Northeast

Mississippi River Pools 9 to 15: Water level at Bellevue is 3.7 feet and stable, with a water temperature of 77 degrees. With the low water levels, anglers are concentrating on the wing dams along the main channel border. Lower water levels can make it easier to locate the wing dams by the current break and the rock along the shoreline.

Walleye fishing has been slow over the past week in Pools 9 to 15. Fish a night crawler or crankbait along the wing dams.

Bluegill fishing has been good in Pools 9 to 15. Concentrate around wood or rock structure or along vegetation in the backwaters and running sloughs and suspend a piece of night crawler 4 to 5 feet below the surface. Near shore, fish along the rocks bordering the main channel and drift a piece of worm a foot or two below a bobber for bluegills. Bluegills are staging along the wing dams. Float a piece of night crawler on the bottom next to the wing dams, but move if you don't get a bite within 15 minutes. Sny Magill in Pool 10 has produced good fishing for bluegills.

Crappie fishing is fair to good in Pools 9 to 15. Fish for crappies in the backwater sloughs or along the main channel border in areas with little or no current. Fish along woody structure and cast a piece of night crawler or use a bobber and suspend a minnow 3 to 5 feet below the surface.

Fishing for freshwater drum (sheephead) has been good in Pools 9 to 15. Use a night crawler fished on the bottom in front of wing dams and side sloughs for drum. Move until you find fish.

Channel catfishing has been fair to good in Pools 9 to 15 using stink baits and night crawlers. Some anglers like to fish for catfish along the face of the wing dams or in the deep water behind the outside edges of the wing dams using stink baits. When fishing for catfish, be ready to move if you don't have a bite within the first 15 minutes.

Fishing for largemouth bass in Pools 12 to 15 has been good using top-water lures, spinnerbaits and crankbaits fished around rocky shorelines in out-of-current areas or the main channel border in areas with less current. Bass are also being taken in vegetated areas in the backwaters using top-water lures and spinnerbaits.

Cedar River (Black Hawk): Channel catfish are being caught on chicken liver, night crawlers and prepared baits (stink baits) drifted over the riffle areas. A few walleyes are being caught on night crawlers.

Maquoketa River (Delaware and Jones): Smallmouth bass fishing is good on night crawlers or twister tails. Walleye fishing is fair on jigs tipped with a night crawler.

Turkey River (Fayette and Clayton): Fishing is excellent for smallmouth bass on crankbaits and jigs.

Upper Iowa River (Howard, Winneshiek and Allamakee): Fishing is good for smallmouth bass and walleye on live bait, crankbaits and jigs.

Wapsipinicon River (Buchanan): Anglers are catching a few walleye on a jig and night crawler combination. Smallmouth bass fishing is good.

Lake Delhi (Delaware): Bluegill fishing is good using worms around the brush piles. Crappie fishing is improving.

Lake Meyer (Winneshiek): Bluegill fishing is good using a piece of night crawler under a bobber next to structure.

Trout Streams: There are many excellent trout streams to fish in September including Little Paint, Glovers, Bloody Run, Trout Run, Twin Springs and the Turkey River. All of these streams are stocked regularly and flow through easily accessible park-like settings making it easy for all to enjoy. To find out specific dates for announced stream stockings on these and other unique trout streams, call the trout stocking hotline or go to the web page listed below.

Northwest

Spirit Lake (Dickinson): Walleyes are being caught at the North Grade on leeches and minnows. A few walleyes are also being caught trolling spinners with leeches on the main lake. A few largemouth bass are being caught in shallow water. Look for bait fish around docks and other cover with shade and fish those areas.

West Okoboji Lake (Dickinson): Bluegill fishing is good in 15 to 25 feet of water along the weed lines. Try Hayward's Bay, Echo Bay, Emerson Bay or the North Bay using a small jig tipped with a wax worm or night crawler. A few 8 to 10-inch yellow perch are being caught while fishing for bluegill. Anglers are catching walleyes while fishing the deep weed lines using leeches.

West Fork of the Des Moines River (Emmet): Channel catfish fishing is good. Fish the deep holes near snags with night crawlers, chicken liver or shrimp.

Black Hawk Lake (Sac): Channel catfish fishing is good using chicken liver.

North Twin Lake (Calhoun): Anglers are catching yellow bass and bluegills on small lead-heads tipped with a crawdad tail. Channel catfish fishing is excellent on crawdads.

Crawford Creek (Ida): Fishing is good for medium sized bluegills and for 9 to 10-inch crappies.

Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo): Yellow bass are hitting night crawlers and small minnows in the deep water around the Island and Dodge's Point.

Beeds Lake (Franklin): Anglers are catching 7 to 10-inch crappies at the causeway area by drifting or slowly trolling with small jigs and minnows.

Crystal Lake (Hancock): Channel catfish are hitting on stink bait and chicken liver. Fishing in the evening to early morning hours produces the best action.

Lake Cornelia (Wright): Anglers are catching yellow perch from shore using small jigs or minnows. Channel catfish are hitting on liver, night crawlers and stink bait.

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

 

Southwest

Don Williams (Boone): Channel catfish fishing has been good using chicken liver and night crawlers. Bluegill fishing has been good on worms. Anglers have been picking up crappies using jigs.

Hickory Grove (Story): Bluegill fishing has been fair with worms. Crappie fishing has been slow with jigs. Largemouth bass fishing has been fair during the early morning hours in deeper water. Channel catfish fishing has been good using chicken liver, with the best fishing in the early morning or evening.

Rock Creek (Jasper): Channel catfish fishing has been fair on worms and/or chicken liver. Largemouth bass have been biting on top-water lures.

Big Creek (Polk): Bluegill fishing has been good to excellent on worms, with nice-sized fish reported. Channel catfish fishing has been good, particularly at night.

Easter Lake (Polk): Channel catfish fishing has been fair to good using worms and/or chicken liver. Crappie fishing has been slow with jigs. Bluegill fishing has been fair using worms and bobbers. Largemouth bass fishing, particularly for smaller bass, has been good.

Saylorville Lake (Polk): White bass fishing has been good. Walleye fishing has been slow to fair, particularly in the Cherry Glen area. Channel catfish fishing has been good to excellent with the best areas north of the Mile Long Bridge.

Below Saylorville Dam (Polk): White bass/wiper fishing has been good using top water lures, jigs and/or minnows. Walleye fishing has slowed, although a few are still being taken. Channel catfish fishing has been good to excellent from Saylorville dam to Cottonwood.

Lake Red Rock (Marion): White bass fishing has been slow, but usually improves during warmer weather. Channel catfish fishing has been fair using traditional baits, with the better areas in the upper portions of the reservoir. Crappie fishing has been slow, although some nice-sized fish are being taken with jigs and minnows.

Below Lake Red Rock (Marion): White bass fishing has been good using jigs and jigs and minnows in the tailwater area. Channel catfish fishing has been slow to fair with some nice fish being caught.

Roberts Creek (Marion): Channel catfish fishing has been fair near the outlet using chicken liver or other traditional baits.

Lake Ahquabi (Warren): Bluegill and redear fishing has been fair to good using worms or wax works. Channel catfish fishing has been good using chicken liver, night crawlers and stink bait. Largemouth bass fishing has been good using plastic worms and spinner lures, although most fish are below the length limit.

Hooper Lake (Warren): Channel catfish fishing has been fair using chicken liver and stink bait. Largemouth bass fishing has been slow using plastic worms and spinner lures. Bluegill fishing has been slow using worms and bobbers around structure.

Green Valley (Union): Bluegills and crappies can be caught on tube jigs, night crawlers or wax worms in 6 to 8 feet of water around cover. Channel catfish are biting on liver or night crawlers.

Three Mile (Union): Channel catfish can be caught on liver or night crawlers in the bays on the outside of the weed line. Bluegill fishing is fair using night crawlers on the outside of the weed line or around the flooded trees. Some crappies are being caught from the flooded trees on about 6 to 10 feet of water.

Fogle Lake (Ringgold): Some crappies and bluegill are being caught around the flooded trees in 5 to 9 feet of water. Some channel catfish can be caught using night crawlers along shore.

Little River (Decatur): Channel catfish can be caught using liver.

Icaria (Adams): Channel catfish up to 18 inches are being caught using liver or dip baits.

Grade (Clarke): Bluegill can be caught by drift fishing a night crawler in about 8 to 10 feet of water.

Viking (Montgomery): Crappie fishing is fair using a small jig or minnow under a bobber in 6 to 8 feet of water around structure. Largemouth bass fishing is good using plastic baits with a slow retrieve. Channel catfish are being caught using liver and stink bait in early morning and late evening. Reports of 8 to 10 pound catfish are being caught.

Anita (Cass): Channel catfish fishing is good. The lake is 5.5 feet low and boat ramps are still not useable.

Cold Springs (Cass): Channel catfish fishing is slow but a few are being caught using liver in the evenings. Crappie fishing is fair around sunken trees. Bluegills are being caught with small jigs around structure.

Manawa (Pottawattamie): Channel catfish is fair using stink bait and liver on Boy Scout Island and the west shore. Walleyes have slowed but a few are being caught along west shore in evening drifting night crawlers.

Orient (Adair): Fishing is slow for 7 to 8-inch crappies drifting jigs and minnows. Channel catfish is good using liver early in morning and late afternoon. Bluegills are slow but are still being caught drifting night crawlers.

Mormon Trail (Adair): Channel catfishing is fair using liver or minnows in the evening. A few bluegills are being caught drifting jigs tipped with worms. Largemouth bass are being caught around structure.

Greenfield (Adair): Bluegill fishing is fair drifting a jig tipped with night crawler. Largemouth bass fishing is fair using spinner baits. Catfish is good using liver and dead minnows.

Meadow (Adair): Fishing is fair for 8-inch bluegills using night crawlers around sunken trees or by drifting a small jig tipped with a night crawler. Crappies are slow, but a few are being caught with minnows and bobbers around sunken trees.

Littlefield (Audubon): Bluegill fishing is fair. Try drifting a night crawler in 4 to 5 feet of water. Crappie fishing has slowed but some are still being caught using minnows and bobbers. Most crappies are 10 inches in length. Channel catfishing is fair using prepared dip bait and liver in the rocks close to shore.

Prairie Rose (Shelby): Flathead catfish are being caught using live bait. Crappies and bluegill are slow, but can still be caught along rocky shorelines. Channel catfish are being caught in evening using dead minnows or liver. Largemouth bass fishing is fair using crankbaits and plastic worms.

DeSoto Bend (Harrison): Walleye fishing is slow, but are being caught jigging minnows around brush piles and trolling crankbaits in evening in 6 to 8 feet of water. Channel catfish are being caught using liver in evening. Crappies are slow; try fishing minnow and bobber around sunken trees.

Willow (Harrison): Bluegills are being caught using worms. Channel catfish are good being caught in the evening using liver.

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 Pools16 to 19 has been fair to good. At the gauging station on Pool 16 (near Muscatine) the water temperature is 77 degrees and the river pool stage is 11.32 feet and is expected to remain stable over the next several days. In Pools 16 to 19, fishing for channel catfish has been good throughout this stretch of the Mississippi River on a variety of baits with worms, dip baits, leeches, liver, shad guts, and crushed minnows working best. Anglers are catching channel catfish along the rock bars and wing dams, side channels, near drift piles, and below the dams and spillways. On Pool 17, anglers are catching channel catfish near the GPC Plant. Bluegill and crappie fishing has been slow. Try near Andalusia Island on Pool 16 and in the side channels. In Pool 17, a few bluegill and crappie are being caught in Big Timber and The Breaks area, as well as Hidden Acres. On Pool 18, try Lake Odessa. Bluegills are being caught on redworms, worms, wax worms, and small jigs and bobber rigs. Anglers are starting to catch a few walleye around the wing dams and near the GPC Plant on Pool 17 on jigs and minnows. Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass fishing has been fair in the tailwater area of Dam 16. On Pool 17, anglers are catching largemouth bass along the rocks near the Harbor/Riverfront at Muscatine. The Big Timber area in Pool 17 has been fair to good for largemouth bass. Bass fishing has also been good in Pool 19 and below Dam 19.

Lake Odessa (Louisa): The inlet and outlet gates remain open to allow fresh river water to enter the marsh to help the fish during hot weather. Look to the inlet structure for a good place to find catfish and other predators looking to make a quick meal out of any fish coming in from the river.

Lake Darling (Washington): Catfishing remains the summer sport at Lake Darling with the evening anglers having the best luck on chicken liver.

Lake Geode (Henry): Look for bluegills around the ledges in 10 to 13 feet of water. Try trolling for crappies using a three-way swivel rig and a minnow.

Lake Belva Deer (Keokuk): Bluegills are suspended in 10 to 12 feet of water. Use ice fishing jigs and wax worms to catch them. Concentrate around the trees near the creek channel where for bass hiding in the shade.

Lake Rathbun (Appanoose): Channel catfish have been hitting on liver and stink bait. White bass have been hitting on vertically jigged blade baits and crankbaits fished around underwater islands.

Lake Hawthorn (Mahaska): Crappies have been biting on small jigs tipped with a minnow in deeper water. Some sorting is required for large fish. Channel catfish have been biting on stink bait and liver.

Lake Sugema (Van Buren): Bluegills have been biting on small jigs. Largemouth bass have been hitting on a variety of artificial lures. Top-water lures have been productive in the mornings and evenings. Try using rubber worms on a jig and pig combo during the day.

Lake Wapello (Davis): Channel catfish have been biting on night crawlers. Bluegills have been hitting on small jigs being drifted and tipped with a chunk of night crawler. Largemouth bass have been hitting on crankbaits and spinnerbaits.

Diamond Lake (Poweshiek): Lots of channel catfish fishing are being caught using chicken liver or night crawlers around the rocky portions of the lake. Newly added rip-rap on the jetties will aid shoreline anglers.

Hannen Lake (Benton): Catfish continue to bite on a variety of smelly baits. Some nice bass are being caught using a variety of soft plastics and crankbaits. Bluegills are hitting in the shallows on small worms.

Lake Macbride (Johnson): Crappies are starting to bite on small jigs or minnows. Look for them in 10 feet of water over the brush piles. Bluegills can be caught around the rocky shorelines and shallow brush. White bass are also being caught if an angler can find the roaming schools. Chrome/black crankbaits or rattle baits are best for whites.

Rodgers Lake (Benton): Try liver, night crawlers or stink bait to take advantage of the channel catfish bite.

Pleasant Creek (Linn): Troll crankbaits over deep, rocky areas to catch walleyes. Some larger bluegills are being taken on wax worms or small worms. Crappies can be caught in the woody structures of the lake.

Coralville Reservoir (Johnson): White bass have been a good target for anglers on the reservoir. Try casting or trolling small crankbaits or lipless crankbaits around the rocky shorelines.

Kent Park (Johnson): Channel catfish have been caught on stink bait. Early and late hours seem to produce best. Bluegills can be caught using worms around the rocks and shallow structure. Numerous small bass are also being caught on a variety of baits and lures.

Skunk River (Keokuk and Washington): The river is falling, but still has enough water for boats.

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