Northeast

Mississippi River Pools 9 to 15: Water levels on the Mississippi River are approaching normal summer levels. River stage in the tailwater of Lock 10 at Guttenberg is 8.38 feet and is slowly dropping. River stage in Lansing is 8.99 feet and is also expected to fall throughout the week. Water temperature is 65 degrees at Guttenberg and Bellevue. Walleye and sauger fishing is starting to pick up due to warmer temperatures and anglers are catching fish in Black Hawk Park (Pool 9), near Lynxville (Pool 10), and off the wing dams in Pools 11 to 15. Try trolling crankbaits, willow cats (madtoms), leeches or crawlers on a 3-way along the wing dams or in the side sloughs. Fish in the shallow water areas (1 to 4 feet) just before dark with jigs or crankbaits. Bluegill fishing is also beginning to pick up in the backwater areas in Pools 9 to 15. As the bluegill spawn begins, look for fish in shallow water next to the bank. Anglers are catching bluegills using small jigs or a piece of crawler fished under a bobber in 1 to 5 feet of water. Bluegills are also being taken in the tailwater areas just outside of the main current in shallow water. The float near Genoa (Pool 9) and the tailwater area of Lock 10 have been especially good for bluegill. Other hotspots for bluegill include Norwegian and Methodist lakes and the mouth of Sny Magill (all in Pool 10). The crappie spawn is coming to an end in Pools 9 to 15, but anglers are still able to catch them in backwater areas. Look for areas with little or no current and suspend a night crawler, minnow or jig under a bobber in 1 to 7 feet of water next to woody debris. Crappie numbers and size are excellent this year in Pools 9 and 10, with many large fish observed by DNR personnel during spring netting. Freshwater drum are biting on night crawlers fished in the tailwater areas, sand flats off the main channel or the wing dams in Pools 10 and 11 and off the wing dams and tailwater areas in Pools 12 to 15. White bass (striper) fishing is starting to pick up along rocky shorelines and in the tailwater areas of Pools 9 to 15, with fish being taken on twister tails, shad raps, beetle spins, jigs and spinners fished in the current. Some of the best white bass fishing has been reported in the tailwater area of Pool 9 using small white or silver spinners thrown into the current for quick action. Good catfishing has been reported in the tailwaters of Dam 10 and off the rocks in Pools 12 to 15. Use leeches and crawlers floated under a bobber. Also, try fishing night crawlers, chicken liver or cut bait in the main channel border or tailwater areas of Pools 9 to 15. Trotline fishing for channel catfish is also good using minnows, blood baits or crawlers in Pools 12 to 15. Catfishing should continue to improve as the spawn picks up. Largemouth bass fishing is fair to good in Pools 9 to 15 on a variety of traditional bass lures, including soft plastics, crankbaits, spinner baits, top-water lures and jig-and-pigs. Fish around woody structure, vegetation and rocky shorelines in the backwaters and along the main channel border in areas with little or no current. Try fishing for smallmouth bass along any rocky shoreline in Pools 9 to 11 that has some flowing current nearby. Smallies are being taken on black twister jigs and a variety of crankbaits.

Cedar River (Floyd): Channel catfish are biting on night crawlers and cut-baits fished on the bottom. Anglers are also catching walleye.

Cedar and Shell Rock rivers (Bremer, Black Hawk and Butler): Clarity is improving as the river recedes and some channel catfish are being caught.

Maquoketa River (Delaware and Jones): Fishing for channel catfish is excellent using minnows and night crawlers. Crappie fishing is good minnows and worms. Fishing for walleye has slowed.

Shell Rock River (Floyd): Channel catfish are biting on worms and chicken liver fished on the bottom.

Wapsipinicon River (Buchanan): Walleye and northern pike fishing is good in the early evening hours.

Upper Iowa, Volga and Turkey rivers: Clarity is improving and anglers are starting to catch fish. Don't hesitate to fish these scenic rivers if you have the opportunity.

Otter Creek (Black Hawk): Crappie and bluegill fishing is good.

Lake Meyer (Winneshiek) and Lake Hendricks (Howard): Bluegill and crappie fishing is good to excellent.

Volga Lake (Fayette): Anglers are catching big bluegills fishing in the shallows.

Lake Delhi (Delaware): Crappie fishing is fair to good in shallow water next to rocks or woody structure using minnows under a bobber or tube jigs. Channel catfish are also biting on dead minnows fished on the bottom.

Alice Wyth, Big Woods, Brinker, Fisher, George Wyth, and South Prairie lakes (Black Hawk): Crappie and bluegill fishing is excellent on minnows, wax worms, a piece of night crawler or small jigs.

Casey Lake (Tama): Fishing is good for bluegills on small jigs or worms fished in the shallows.

Sny Magill Creek, near Garnavillo in Clayton County, offers miles of quality trout stream for anglers to enjoy. Sny Magill is stocked twice per week with catchable-size rainbow and brook trout. The stream also has a significant population of catchable brown trout that were stocked as fingerlings and allowed to grow up on the stream. While there, check out the new, recently completed stream habitat work and new angler access trail which begins in the parking lot near the kiosk. Sny Magill is well marked with signs to identify the area and you can use your Iowa Trout Fishing Guide for exact directions to the stream or go to the web site address and download a map to the area. Near the upper end of the stream there is a kiosk with a map showing the boundary of the entire public area and the stream section open to angling. Students from MFL-MAR-MAC High School completed a community service project by cleaning the Sny Magill area from trash earlier this spring.

Yellow River (Allamakee): If you want to try a trout fishing canoe trip, the Yellow River offers the perfect opportunity. Not only will you experience spectacular scenery, but fishing for brown trout can also be 'spectacular' with many 20-inch plus trout caught each year. The best section for trout is from the Hwy. 51 bridge all the way to the Ion bridge on County Rd X36. Again, consult your Iowa Trout Fishing Guide for directions to the stream.

Northwest

Spirit Lake (Dickinson): Walleye fishing has been good. Anglers are catching an assortment of sizes with 13-15 inches dominating the catch. Drifting or trolling minnows during the day off of Buffalo Run and the north end have produced fish. At night, anglers are seeking rock points and areas of current throwing twisters and shallow running crankbaits for fish. A few crappies have been caught at Hales Slough and Buffalo Run.

Little Spirit Lake (Dickinson): Monster sized bullheads are being caught on night crawlers.

West Okoboji Lake (Dickinson): Anglers are starting to catch a few pan fish around docks on the main lake. A small jig tipped with a small worm is working well. Use light line for these finichy fish! Largemouth bass can be found around docks or spawning areas. They are being caught on a variety of soft plastic baits. Walleye are being caught mainly at night. Try Pocahontas, Atwell, Pillsbury, Pikes and Omaha points for some action. Twisters and numerous live bait rigs have been working.

East Okoboji Lake (Dickinson): Anglers are catching some walleyes drifting with leeches. The narrows, Highway 9 bridge and along Jingles Point to the Henshaw Bridge have been producing some fish.

Center Lake (Dickinson): Anglers are picking up a few walleyes on the south end as well as some panfish during the day. Drifting with leeches or crawlers will catch a variety of fish on this lake.

Upper Gar (Dickinson): Anglers are getting bluegill and crappie around docks. Sunny days have been most productive.

Stolley's Pit (Clay): Catfish is the main species in this pit. Try crawlers or stink bait on the bottom. Look for shallow flats adjacent to deep water. Along the west shore there are several areas as well as the peninsula in the southeast corner. Catfish range anywhere from half a pound all the way up to five pounds. Try along the riprap on the east end for crappies. Small minnows under a light bobber can trigger these fish.

Fairview Pond (Sioux): Largemouth bass can be found around the south shore. Anglers are using plastic worms to catch these fish. Crappie can be found suspended around various trees in the lake. Minnows are the bait of choice.

Willow Creek (Osceola): Bluegill fishing is good for fish from 4 to 8 inches. A small hook with a garden worm and small split shot has been very productive. Bass fishing is excellent on soft plastics worked slowly and a variety of jerk baits.

Storm Lake (Buena Vista): Channel Catfish are good to excellent on live bait. Lots of fish in the 2 to 5 pounds. Walleye are very good trolling shad raps. Some keepers also caught casting twisters at the inlet area. Remember the 15-inch minimum length limit and only one fish over 22 inches. White Bass are red-hot casting twisters or spinners from shore or trolling shad raps. Fish range from 10 to15 inches and lots of numbers.

Black Hawk Lake (Sac): Catfish are good on a variety of baits. Bullheads are excellent all over the lake using night crawlers. Most bullheads are 7 ½ to 8-inches. Walleyes are good using leeches. Lots of fish under the 15-inch limit but limits of legal fish have been taken.

Arrowhead Lake (Sac): Bluegill fishing is good in shallow water. Small black lead head or a small hook tipped with a piece of night crawler under a small bobber.

Crawford Creek (Ida): Fishing is good for medium to large bluegill.

Brushy Creek (Webster): Fishing on the main lake remains slow. The lake water is more turbid than usual. Most of the fish that have been caught are close to the shoreline. Some nice bluegills have been caught using a small hook and a piece of worm.

Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo): Walleye fishing is fair. Trolling crankbaits in 3 to 7 feet of water and jig and minnow fishing the rock reefs or the Ventura Grade are producing the best. Yellow Bass fishing is fair. Fish are on the shallow rocky shorelines around the Island and Dodges Point. Use very small jigs for the best success. Bullheads are hitting on crawlers fished on the bottom.

Beeds Lake (Franklin): Crappie fishing is fair. Use small jigs and minnows drifting or trolling in 10 to 15 feet of water. Fish are suspended at 4 to 8 feet below the surface. Largemouth bass fishing is fair. Pitching spinner baits along the shoreline is working the best.

Silver Lake (Worth): Bullhead fishing is excellent. Quality sized fish are available in good numbers. Fishing crawlers on the bottom provides the best action.

Rice Lake (Winnebago): Bullhead fishing is excellent. Quality sized fish are available in good numbers. Fishing crawlers on the bottom provides the best action.

Lower Pine Lake (Hardin): Crappie fishing is good. Fish at the ends of the downed trees around the island and shorelines. Largemouth bass fishing is good. Work the downed trees with jigs or spinner baits.

Lake Cornelia (Wright): Bullhead fishing is good off the jetty or any wind blow shoreline. Use crawlers fished on the bottom. Walleye fishing is fair trolling crankbaits.

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

 

Southwest

Green Valley (Union): Crappie can still be caught in the mornings and evenings near structure and deeper during the day. Fishing is good for catfish on liver and blood baits. Some bluegill can still be caught from shore with night crawlers. Fishing is also good for big 12 to 13-inch bullheads on night crawlers.

Three Mile (Union): Some walleye can be caught on leeches and night crawlers off the big points. Crappies are biting in the shallow areas and over the mounds during the mornings and evenings. Channel catfish caught using blood bait or liver in the shallow bays.

Twelve Mile (Union): Channel catfish can be caught on liver or blood baits at the upper end and in shallow bays.

Fogle (Ringgold): Channel catfish can be caught using liver in shallow water. Crappie can be caught from the rocks in the morning and evenings.

Little River (Decatur): Crappies, 9 to 10 inches, are being caught over the rocks. Some bluegills are being caught in the shallows on crawlers. Channel catfish can be caught from the shallow bays. Walleye fishing is good using leeches in and around the big points.

Badger Creek (Madison): Some bluegill and crappie can be caught from the rocks of the jetties and off the rocked roadways using crawlers or light jigs.

Wilson (Taylor): Bluegills can be caught from the bays on the south shore.

Windmill (Taylor): Bluegill and crappies are being caught in the mornings and evenings.

West Lake Osceola (Clarke): Bluegills can be caught with crawlers in the bays. Large numbers of crappie can be caught from the dam. Largemouth bass fishing is good.

Grade (Clarke): Fishing is good for bluegills in the corners of the dam and the points of the small bays and fishing is also good for medium size bass.

Viking (Montgomery): Crappie fishing is fair. Crappies are in 6 to 8 feet of water around structure. Use a small jig or minnow and bobber. Bluegills are spawning; cast small jigs close to shore. Largemouth bass fishing is also good using plastic baits with a slow retrieve. Channel catfish are being caught using liver and stink bait.

Cold Springs (Cass): Channel catfish are being caught using liver. Crappie fishing is good around sunken trees. Bluegills are being caught off the spawning beds.

Manawa (Pottawattamie): Channel catfish are being caught using cut bait at Boy Scout Island. Walleyes are being caught drifting night crawlers along rocky shores in the evening. Largemouth bass fishing is fair using a slow presentation with spinner baits and plastic worms.

Orient (Adair): Fishing is fair for 7 to 8-inch crappies along the rocks. Channel catfish are being caught using liver early in morning. Bluegill fishing is excellent on the spawning beds.

Mormon Trail (Adair): A few crappies are being caught. Bluegills are being caught off spawning beds. Channel catfishing is excellent using liver.

Greenfield (Adair): A few crappies are being caught around brush piles using minnows. Bluegills are spawning and readily caught off beds using small jigs. Largemouth bass fishing is excellent using spinner baits.

Littlefield (Audubon): Bluegill fishing is fair using small jigs. Look for the spawning areas near shore. Crappie fishing has slowed but some are still being caught using minnows and bobbers. Most crappies are 10 inches in length.

Prairie Rose (Shelby): Crappies can still be caught along rocky shorelines. Bluegill fishing is good around spawning structures. Channel catfish are being caught in evening using dead minnows or liver. Largemouth bass fishing has picked up using crankbaits and plastic worms. Channel catfish fishing has picked up using liver.

DeSoto Bend (Harrison): Walleye fishing is fair jigging minnows around brush piles and trolling crankbaits in evening in 6 to 8 foot of water. Bluegills, 6 to 6 ½ inches, are being caught on spawning beds. Channel catfish are being caught using liver.

Willow (Harrison): Bluegills are being caught using worms. Crappie fishing is good using small jigs on the corner of the dam. A few catfish are being caught in shallow coves using liver.

Don Williams (Boone): Crappie fishing is fair to good using minnows and jigs, but the fish are starting to move into deeper water. Largemouth bass fishing has been fair. Bluegill fishing has been slow to fair on worms. Several anglers reported walleye from 18 to 20 inches long.

Hickory Grove (Story): Crappie fishing has been good using crappie jigs and minnows. Bluegill fishing is fair with worms and bobbers the best combination. Largemouth bass fishing has been fair, with a few fish up to 19 inches.

Rock Creek (Jasper): Bluegill fishing has been fair using worms. Crappie fishing has been fair to good near and around structure using jigs and minnows. Largemouth bass have been biting on top-water lures working shorelines. Channel catfish fishing has been fair to good using worms and/or chicken liver.

Big Creek (Polk): Bluegill fishing has been fair to with worms. Crappie fishing has been slow using jigs and minnows.

Easter (Polk): Crappie fishing has been good on jigs for 6 to 8-inch fish. Bluegill fishing has been good with some nice 8-inch fish reported. Channel catfish fishing has been slow but starting to pick up. Largemouth bass fishing has been good using plastic worms.

Saylorville (Polk): Crappie and white bass fishing has been good to excellent at the outlet from Big Creek Lake. Fish have been caught on a variety of lures with reports of nice-sized fish of a variety of species caught.

Below Saylorville Dam (Polk): Crappie fishing was good in the tailwater ponds at Saylorville. White bass fishing has been good using jigs and/or minnows.

Des Moines River (Polk): Crappie and white bass fishing has been fair to good in the Des Moines River below Scott Street and Center Street dams.

Lake Red Rock (Marion): Crappie fishing has been fair, with some nice sized fish caught using jig and minnow combinations. Better fishing is in shallow, warmer water, around the outlet from Roberts Creek and in the Whitebreast area. Channel catfish fishing has been good in the upper reaches of the reservoir off old roadbeds.

Below Lake Red Rock (Marion): Anglers report white bass and crappie fishing has been fair to good using jigs in the tailwater area.

Roberts Creek (Marion): Crappie fishing has been good near the outlet using jig and minnow combinations. Channel catfish fishing has been good near the outlet.

Ahquabi (Warren): Crappie fishing has been fair using jigs and minnows. Largemouth bass fishing has been good using plastic worms and spinner lures, although most have below the length limit. Bluegill and redear fishing has been good with most fish taken on worms near the shoreline.

Hooper (Warren): Crappie fishing has been fair using jig and minnow combinations. Largemouth bass fishing has been good using plastic worms and spinner lures. Bluegill fishing has been fair to good.

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: Fishing on the Mississippi River Pools 16 to 19 continues to be fair to good. The water level on Pool 16 (Muscatine) is 10.81 feet and is expected to drop gradually over the next several days. The water temperature is 68 degrees. Anglers continue to do well catching channel catfish on Pools 16 to 19 on various baits. Worms and leeches have been best, with some success on shrimp, shad guts and paste baits. Crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass fishing also continues to be good in backwaters with accessible water depths. Try around Andulusia Island, Big Timber, Lake Odessa, and Carthage Lake. Crappie anglers have had success using minnows, jigs and slip bobber rigs. Bluegills are also being caught in the backwaters and below the dams on jigs and bobber rigs with worms and wax worms being the baits of choice. Walleye and sauger fishing has been slow.

Lake Odessa (Louisa): Bluegill fishing has been good. Look for males to be guarding the nests on the shallow flats especially off the sandy points. Anglers are also still catching catfish. Concentrate along the trees going off into the deeper water. Live minnows or night crawlers seem to be the best baits.

Lake Darling (Washington): Monday morning water temperature was 69 degrees, and the water remains clear. Bluegills are on the nests. Concentrate on the shallow bays and shoreline area along the old creek channels where the bottom is mostly sand and gravel. Bluegills are averaging 7 to 8 inches this year.

Lake Geode (Henry): Bluegill fishing slowed over the holiday weekend, most likely due to lots of activity on and around the lake. Anglers are starting to catch bass along the weed beds down by the spillway. The bridge across the spillway is now open.

Lake Belva Deer (Keokuk): Bluegill fishing continues to be excellent. Concentrate on the shallow water area where they are spawning. Fish small jigs tipped with wax worms or pieces of worm. Anglers are also picking up a few crappies that have come to the shallows to spawn.

Lake Rathbun (Appanoose): Crappies have been biting in shallow water along rocky shorelines. Bigger fish are being caught around brush piles in 10 to 15 feet of water. Channel catfish have been biting on stink bait around the Bridgeview bridge. Walleyes have been hitting on jig and minnow combinations along rocky points.

Lake Sugema (Van Buren): Bluegills have been hitting on small jigs tipped with a chunk of night crawler or wax worm. Largemouth bass have been hitting on a variety of artificial presentations.

Lake Hawthorn (Mahaska): Bluegills and crappies have been hitting along the shoreline on tube jigs and also small jigs tipped with a night crawler or a minnow.

Lake Wapello (Davis): Bluegills have been biting on small jigs fished under a bobber. Largemouth bass have been hitting on artificial lures. Sunrise and sunset have been the most productive times. Channel catfish have been biting on liver, worms and stink bait. Evening has been best for the channel catfish bite.

Lake Macbride (Johnson): Crappies are being caught in the shallow water brush piles, using minnows under bobbers or jig and minnow combinations. Large numbers of bluegills in the 5 to 8-inch range are in the shallows and have been eager to bite.

Pleasant Creek (Linn): Anglers are catching some 9 to 11-inch crappies that are in to spawn. Bluegills are also being caught in the shallows while they are spawning. Walleyes continue to be caught, using leeches.

Hannen Lake (Benton): Anglers are catching 6 to 9-inch bluegills. Largemouth bass are being caught regularly in the shallows.

Wapsipinicon River (Linn): Smallmouth bass and channel catfish have been willing to bite. Try live bait, jigs or minnow or crawfish imitations for bass and dead shad, liver, or crawlers for catfish.

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