Mississippi River Pools 9 to 15: Ice conditions are favorable in most locations in northeast Iowa, but as always, be cautious when crossing flowing channels or sloughs. Reports of ice fishing success are mixed-a common occurrence with angling in the middle of winter. Crappies are being reported at various locations in the deeper backwater areas. Almost all successful anglers report catching suspended crappies by relying heavily on vexilars or similar equipment to find suspended fish. In Pool 9 good locations include DeSoto and Minnesota Slough. In Pool 10, some crappies and bluegills are being reported in the Prairie du Chien areas such as Ambrough Slough; however, good reports are scattered with many small bluegills being reported. Bussey Lake (Pool 10) has also seen some good action at times with bluegills and crappies. In Pool 11, Swift Slough has been mostly slow, with a few good reports, and Mud Lake has been good with more than usual ice fishing activity. Brown's Lake (Pool 13) has been fair to good for bluegill and crappie. Fish the lower section of Browns Lake for best success. Lower Sabula Lake (Pool 13) is fair for bluegill and crappie in the deeper dredge cuts. Anglers are catching crappies and a few small, yellow perch in Spring Lake (Pool 13). Some crappie and bluegill are being caught in Rock Creek (Pool 14)-again, the size of the fish is small.

Volga Lake (Fayette): Bluegill fishing is fair. For best results, suspend an ice jig tipped with a wax worm in the deeper water next to sunken brush piles.

Alice Wyth, Big Woods, Fisher, George Wyth, and South Prairie lakes (Black Hawk): Crappie and bluegill fishing is fair during the early morning or late evening hours.

Farm Ponds (Delaware): Bluegill fishing is good in area farm ponds.

Heritage Pond (Dubuque) and North Prairie Lake (Black Hawk): Rainbow trout fishing is very good.

For information on fishing in northeast Iowa, call the regional office in Manchester at 563-926-3276.

 

Northwest

Spirit Lake (Dickinson): Walleye fishing has been fair right before sunrise and after sunset. The areas south of the footbridge and around Big Stoney Point have produced some nice fish. Downsize the bait and the jigging because the fish are not aggressive. Small jigging minnow style baits and spoons tipped with minnow heads should do the trick. Yellow perch fishing is slow. Crappie and bluegill fishing has been good at the North Grade around the lily pads. The best fishing is one-half hour before sunset and early mornings. Crappies are 10 to 11 inches and bluegills are 7 to 9 inches.

West Lake Okoboji (Dickinson): Some yellow perch are being caught in Miller's and Emerson bays. Look for sand close to vegetation and use teardrops tipped with wigglers or wax worms. A few walleyes are being caught on the north end and on some of the deep rocks off Pocahontas Point. A few panfish are being caught in Emerson Bay and at the north end. Find deep weed lines or big pockets in the weeds for the best results. Teardrops tipped with minnows have worked best. Anglers are catching a few northern pike on the north end and in Miller's Bay using tip ups.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): Walleye fishing has slowed some. Look for other options away from the crowd. The bite has been sporadic to good. Fish have been caught in the middle of the day and in the middle of the night.

Black Hawk Lake (Sac): Yellow bass fishing is good to excellent. Fish the late afternoon and the early evening for the best action. Jigging spoons tipped with minnow heads is working all over the lake.

Storm Lake (Buena Vista): Walleye fishing is fair west of College Island in the evening. Use live minnows and jigging spoons tipped with minnows. Remember there is a 15-inch minimum length limit on walleyes.

Brushy Creek (Webster): Walleye fishing is best at sunrise and sunset. A few nice walleyes have been caught on jigging spoons tipped with a minnow. Bluegills are hugging the bottom in 15 to 25 feet of water.

Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo): Walleye fishing is good using jigging spoons and minnows. Fish the aeration system areas, the artificial weeds and the east shore around sunrise and set for the best action. Remember the 14-inch length limit on walleyes. Yellow bass are being caught northeast of the Island, the artificial weeds and the aeration system areas on small spoons and minnows. White bass are being caught in the same areas as the yellow bass.

Indian Lake, Eldred Sherwood Park (Hancock): Bluegills are biting on small jigs tipped with wax worms.

Smith Lake (Kossuth): Bluegills are hitting on small jigs and wax worms. Sorting is required, but 6 to 8-inch fish are available.

Briggs Woods (Hamilton): Bluegill fishing is good using small jigs tipped with wax worms.

Rice Lake (Winnebago and Worth): Yellow perch are fair. The fish seem to be on the move so try different locations if fishing is slow. Morning seems to hold the most action.

Silver Lake (Worth): Yellow perch fishing is fair around the jetty and the campground using minnows. Sorting is required, but 7 to 9-inch fish are available.

For more information on fishing in northwest Iowa, call the regional office in Spirit Lake at 712-336-1840.

 

Southwest

Don Williams (Boone): Bluegills are good using jigs and wax worms around cedar trees south of the ramp in the main lake. Crappies are good using jigs and minnows.

Big Creek (Polk): Bluegill fishing is slow during the day using tear-drops and wax worms in the Lost Lake area near the spillway. Crappie fishing is good late in the day and at night using jigs and wax worms or minnows. Walleye fishing is good, primarily at night in 35 to 40-feet of water using minnows.

Below Saylorville Dam (Polk): Anglers are picking up nice sized walleyes on lead heads with twister bodies.

Easter Lake (Polk): Bluegill fishing has been good with jigs and wax worms, although there are a number of smaller fish being caught. Crappie fishing has been good with jigs and minnows. Best areas are off the face of the dam.

Rock Creek (Jasper): Bluegill fishing has been fair using jigs and wax worms. Crappie fishing has been fair to good using jigs and minnows. Anglers have been scattered across most of the lake.

Hickory Grove (Story): Crappies are good on minnows in the evening. Fishing is fair for 7 to 8-inch bluegills using small jigs/hooks and wax worms. The better fishing areas have been around structure, trees and/or pallets.

Dakins Lake Park (Story): Fishing is good for 6 to 7-inch bluegills.

Lake Ahquabi (Warren): Bluegill and redear fishing has been fair to good using jigs or hooks with worms and wax worms.

Hooper Lake (Warren): Bluegill fishing has been fair using wax worms and jigs.

Banner Lake (Warren): Trout fishing has been very good since the final winter stocking on Jan. 18.

Mormon Trail (Adair): Bluegills of all sizes are good. Crappies are fair tipping a jig with a minnow.

Nodaway (Adair): Bluegill fishing is good with fish averaging 7 to 8 inches. Crappies are fair using minnows in late afternoon.

Greenfield (Adair): Bluegill and crappie fishing is slow. Silt basin above the lake is good for bluegills in the 6 to 7-inch range.

Orient (Adair): Crappies are good jigging minnows in 8 to 10 feet of water.

Littlefield (Audubon): Bluegill and crappie are good on wax worms.

DeSoto (Harrison): Crappie fishing is good using minnows around structure in late afternoon. Bluegills are being caught but most are small.

Willow (Harrison): Bluegills in the 7 to 8 inch range are being caught using wax worms. Crappies are slow but some are being caught using minnows in the evening.

Viking (Montgomery): Bluegill fishing is good using teardrop and wax worm around structure. Crappies are fair using minnows in early morning and late afternoon. Anglers are catching 5 to 7-inch yellow bass on jigs tipped with minnows.

Manawa (Pottawattamie): Bluegills are being caught, but most are small. Catfishing is good in afternoon using dead minnows. Ice conditions have improved to 10-12 inches of ice.

Prairie Rose (Shelby): Small bluegills are being caught with jigs and tear drops tipped with wax worms. Crappie fishing is excellent for 7-inch fish around structure in 8 to 10 feet of water.

Three Mile (Union): Ice is good in most places. Bluegill and crappie can be caught from several spots all over the lake. Timbered creek channels or the deeper brush piles seem to be the best. Some walleye and yellow perch are being picked up on minnows from the deeper trees. Minnows or wax worms are the most reliable bait

Fogle (Ringgold): Ice thickness is variable from 3 to 11 inches thick. A lot of 7 to 8-inch bluegill can be caught in the lower portion of the lake along the creek channel or over the brush pile. Some crappies are being caught on minnows. Morning and evenings hours seem to be the best but some are caught all day long.

Little River (Decatur): Some crappie and bluegill can be caught in the creek channel midway up the lake. Ice is 5 to 7 inches in most areas. Some walleye are being caught.

Walnut Creek Marsh (Ringgold): Large bluegill and crappie are being caught along the south dike channel or around the stumps in 3 to 4 feet of water.

Farm Ponds: Farm ponds have been doing very well. Ice conditions are more suitable with most ponds having 10 to 12 inches of ice and several inches of snow. Anglers are catching bluegill and crappie using teardrops tipped with wax worm. Ponds that have produced large bluegill historically are producing large numbers of fish.

For more information on fishing in southwest Iowa, call the regional office in Lewis at 712-769-2587.

 

Southeast

Mississippi River Pools 16 to 19: The Mississippi River is opening up again so anglers should use caution ice fishing on the lower pools. Anglers are targeting bluegills and crappies and fishing has been fair on the backwaters where better ice conditions exist. The morning and the hours just before sunset are best. Remember to check the ice conditions frequently since river ice can be variable. In Pool 16, Sunset Harbor continues to be fair for bluegills and crappies using jigs tipped with wax worms and minnows. Sorting is required for larger fish. In Pool 17, fishing has been good in Muscatine in the tailwater area below Lock and Dam 16 for sauger and walleye using jigs tipped with minnows. In Pool 19, the Cheney Creek area has been good for catfish from the shore. Fishing has been fair for bluegills and crappies at Wildcat Springs and the Nauvoo area.

Lake Macbride (Johnson): Bluegills are willing to bite, but are on the small side. Anglers are catching a few crappies. Use small jigs tipped with wax worms around the deeper brush piles for both species.

Hannen Lake (Benton): Decent numbers of bluegills are being taken on jig/wax worm combos. The most popular areas are off the dam and out in front of the shop. Use caution when fishing. The lake level is being slowly raised and ice conditions will be variable.

Kent Park (Johnson): Bluegill and crappie fishing has been moderate, with an occasional bass and catfish caught as a bonus.

Diamond Lake (Poweshiek): Bluegills and crappies are being caught but not in large numbers. Early in the day seems to be the best time. Look for deeper brush and stake beds.

Rodgers Lake (Benton): Bluegills and an occasional crappie are being caught on small jigs/wax worms. Fish the deeper brush piles for best results.

Lake Rathbun (Appanoose): Crappies have been biting on small jigs tipped with wax worms and on artificial presentations. Honey Creek, South Fork and Buck Creek have been the best areas.

Lake Miami (Monroe): Bluegill and crappie fishing has been slow. The best success has been with small jigs tipped with wax worms. Find areas with structure for the best success.

Lake Sugema (Van Buren): Bluegills and crappies have been hitting on small jigs tipped with a wax worm. Anglers report anywhere from 4 to 9 inches of ice.

Lake Wapello (Davis): Bluegills and an occasional crappie have been hitting on small jigs tipped with a wax worm. The most productive area has been in the Wolf Hollow arm. The bluegills have been holding around the sunken cedar trees in that area. Some areas are holding more fish than others are, so move until you find fish.

Lake Darling (Washington): Crappie fishing has been fair along the creek channel running up the southwest shoreline to the campground.

Lake Geode (Henry): Anglers are catching some nice bluegills along the creek channel in the upper half of the lake. Use an orange teardrop tipped with a wax worm and fish in 10 to 12 feet of water.

Lake Odessa (Louisa): Crappie fishing has been fair in Sand Run. Try around the stump fields at the lower end or the tree falls in the upper end of Sand Run for the best luck.

Lake Belva Deer (Keokuk): Bluegill fishing has cooled a little and is just fair. Work the trees along the old creek channel. The fish are suspended at the 10 to 12-foot mark.

For more information on fishing in southeast Iowa, call the regional office in Brighton at 319-694-2430.