler or casting crankbaits.
Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
The Maquoketa River is looking excellent. Smallmouth bass and walleye fishing should be good. Channel catfish are also being caught. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try nightcrawlers, dead cut baits or stink baits fished on the bottom of the river. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Crankbaits or live baits are working well on smallmouth bass. Walleye - Fair: Crankbaits or jig and crawler fished off of current breaks can be productive.
Manchester District Streams
Trout streams remain in excellent condition. Call the Manchester District Office for any additional information at 563-927-3276.
Interior rivers are in fair to good condition with slight chances of rain over the weekend. Channel catfish have been biting well on most of the interior rivers with occasional walleye and smallmouth bass being caught. Anglers are still catching some crappie and bluegill on area Black Hawk and Bremer County lakes. Trout streams in the Manchester District are in good condition. For any additional information contact the Manchester District Office at 563-927-3276.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Mississippi River Pool 9
River level at Lansing is 10.2 feet and expected to rise slowly to 10.7 feet over next week. Army road ramp at New Albin is now open. Village Creek and Heytman's ramps remain open as well. Northern Pike - Fair: Nice pike reported recently. As water temperature warms, look for pike near the mouths of cold water springs or creeks. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel cat spawning is ending and hungry fish should begin to bite on stink bait soon. Bluegill - Good: Bluegills still biting well in backwaters. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Fish along exposed rock shorelines with current. Small spinners and jigs are working well for concentrated fish. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth fishing remains good along vegetation as water clarity begins to improve. Yellow Perch - Fair: Really good numbers of yellow perch are in the river this year and usually being caught by those fishing for drum and bluegills. Walleye - Good: Walleye wing dam fishing picking up as river level stabilizes. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Drum are biting well using an egg sinker and worms near shoreline areas.
Mississippi River Pool 10
River level at Lynxville is 19 feet and expected rise slowly to 19.7 feet over the next week. All boat ramps on Pool 10 are now open. Northern Pike - Fair: Some really nice pike reported lately. As water temperature warms, look for pike near the mouths of cold water springs or creeks. Channel Catfish - Good: A lot of catfish being caught fishing crawlers in the Harpers Ferry area above and below the dam. This is the time of year when stink bait becomes very effective. Bluegill - Good: Good catches of bluegill reported near Harpers Ferry, Bussey Lake bite has dropped off a bit but good fish still being caught. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Fish along exposed rock shoreline with current. Work the whole shoreline to look for pockets of active fish. Largemouth Bass - Good: Some decent catches of largemouth reported in backwaters of Pool 10 but many are smaller. Remember largemouth must be 14 inches to keep. Yellow Perch - Good: Some nice perch have been caught in the Harpers Ferry area. They are a pleasant surprise as they often are caught by bluegill or drum anglers. Walleye - Fair: A few walleyes being caught near wing dams and bottoms of running sloughs. Some eyes are also coming out of Harpers Slough by folks using worm rigs. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Drum are being taken all over the river, with most anglers using an egg sinker and nightcrawlers for bait.
Mississippi River Pool 11
River level at Guttenberg is 9.8 feet and is expected to rise slowly to 10.3 feet over the week. All ramps are now open for launching. Northern Pike - Fair: Good catches of pike reported in the ponds above dead slough. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel cat spawning is ending and hungry fish should be hitting on stink bait soon. Bluegill - Good: Bluegill fishing really starting to pick up in backwaters. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Fish exposed rock shoreline with current. As the river level falls, more rock is being exposed and fishing for smallies is expected to improve. Largemouth Bass - Good: Bass are hitting pretty well in the upper part of the pool along shorelines. They tend to be on the small side and remember they need to be 14 inches to keep. Walleye - Fair: Walleyes are being caught near wing dams and the bottoms of running sloughs. They tend to be just under the legal size of 15 inches. Wing dams are just starting to become fishable as water recedes. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Drum are biting well on worm fished on the bottom. Drum are one of the fish that continue to bite well in rising and muddy waters.
River levels on the Upper Mississippi have stabilized and should begin to rise slowly over the next week. Water temperature is 86 degrees. Fishing reports have been slow as the hot weather has kept many anglers away. With river levels stabilizing and the water warming up fish should be feeding consistently. A slight rise in water level often brings more active fish towards shorelines.
Mississippi River Pool 12
River stage at Dubuque is 10.84 feet and stable. Water clarity is fair and temperature is in the mid 80s. Be aware that the Mississippi River is infested with zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil, curly-leaf pondweed, and brittle naiad. Please clean, drain, and dry your boat and equipment before transporting to another water body. Channel Catfish - Fair: Cats are biting on cut bait around snags in the side channels. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegill are biting on small jigs and crawlers in the backwaters in shallow water and along rip rap in the side channels. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass are being caught in the backwaters and marinas around structure on soft plastics and crankbaits. Crappie - Fair: Anglers are catching a few crappie on minnows or jigs in the backwaters and side channels around wood. Walleye - Fair: Walleye are being caught on wing dams, closing dams, and at Steamboat on three-way rigs and crankbaits. Fishing should continue to improve as water levels continue to drop. Freshwater Drum - Fair: Drum are biting on crawlers fished on the bottom around wing dams and in side channels in areas of moderate current.
Mississippi River Pool 13
River stage at Bellevue is 9.64 feet and stable. Water clarity is fair and temperature is in the mid 80s. With high temperatures, dissolved oxygen levels in many of the backwaters has dropped significantly; look for bass and panfish to be in side channels near the entrance to backwaters or areas of backwaters with flowing water. Be aware that the Mississippi River is infested with zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil, curly-leaf pondweed, and brittle naiad. Please clean, drain, and dry your boat and equipment before transporting to another water body. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfish biting on cut baits, crawlers, and stink bait in the side channels around structure. Bluegill - Fair: Anglers are catching bluegill in the backwaters and side channels around snags on crawlers or small jigs. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass are being caught in side channels around structure. Crappie - Fair: Anglers are catching a few crappie in side channels around snags on minnows and small jigs. Walleye - Fair: Walleye are being caught on wing dams with slower current on three-way rigs, crankbaits, and jigs. Freshwater Drum - Fair: Drum are biting good on crawlers fished on the bottom.
Mississippi River Pool 14
River stage at Camanche is 11.93 feet and stable. Water clarity is fair. Water temperature is in the mid to high 80s. Be aware that the Mississippi River is infested with zebra mussels, Eurasian watermilfoil, curly-leaf pondweed, and brittle naiad. Please clean, drain, and dry your boat and equipment before transporting to another water body. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel cats are biting on stink bait in the side channels wing dams around structure. Bluegill - Fair: The bluegill bite has picked up as the water levels have dropped. Crappie - Fair: The crappie bite has picked up as water levels have dropped. Walleye - Fair: Walleye are being caught on wing dams and flats on jigs and leeches or crankbaits. Freshwater Drum - Fair: Drum are biting on crawlers fished on the bottom in areas with moderate current.
For fishing information in Pool 12-15 of the Mississippi River contact the Bellevue Fish Management and Research Station at 563-872-4976
Mississippi River Pool 16
Tail water stage at Lock and Dam 15 is 8.87 feet. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel catfish are being caught on nightcrawlers and stink bait. Try fishing above snag piles along the main channel or side sloughs. White Bass - No Report: Bluegill - No Report: Crappie - No Report: Walleye - No Report:
Mississippi River Pool 17
Tail water stage at Lock and Dam 16 is 7.28 feet. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel catfish are being caught on nightcrawlers and stink bait. Trying fishing above snags along the main channel or in side sloughs. Some fish are being caught along GPC. White Bass - No Report: Bluegill - Slow: Some bluegills are being caught in the backwaters fishing worms under a bobber. Crappie - Fair: Some crappies are being caught in the backwaters fishing small minnows under a bobber or on tube jigs. Look for crappies in the backwaters and sloughs around brush piles. The bite has been best early in the morning or right before dark due to the hot weather. Walleye - No Report:
Mississippi River Pool 18
Tail water stage at Lock and Dam 17 is 8.97 feet. The Toolesboro ramp is now open. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel catfish are being caught on stink baits and chicken livers. Try fishing above snag piles along the main channel or in the side sloughs. Bluegill - No Report: Crappie - No Report: Walleye - No Report:
Mississippi River Pool 19
Tail water stage at Lock and Dam 18 is 5.56 feet. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel catfish are being caught on nightcrawlers, stink baits, and chicken livers. Try fishing above snag piles along the main channel or in the sloughs. Bluegill - No Report: Largemouth Bass - Fair: Some largemouth bass are being caught on crankbaits fished around snags and brush piles. Crappie - Fair: Some crappies are being caught in the backwaters on jigs and minnows. Walleye - No Report:
Pools 16-19: River level has been falling slightly the last few days. Main channel water temperature is around 86 degrees. Fishing has been slow due to the hot weather. Remember to clean, drain, and dry your boat before going to another water body. For more fishing information on Pools 16-19 contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.
SOUTHEAST
Lake Odessa
The Toolesboro road opened last Saturday. All the ramps are now open and cleared off. The water level will continue to fall as there is still some water up in the trees. Northern Pike - Fair: Anglers are picking up a few northerns. I normally see them along the trees in the upper end of sand run and along the lower end of the main lake. Bluegill - Fair: With a little work and knowledge of the lake anglers are catching some big bluegills. Work the deeper water of the sand run and Yankee chute areas. Crappie - Fair: There are some slab crappies being caught along the trees dropped into deeper water.
Lake Belva Deer
The water temperature is up to 81 degrees. The thermocline is at 6 to 8 feet deep. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfishing has been good during the evening hours. Bluegill - Fair: The bluegills have for the most part moved out to deeper water. Look for them to be around the trees in the old creek channel.
Pollmiller Park Lake
Channel Catfish - Good: 1 to 3 pound fish are common. Fish during the cooler parts of the day along the face of the dam. Bluegill - Fair: Light tackle and small baits, such as wax worms, are a must. Still, good numbers of fish up to 9 inches are being caught. Largemouth Bass - Fair: The evenings are producing the best fishing. During the heat of the day look for the fish to be around the deep structure.
Skunk River (Coppock to Mississippi River)
The river continues to drop. Water temperature during the day is around 86 degrees. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfishing has been good as the river level has stabilized. Try a few freshly caught grass frogs as bait. Flathead Catfish - Good: Anglers had a lot of bank poles out over the Fourth of July weekend and caught some nice fish.
Big Hollow Lake
Channel Catfish - Slow: Anglers are picking up a few catfish while fishing for bluegills around the jetties. Bluegill - Slow: The rock along the jetties are still producing bluegills.
For more information on the above lakes call the Lake Darling fisheries office at 319-694-2430
Lake Macbride
The 10 hp maximum motor restriction is in effect. The invasive plant brittle naiad is found here, so make sure to inspect and clean your boat/trailer when leaving the lake. Channel Catfish - Fair: Some fish are still around shallow rock, while others have moved offshore. Try sunfish or crawlers for best results. Largemouth Bass - Good: Try a variety of lures around shallow rock or wood. Some fish have been caught on deeper rock/points using crankbaits. Early and late in the day are best.
Pleasant Creek Lake
Remember, there is an 18-inch minimum on largemouth bass here. The invasive plant brittle naiad is here, so make sure to inspect and clean your boat/trailer when leaving the lake. Channel Catfish - Slow: Try fishing along the dam or other rocky areas with stink bait, liver, or crawlers. White Bass - Slow: Try jigs, spinners, small spoons, or small crankbaits. Many fish have been small, but nice sized fish are available. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Try crankbaits, soft plastics, or crawlers. Walleye - Slow: Most fish have been small but they are being caught on live bait rigs and crankbaits. Target depths around 15 feet.
Diamond Lake
Remember, no minnows are allowed here. Channel Catfish - Fair: Anglers using stink bait have been catching catfish, especially early and late in the day.
Otter Creek Lake
Otter Creek Park and Lake are closed due to storm damage at this time.
Coralville Reservoir
The current lake elevation on July 21 is at normal summer pool of 683.3 feet. Channel Catfish - Fair: A few fish are still being caught along the rocks on live bait. Some fish are also being caught a bit deeper on cut bait. White Bass - Slow: A few white bass are being caught on jigs and small crankbaits.
Maquoketa (Hopkinton to Canton)
Channel Catfish - Good: Use chicken liver or stink bait for best results. Night fishing has been the most productive.
For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.
Red Haw Lake
Channel Catfish - Fair: Use dead chubs fished around the rock jetties. Bluegill - Good: Use small jigs fished along shoreline structure. Try adding a chunk of nightcrawler. Largemouth Bass - Good: Rubber worms and spinner baits are usually good this time of year. Try areas around the jetties and along the shoreline.
Hawthorn Lake (aka Barnes City Lake)
The lake was drained for a lake renovation last year 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 full.
Albia (lower)
Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs tipped with a chunk of nightcrawler. Largemouth Bass - Good: Try plastic worms fished along the shoreline.
Lake Miami
Channel Catfish - Fair: Anglers have been having some success in the evenings using cut bait or dead chubs. Try areas along the east shoreline.
Lake Sugema
Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs around shoreline structure. Some sorting will be necessary for larger fish. Add a chunk of nightcrawler to your jig. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use a jig n' pig combo or try spinner baits. Fish areas with submerged structure and along the shoreline. Try top water baits fished in the early morning hours.
Rathbun Reservoir
The lake level is at 912.35 feet with 904.0 feet normal pool. Water temperature has been in the upper 70s. Don't forget Lake Rathbun contains zebra mussels so make sure to clean, drain, and dry boats before transporting to another water body. Spray boats and trailers with high pressure water above 104 degrees or let them dry for at least 10 days, with 5 days in sun. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use dead chubs or chicken liver around areas with the wind blowing into them. Crappie - Fair: Use small jigs or minnows. Areas along the shore with overhanging trees or vegetation are good places to start. Small chrome colored crankbaits can also work this time of year. Walleye - Fair: Try using nightcrawler rigs and bottom bouncers. With the higher lake levels the walleye are spread out so try new areas. Try fishing baits that mimic small shad like chrome colored crankbaits or blade baits. Tagged walleyes should be reported at 641-647-2406.
For further fishing reports in south central Iowa call the Rathbun fish hatchery at 641-647-2406
SOUTHWEST
Beaver Lake
Bluegill - Good: Large bluegill are being caught fishing crawlers near any of the flooded trees.
Big Creek Lake
White Bass - Good: White bass are providing some action, especially late in the afternoon and evenings. Mid lake has been best, look for them on the windblown side. They can often be seen breaking the surface. Cast jigs or shallow running crankbaits. Bluegill - Good: Bluegill are being caught drifting pieces of nightcrawler over the roadbeds and brush piles that are in 15 feet of water or less. Crappie - Fair: Anglers drifting small jigs mid lake out from the beach and marina area are picking up a few crappie. Walleye - Fair: Walleyes are being caught on the upper third of the lake by drifting or jigging nightcrawlers, or casting and trolling crankbaits. Many fish being caught are sublegal, but fish over 15 inches are coming in. Check legal size fish for yellow tags near the tail. If one is caught follow the instructions on the signs at the boat ramps.
Hickory Grove Lake
Bluegill - Excellent: Bluegill fishing has been excellent. They are being caught drifting small pieces of crawler or still fishing over the pallet piles near the island and off the south shoreline across from the island. The bluegill are good size with some going over 9 inches. Crappie - Fair: Crappie are being caught drifting throughout the lake. Use small tube jigs, jigs with small spinners, or live minnows.
Lake Ahquabi
Bluegill - Good: Decent bluegill and large redear sunfish are being caught with crawlers fished in any open pockets of vegetation.
Red Rock Reservoir
White Bass - Fair: The white bass bite has been off over the past week. However, the recent hot weather should increase white bass activity. Trolling lipless crankbaits to find fish is the preferred method. Try multiple colors to find their preference. Good starting colors are chrome or a blue/chrome combo. Teeter Creek and west of the mile long bridge are usually good areas. Crappie - Fair: Large crappie are being caught on the very upper reaches of the reservoir in flooded timber. The habitat is endless. Anglers that keep moving, hitting as much flooded debris and timber as possible aren't catching limits, but do end up with a decent number of big crappies.
Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake
Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Good: Wipers are chasing shad and can be seen breaking the surface. Anglers are having fun casting into this action. The wipers are currently around 17 inches and it is recommended to turn most fish back. This will allow for some exciting fishing for large wipers in the near future.
Des Moines River (Stratford to Saylorville Lake)
Channel Catfish - Excellent: Channel catfish are being caught in good numbers on cut bait and stink bait. Stink bait is currently out fishing cut bait. Flathead Catfish - Fair: Anglers bank poling for flatheads are doing fair. Post spawn and dropping water levels is creating a little lull, but it should pick up again late July into August. White Bass - Good: Anglers continue to catch good numbers of white bass and an occasional wiper below the Saylorville Reservoir. Walleye - Good: Anglers trolling crankbaits that dive 6 to 12 feet in the river below Saylorville are catching some nice walleye. This method is also catching white bass, wipers, and smallmouth bass.
Des Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock)
Channel Catfish - Good: Good numbers of 4 to 8 pound catfish are being caught on cut bait. White Bass - Fair: The white bass bite is fair below the Red Rock spillway casting jigs or drifting minnows under a bobber.
Fishing remains similar to last week, with a little more heat. Bluegill and crappie are in summer patterns. Crappie are being caught suspended by drifting in deeper water. Bluegill are feeding heavily and are being caught fishing near brush piles, pallets, and the edges of vegetation in lakes that have it. Don't fish too deep as most lakes now have a thermocline between 6 and 10 feet. 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. Water clarity is good. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish are being caught around jetties using shrimp. Fish average two pounds. Bluegill - Fair: 7 to 8-inch bluegill can be caught drifting small jigs. Largemouth Bass - Good: Many 12 to 15-inch largemouth are being caught casting around jetties and weed edges. Crappie - Slow: A few crappies are being caught in the evenings along the dam using minnows.
Nodaway Lake
Nodaway has one small boat ramp. Water temperature is in the low 80s and the lake has a slight algae bloom. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfish are being caught along the north shoreline and the dam with dip bait. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegill are being caught around brush piles with nightcrawlers. Crappie - Slow: Crappies can be caught trolling jigs around brush piles in 10 to 12 feet of water. Fish average 9 inches with a few 11-inch fish being caught. Evenings seem to be best.
Orient Lake
Orient Lake has one concrete boat ramp. Water temperatures remain in the low 80s. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfish are close to rocky shorelines and being caught on shrimp. Fish average 14 to 18 inches.
Lake Anita
Lake Anita has two concrete ramps and good water quality. Water temperature has reached 80 degrees. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills up to 9 inches are being caught drifting and around brush piles. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Largemouth bass are being caught along the road beds and in brush piles. Bass are all sizes up to 20 inches.
Willow Lake
Willow has one concrete boat ramp and excellent water clarity. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish can be caught along the campground shoreline and around jetties using dip bait. Bluegill - Fair: The best bluegill bite is early in the morning using nightcrawlers under a bobber. Fish average 8 inches. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth are being caught using Power Bait worms around sunken trees. Most fish are 12 to 14 inches.
Viking Lake
Viking Lake continues to have good water clarity after recent heavy rains. The lake has three concrete boat ramps. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfishing has been fair in the evenings around the jetties using liver. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Anglers are catching largemouth bass in the sunken cedar trees using plastic baits. Casting spinner baits along weed edges has also produced fish up to 20 inches.
Cold Springs District Farm Ponds
There are numerous farm ponds in southern Iowa that can provide a quality fishing trip. Remember to always get permission to fish private farm ponds. Aquatic vegetation is starting to come on. Small boats or bass buggies will aid in fishing small ponds this time of year. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish can be caught using a variety of prepared baits in the summer. Fish in 3 to 6 feet of water. Bluegill - Fair: Fish for bluegills around deeper structure and outside edges of vegetation. Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth bass are aggressive now and can be caught casting around structure and along the shoreline. Early morning and late evenings are the best times to target largemouth.
Water temperatures are staying in the low 80s on most lakes. Bluegills and crappies remain deep with the warm water temps. Catfish can still be caught close to shore in the rocks. For more information on fishing call the district office in Lewis at 712-769-2587.
Lake Icaria
The water level is near normal. Water clarity is near 24 inches at the dam. Channel Catfish - Good: A lot of channel catfish are being caught from areas less than 8 feet deep on liver. Small jigs and crawlers are working over the mounds. Bluegill - Fair: Several bluegills can be caught from the mounds using crawlers.
Lake of Three Fires
The water level is near normal and the clarity is good. Channel Catfish - Fair: The channel catfish are biting on liver.
Green Valley Lake
The lake is being lowered to allow the sediment removal project to continue. The lake is accessible and the main concrete ramp is easily usable. The fish are growing well. Channel Catfish - Good: Several mid-sized channel catfish are being caught on liver from the shoreline areas around the camp ground and along the dam.
Three Mile Lake
The water level is normal. Crappie - Fair: A few scattered crappies are coming from the timber and coves.
Twelve Mile Creek Lake
The water level is normal. Bullhead - Good: Several giant bullheads can be caught using crawlers or liver from most areas of the lake. Bluegill - Fair: Several big bluegills are biting on crawlers fished over the mounds and steep drop-offs. Walleye - Fair: A few walleye are biting on crawlers trolled over the mounds and the old roadway in 8 to 12 feet of water.
Water temperatures above normal. Water levels are normal. Most lakes have established thermo-clines ranging from 15 feet to as shallow as 5 feet. Water clarity is normal for mid-summer