Northeast

Mississippi River Pools 9 to 15: The Mississippi River is stable at 604 feet in Guttenberg. Water level at Bellevue is 4.2 feet and dropping, with a water temperature of 76 degrees. Fishing on the river is very good right now.

Walleye and sauger angling in Minnesota Slough (Pool 9) is beginning to pick up. Fish the wing dams in Pools 9 to 11 and the deep water bends in the running sloughs.

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. 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.

Crappie fishing is fair to good in Pools 9 to 15 fishing along weed beds or next to rocky shorelines on the main channel border. Crappies are also often associated with woody structure, so cast a piece of night crawler or use a bobber and suspend a minnow 3 to 5 feet below the surface next to submerged brush.

Fishing for freshwater drum (sheephead) has been good in Pools 12 to 15. Use a night crawler fished on the bottom in front of wing dams. Move until you find fish.

Channel catfish fishing has been excellent in Pools 12 to 15. Anglers are using stink bait and night crawlers fished along the face of the wing dams or in the deep water behind the outside edges of the wing dams. When fishing for catfish, be ready to move if you don't have a bite within the first 15 minutes.

Smallmouth bass fishing is very good on the wing dams in Pools 9-11. Try fishing a surface lure in the late evening for big smallmouth bass.

Fishing for largemouth bass in Pools 12 to 15 has been good using top-water lures, spinner baits 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 spinner baits.

Northern pike fishing is good in Pools 9 and 10. Try trolling Minnesota Slough (Pool 9) or the backwaters of Pool 10 for pike.

Cedar and Shell Rock rivers (Bremer and Black Hawk): Channel catfish are being caught on a variety of baits including chicken liver, night crawlers, prepared baits (stink baits), or leeches drifted over the riffle areas.

Maquoketa River (Delaware and Jones): Smallmouth bass fishing is good on crankbaits or twister tails.

Turkey River (Fayette and Clayton): Fishing is excellent for smallmouth bass on crankbaits and jigs. Walleye fishing is excellent below Elkader using night crawlers.

Upper Iowa River (Howard, Winneshiek and Allamakee): Fishing is good for smallmouth bass and walleye on live baits, crankbaits and jigs. Fish the deeper holes for walleye.

Big Woods Lake (Black Hawk): Anglers are catching crappies fishing small (1/32 ounce) jigs during the late evening hours.

Lake Delhi (Delaware): Bluegill fishing is good using worms fished around snags. Crappie fishing is good in near the dam. Fish a worm or minnow 9 feet below the surface for crappies.

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

South Prairie Lake (Black Hawk): Fishing is fair for channel catfish using prepared baits or night crawlers.

Volga Lake (Fayette): Anglers are catching bluegills drifting a piece of crawler on the north side of the lake.

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. 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 or 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.

West Okoboji Lake (Dickinson): A few walleyes being caught drifting with night crawlers from Pillsbury Point to Fort Dodge Point. A few smallmouth bass are being caught on the tubes from Pillsbury to Fort Dodge Point.

Willow Creek (Osceola): Fishing is fair for largemouth bass using plastic worms.

Ocheyedan Pits (Osceola): Small largemouth bass and small bluegills are being caught around the shoreline using night crawlers.

Black Hawk Lake (Sac): Fishing for channel catfish is very good all over the lake using various baits. Crappie fishing is good in Town Bay. Yellow bass fishing is good. The best technique for yellow bass is to fish into the wind.

North Twin Lake (Calhoun): Anglers are catching yellow bass and bluegills on small leadheads tipped with a crawdad tail. Channel catfish fishing is good.

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

Brushy Creek (Webster): Bluegill fishing is fair. Suspend a worm about a foot off the bottom. Overall fishing is slow.

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

Beeds Lake (Franklin): Anglers are catching 7 to 10-inch crappies by fishing near the causeway or by trolling slowly with a jig and minnow.

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): Yellow perch are hitting small jigs or minnows from shore. 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. 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 using worms. 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. 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 in various areas of the lake. 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 fish 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. 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): Anglers report 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 with most fish taken on worms and wax worms. 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 have been sub-legal.

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): Some bluegill and crappie are being caught around the deeper tree piles and stake beds.

Little River (Decatur): Crappies are being caught by drifting across the old creek channel and over the flooded trees, while fishing about 10 feet below the surface.

Three Mile (Union): Channel catfish can be caught on liver and 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 (Ringgold): Some bluegill and crappie are being caught from the flooded trees about 8 feet down. They can be caught in the mornings and evenings from the jetties and on the outside of the weed lines.

Icaria (Adams): Channel catfish up to 1-½ pounds are being caught off the jetties. Walleye up to 14 inches and bluegill up to 7 inches can be caught from the flooded cedar trees.

Blockton (Taylor): Anglers are catching channel and flathead catfish, with some fish up to 8 pounds. Some largemouth bass can be caught from around the fallen trees and steep drop-offs.

Grade (Clarke): Nice sized bluegills can be caught from the outside of the weed lines and by drift fishing over the deeper vegetation.

Viking (Montgomery): Crappie fishing is fair using a small jig or minnow and 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 fish are being caught.

Anita (Cass): Channel catfish fishing is good. The lake is 5.5 foot low and boat ramps are not quite 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 and south 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 catfish fishing is fair using liver or minnows in the evening. Bluegills are fair 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 and vertical jigging around sunken trees. 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 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 is slow but some are still being caught using minnows and bobbers. Most crappies are 10 inches long. Channel catfish fishing is fair using prepared dip bait and liver in 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 walleyes 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. Crappies are slow but a few are being caught jigging minnows around trees.

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 73 degrees and the river pool stage is 11.52 feet and is expected to remain stable over the next several days. Fishing for channel catfish continues to be good throughout Pools 16 to 19 on night crawlers and dip baits. Look for channel catfish along the rock bars and wing dams, side channels, near drift piles, and below the dams and spillways. Crappie fishing has been fair. Anglers report catching crappies suspended around brush piles in backwater areas and drift piles in the side channels. Crappies are being caught on slip bobber rigs tipped with minnows as well as jigs tipped with minnows or wax worms. Bluegill fishing has been fair. On Pool 16 try near Credit Island, Andalusia Island and in the side channels for bluegills and crappie. In Pool 17 a few bluegill and crappie are being caught in Big Timber and The Breaks areas, as well as Hidden Acres. On Pool 18 try Lake Odessa. Anglers are still catching a few walleye around the wing dams and near the GPC Plan on Pool 17 on jigs and minnows. The best fishing for walleye has been in the evening and nighttime hours. The Big Timber area in Pool 17 has been fair for largemouth bass.

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 deep for bluegills. Fish are 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. Ice fishing jigs and wax worms are catching them. Concentrate around trees near the creek channel where the bass are hiding in the shade.

Lake Rathbun (Appanoose): Crappies have been hitting in deep water around areas with underwater structure. Channel catfish have been biting on liver and night crawlers.

Lake Hawthorn (Mahaska): Channel catfish have been biting on night crawlers and liver. Crappies have been hitting on small jigs fished in deep-water areas.

Lake Sugema (Van Buren): Largemouth bass have been hitting on a variety of artificial lures. Bluegills and crappies have been biting on small jigs.

Diamond Lake (Poweshiek): Lots of channel catfish are being caught here. Try chicken liver or night crawlers around the rocky portions of the lake. Newly added riprap on the jetties will aid shore anglers.

Hannen Lake (Benton): Catfish continue to bite on a variety of smelly baits especially following rains. Bluegill anglers are having some success in the shallows on small worms.

Lake Macbride (Johnson): Crappies are starting to bite on small jigs or minnows over the brush piles in 10 feet of water. Bluegills can be caught around the rocky shorelines and shallow brush.

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 rocky shorelines.

Kent Park (Johnson): Channel catfish are being caught on stink bait, with the early and late hours producing best. Bluegills can be caught on worms around the rocks and shallow structure. Numerous small bass are being caught on a variety of baits and lures.

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