Northeast

Mississippi River Pools 9 to 15: Water levels on the Mississippi River have complicated fishing over the past few weeks; however, river levels were expected to crest on June 20, then begin to recede. Water level in the tailwater at Guttenberg on Monday morning was at 9.3 feet with a temperature of 78 degrees. Bellevue was on a slow rise at 9.87 feet with a temperature of 76 degrees. Water clarity is stained. Sporadic catches of walleyes are being reported from Pools 9 to 11. Some anglers are fishing the wing dams for walleyes using a three-way worm rig. Other anglers are catching walleyes by drifting jigs in the larger, flowing sloughs such as Minnesota Slough (Pool 9) or Harpers Slough (Pool 10). Walleye fishing in Pools 12 to 15 is fair to good using night crawlers, crankbaits and leeches along the wing dams tight to shore (areas with less current) and off the rocks and rip rapped shorelines. Fishing for freshwater drum has been good to excellent in nearly all flowing water habitats in Pools 9 to 15. Use a sliding sinker and night crawler for drum. Good places to fish for freshwater drum include Minnesota Slough near New Albin in Pool 9, Harpers Slough near Harpers Ferry in Pool 10, and the emergency spillway near Guttenberg in Pool 11, or fish the wing dams and areas with current in Pools 12 to 15. Channel catfish are biting on worms, night crawlers, cheese bait and stink baits fished along the rocky shorelines in Pools 9 to 15. Channel catfish normally start to spawn when water temperatures reach 75 degrees, so look for catfish around spawning habitat-rocks and logjam areas. Smallmouth bass and largemouth bass are both biting well in Pools 9 to 11. Smallmouth can be found in current areas along natural rocky banks or along riprap stretches of the river in Pools 9 to 11. Use an in-line spinner or crankbait and pitch the lure as close to the rock as possible, since smallmouth will hide in rocky crevasses. Largemouth bass are biting well throughout Pool 9 and in the tailwater areas at Lynxville (Dam 9) and Guttenberg (Dam 10). Anglers are using a variety of spinning baits and are fishing the quiet pockets or along the spillways. Largemouth in Pool 10 are also being caught using scum frogs in Bussey Lake and Methodist Lake. Largemouth bass fishing in Pools 12 to 15 is fair to good on a variety of traditional bass lures including crankbaits, spinner baits, top-water lures and jigs fished around woody structure, vegetation and rocky shorelines in the backwaters and along the main channel border in areas with little or no current. A few bluegills are being taken off rocky shorelines and backwater areas next to woody structure in Pools 12 to 15.

Cedar River (Floyd): Walleyes are biting on bright-colored jigs or jig heads tipped with a night crawler. Smallmouth bass are hitting bright-colored crankbaits and jigs.

Cedar River (Black Hawk), Shell Rock River (Butler) and West Fork Cedar River (Butler): Channel catfish fishing is good to excellent drifting a minnow, night crawler or leech below a bobber. On the Cedar River, look for channel catfish below the dams.

Maquoketa River (Delaware and Jones): Fishing for channel catfish is good using minnows, night crawlers or chicken liver. Smallmouth bass are biting on crankbaits in the catch-and-release area below the Lake Delhi Dam.

Shell Rock River (Floyd): Smallmouth bass fishing is good with jigs tipped with a night crawler.

Gilbertson Nature Center Pond (Fayette): Channel catfish are biting on stink baits. While in the Elgin area, anglers are encouraged to visit the nature center.

Lake Meyer (Winneshiek): Bluegill fishing is good on a piece of night crawler fished under a bobber.

Lake Hendricks (Howard): Bluegill fishing is good on worms fished under a slip bobber. Largemouth bass are hitting on top-water lures. Channel catfish are biting on chick liver and cut baits.

Lake Delhi (Delaware): Fishing for channel catfish is good using chicken liver or prepared bait. Largemouth bass fishing is good using crankbaits or plastic worms.

Marten's Lake [Sweet Marsh] (Bremer): Largemouth bass are biting on spinner baits or plastic worms fished along the weed lines. Marten's Lake consistently produces some of the largest bass caught in the area. Boaters are reminded to thoroughly clean their boats, live wells and trailers after fishing Marten's to help prevent the spread of Eurasian water milfoil.

Silver Lake (Delaware): Bluegills are on the beds and fish are biting on a piece of worm or jig floated under a bobber.

Volga Lake (Fayette): Anglers are catching nice size channel cats fishing night crawlers on the bottom along the face of the dam. Anglers are finding the most success fishing in the early morning hours.

Turkey River (Clayton): The Turkey River at Big Spring Hatchery northwest of Elkader will provide excellent fishing as the water temperature increases. From April through early June, trout stocked at Big Spring can spread out several miles upstream or downstream of the hatchery making them somewhat more challenging to catch. As the water temperature in the Turkey River increases in late June, trout become more concentrated near the coldwater spring outlets or below other remote springs that flow into the river. Generally speaking, trout will be concentrated for about a half mile below the hatchery during the hotter summer months. Combine concentrated trout numbers with a stream being stocked three times per week, and you get-great fishing! Don't forget that the Turkey River is stocked on Saturdays all summer long and provides great fishing opportunities for the weekend anglers. When the Turkey is a little muddy, live or artificial-scented bait works best, but as the river clears artificial lures become just as effective on trout.

Northwest

Spirit Lake (Dickinson): Walleye fishing has been good around weed lines and fishing in the basin is picking up. Live bait presentations using leeches and crawlers are best for numbers with crankbaits. They are catching fewer but bigger fish. Largemouth bass fishing has been good around docks close to the weed lines using soft plastics.

West Okoboji Lake (Dickinson): Largemouth bass fishing has been good around the weed lines using soft plastics. A few largemouth are also being caught around docks. Smallmouth bass fishing is fair around rocks. The top presentations have been using crankbaits in the evenings and soft plastics during the day. Bluegill fishing has slowed, but anglers are still getting a few around the docks. Look for bluegills around rock piles that have vegetation close by. Northern pike fishing has been good for small fish using crankbaits.

East Okoboji Lake (Dickinson): Catfish fishing has picked up using stink bait and chicken liver. Bluegills are being caught around the trestle area.

Lake Minnewashta (Dickinson): Anglers are catching some nice bluegills.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): Catfish fishing has been good to excellent around the submerged brush using cut bait. Anglers are catching a few big bullheads.

Trumbull Lake (Clay): A few northern pike are being caught around the outlet using spoons and spinners.

Ingham Lake (Emmet): Bullhead fishing is excellent. Anglers are catching channel catfish using chicken liver and stink bait.

West Fork of the Des Moines River (Emmet): Walleye fishing has picked up the past week.

Five Island (Palo Alto): Walleye fishing is fair, but has slowed down considerably.

Willow Creek (Osceola): Largemouth bass fishing has been good using top-water baits.

Lake Pahoja (Lyon): Fishing has been good for bluegills and crappies around brush piles. The fish are on the small side, but it is a great place to take the kids.

Black Hawk Lake (Sac): Channel catfish are good using a variety of baits. A few walleyes are being caught on leeches, but it is slow. Remember the 15-inch minimum length limit. Bullheads are good using night crawlers all over the lake.

Storm Lake (Buena Vista): Catfish are good on leeches, night crawlers and minnows. Walleye are fair trolling crankbaits.

North Twin Lake (Calhoun): Bluegill and channel catfish fishing is good.

Brushy Creek (Webster): Bluegill fishing has been good lately using wax worms or a piece of worm. A few nice crappies have been picked up using minnows on a small hook and slip bobber fishing around structure. Yellow perch are being caught along with the bluegills using wax worms or a piece of worms. Walleyes are biting sporadically throughout the day. Bass fishing remains good throughout the lake.

Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo): Walleye fishing has been fair. Slip bobbers with live bait or spinner rigs with minnows, night crawlers or leeches are producing fish. Fish around the rock reefs with either technique for the best action. Channel catfish are hitting on night crawlers, minnows and chicken liver. Bullheads are hitting on night crawlers fished on the bottom. Yellow bass have been difficult to locate, in any numbers, since they moved out of the spawning areas.

Beeds Lake (Franklin): Crappie fishing is good using small tube jigs or twister tails in 10 to 18 feet of water. Fish are suspended high in the water column, so use light jigs and drift or troll them out away from the boat. Bluegills are hitting on small jigs or pieces of crawlers. Fish are on the spawning beds near shore.

Interstate Park Pond (Franklin): Crappies are hitting on small jigs and minnows off the fishing jetty. Bluegills are hitting on small jigs and night crawlers around the shoreline.

Lake Cornelia (Wright): Bullhead fishing is good off the jetty or any wind blow shoreline. Use night 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

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. Bluegill fishing is fair; cast small jigs close to shore. Largemouth bass fishing is also good using plastic baits and 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 fair around sunken trees. Bluegills are being caught with small jigs around structure.

Manawa (Pottawattamie): Channel catfish is fair using cut bait and liver on south shore and tin can alley. Walleyes are being caught along west shore in evening drifting night crawlers and trolling crank baits. Fresh water drum are being caught on west shore using night crawlers on the bottom.

Orient (Adair): Fishing is fair for 7- to 8-inch crappies drifting jigs and minnows. Channel catfish are being caught using liver early in the morning. Most bluegills have moved off spawning areas but are still being caught around structure.

Mormon Trail (Adair): A few crappies are being caught around the jetties and sunken trees. Some bluegills are still being caught off spawning beds on the south side of the lake. Try fishing in 5 to 6 feet of water around structure. Channel catfishing has slowed, but some are still being caught using liver.

Greenfield (Adair): Crappie fishing is fair around brush piles using minnows. Bluegill fishing is fair drifting a jig tipped with a night crawler. Largemouth bass fishing is good using spinner baits. Catfishing is fair using liver.

Littlefield (Audubon): Bluegill fishing is fair using small jigs tipped with worms. Crappie fishing has slowed, but some are still being caught using minnows and bobbers. Most crappies are 10 inches. Channel catfishing is fair using prepared dip bait and liver.

Prairie Rose (Shelby): Crappies can still be caught along rocky shorelines. Channel catfish are being caught in the evenings using dead minnows or liver. Largemouth bass fishing has picked up on crank baits and plastic worms.

DeSoto Bend (Harrison): Walleye fishing is fair jigging minnows around brush piles and trolling crankbaits in the evenings in 6 to 8 feet of water. Bluegills have moved off spawning beds, but are still being caught around structure using night crawlers. Channel catfish are being caught on liver.

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

Green Valley (Union): Some crappie can still be caught in the mornings and evenings near structure, and deeper during the day. Some big bluegill can still be caught from shore with crawlers or jigs tipped with wax worms. Fishing is good for big 12- to 13-inch bullheads on night crawlers.

Three Mile (Union): Walleye can be caught on leeches and night crawlers from the steep drop offs near the big points and on the sides of the mounds. Channel catfish can be caught from the riprap and rock piles. Bluegills and crappies can be caught from the tops of the brush piles or the outside of the weed line.

Twelve Mile (Union): Channel catfish can be caught on liver or blood baits.

Walnut Creek Marsh (Ringgold): Big bluegills and some crappie can be caught along the south dike on crawlers and jigs tipped with crawlers.

Fogle Lake (Ringgold): Channel catfish can be caught using liver in the riprap areas. Some bluegill can be caught from the outside of the weed line.

Little River (Decatur): Channel catfish can be caught using liver from the rocks. Walleye fishing is good using leeches and crawlers around the big points and steep drop offs.

East Lenox (Taylor): Bluegills can be caught from shore using crawlers.

West Lenox (Taylor): Some nice bluegills can be caught from the corners of the dam off spawning beds. Some good largemouth bass can be caught near shore in the evenings.

Wilson Lake (Taylor): Some bluegilsl can be caught in the evenings with crawlers.

Criss Cove (Madison): Some nice bluegills can be caught with crawlers from the outside of the cattails.

West Lake Osceola (Clarke): Bluegills can be caught with crawlers in the bays or around the flooded trees. Largemouth bass fishing is good.

Grade Lake (Clarke): Fishing is good for bluegills on the outside edges of the weed line. Fishing is also good for medium size bass.

Q Pond (Clarke): Some nice bullheads can be caught on crawlers.

Don Williams (Boone): Crappie fishing is good to excellent using minnows and jigs. Channel catfish fishing has been good using stink baits. Largemouth bass fishing has been fair, with a few nice-sized fish. Bluegill fishing has been fair on worms. Several anglers have also reported catching walleye, a few in the 18- to 20-inch range.

Hickory Grove (Story): Crappie fishing has been good using jigs and minnows. Bluegill fishing is fair on worms and bobbers. Largemouth bass fishing has been fair with top water lures, 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 on jigs and minnows, although fish are starting to move into deeper water. Largemouth bass have been biting on top water lures working the shorelines. Channel catfish fishing have been fair to good using worms and/or chicken livers.

Big Creek (Polk): Bluegill fishing has been good on worms, with some nice-sized fish reported. Crappie fishing has been slow to fair using jigs/minnows, with the better areas near the dam and in the east arm of the lake. Anglers also report catching a number of smaller walleye below the 15-inch minimum length limit. Channel catfishing has been slow to fair, with some nice-sized fish in the lake.

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. Largemouth bass fishing has been good using plastic worms. Channel catfish fishing has been fair using worms and/or chicken livers.

Saylorville Lake (Polk): Crappie and white bass fishing has been good to excellent in various areas, with some 10-inch-plus fish reported. Channel catfish fishing has been good to excellent using stink baits at the outlet from Big Creek Lake, primarily during late evening or night.

Below Saylorville Dam (Polk): White bass and crappie fishing has been good using jigs and/or minnows with some nice sized walleye reportedly caught. Fishing has been good along Cottonwood access downstream from the dam.

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

Lake Red Rock (Marion): Crappie fishing has been fair, with some nice sized fish caught using jigs/minnow combination. The better areas are the shallower, warmer waters, around the outlet from Roberts Creek and in the Whitebreast area. Channel catfishing has been good in the upper reaches of the reservoir off old road beds.

Below Lake Red Rock (Marion): Anglers report white bass and crappie fishing has been fair using jigs in the tailwater area. Channel catfish fishing has also picked up with some nice fish being caught.

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

Ahquabi (Warren): Crappie fishing has been fair using jigs/minnows. Largemouth bass fishing has been good using plastic worms and spinner lures, although most have been sub-legal. 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/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 has been fair. At the gauging station on Pool 16 (near Muscatine) the water temperature is 78 degrees and the river pool stage is 10.27 feet and is expected to remain stable over the next several days. Fishing for channel catfish continues to be good throughout the river with leeches, worms, and stink bait. Anglers continue to catch bluegill in all accessible backwaters on worms and small jigs and bobber rigs. Fishing for crappie has been slow. White bass fishing continues to be fair in the tailwaters. Anglers report walleye and sauger fishing is beginning to pick up. Walleye fishing below Dam 16 (Muscatine) is fair, tailwater 16 is not producing good numbers of fish, but the fish caught are decent sized. Anglers are also getting a few walleye and sauger below Dam 17 (Toolesboro). Walleye and sauger are also starting to be caught off the wing dams on crankbaits. Flathead fishing has been good below lock and Dam 19 (Keokuk). Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing has been fair below Dam 16 (Muscatine) and above Dam 19 (Keokuk).

Lake Odessa (Louisa): Mississippi River levels are preventing the DNR from lowering the lake for the summer, but will resume the water level drop after the river goes down. The Toolesboro access has not been affected by the river level.

Lake Darling (Washington): Evening remains the best time to catch the catfish. For those with boats, try off the ends of the rock jetties on the east side of the lake where the catfish are on the prowl for the crayfish.

Lake Geode (Henry): Late last week, some bluegills had moved back onto the beds for a second spawn. The rest of the bluegills are out deeper at the edges of the weed beds. Try trolling for crappies along the creek channel for some nice fish.

Lake Belva Deer (Keokuk): Bluegill fishing is fair. Water temperatures have hit the upper 70s to low 80s. The bluegills have moved into deeper water so head for the deep submerged trees.

Lake Rathbun (Appanoose): Crappies are still being caught along the rocky shorelines and in deeper water around brush piles on minnows and tube jigs. Walleyes and white bass have been hitting on jigs and minnows, crankbaits, and night crawlers. Channel catfish have been biting on cut bait and stink bait in the Bridgeview area

Lake Hawthorn (Mahaska): Largemouth bass have been hitting top-water lures fished in the mornings and evenings in the shallows and around structure. Channel catfish have been biting on cut bait around the rocks.

Lake Miami (Monroe): Channel catfish have been biting on liver and cut bait. Crappies have been hitting on small jigs and minnows in the flooded timber. Bluegills have been hitting small jigs fished in the shallows.

Lake Wapello (Davis): Channel catfish have been biting on stink bait and liver. Bluegills have been hitting small jigs around structure in 10 to 12 feet of water. Largemouth bass have been hitting on a variety of artificial lures

Pleasant Creek (Linn): Channel catfish are moving shallow to spawn. These fish are very aggressive and can be caught on a variety of baits. Large numbers of 5 to 8-inch bluegills are in the shallows and are usually eager to bite. Largemouth bass have been biting on live and artificial baits around the rocky areas.

Hannen Lake (Benton): Bluegills in the 6 to 9-inch range are being caught in the shallows. Channel catfish are coming in to spawn and are being caught on chicken liver and night crawlers. Largemouth bass are being caught on a variety of artificial and live baits.

Coralville Reservoir (Johnson): Channel catfish are in the shallow rocks to spawn and can be caught on a variety of live and dead baits.

Lake Iowa (Iowa): Spawning channel catfish are feeding aggressively on liver and night crawlers. Look for them in the shallow areas of the lake.

Diamond Lake (Poweshiek): Bluegills remaining in the shallows are being caught on small baits. Spawning catfish are being caught on night crawlers in the shallow rocky areas.

Union Grove (Tama): Crappies, bluegills and channel catfish are being caught in the shallows right now. Try minnows or small jigs for the crappies, small worms or wax worms for the bluegills, and night crawlers or liver for the catfish.

Lake Macbride (Johnson): Try around rocky areas for spawning channel catfish. They are very aggressive and can be caught on a number of live/natural baits. Some bluegills are still holding shallow and are willing to bite.

Kent Park (Johnson): Bluegills and crappies are being caught in the shallows on small baits, while channel catfish are being caught early and late in the day on chicken liver or night crawlers. Many sub-legal bass can be caught on a variety of lures.

Iowa River (Louisa): Catfishing is fair. Bank pole fishing for flatheads has dropped off. River levels are dropping steadily which normally means so does the fishing.

Skunk River (Keokuk and Washington): Water levels are dropping very quickly. Fishing has been poor to fair.

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