Northeast

Ice fishing is not recommended in northeast Iowa.

For information on fishing in northeast Iowa, call the regional office in Manchester at 563-927-3276.

 

Northwest

Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo): Anglers should be cautious of large areas of open water. Strong winds, mild weather and rain have opened the aerator holes over the past two weeks. The entire east shore is open past Billy’s Reef. The west aerator is open from the north shore to Dodges Point. The channel at McIntosh Woods State Park is also open. Ice depth varies between 6 and 10 inches. Anglers continue to catch yellow bass in 12 to 16 feet of water off the north shore near the state dock, near the island and along the north shore off the golf course. A few legal sized walleyes are being caught along with yellow bass, with the best fishing for both species in the early morning and from 3 p.m. to sunset.

Rice Lake (Winnebago): Yellow perch fishing has slowed. Some perch are being caught in 3 to 6 feet of water, but fishing has been spotty.

Indian Lake (Hancock): Bluegill fishing has slowed. Some fish are still being caught on small teardrops tipped with a wax worm. The best fishing is in the evening or early morning.

Spirit Lake (Dickinson): Ice conditions are fair with most of the lake with 10 to 14 inches. Walleye fishing is fair with a few nice fish being caught in the evenings using jigging minnow style baits tipped with minnow heads. Anglers are concentrating off the deep bar between Cottonwood and Big Stony Point. Perch fishing has been sporadic with nice size fish being caught but some searching required. Anglers are have the most success on the south end, Buffalo Run and Crandall’s Beach. A small spoon tipped with wigglers, wax worms or minnow heads all work effectively. Experiment to find what the fish want. A few crappies are being caught in Anglers Bay in the standing weeds.

West Okoboji (Dickinson): Walleye fishing has slowed. There is open water in the middle of the lake and many of the traditional walleye spots are unsafe. Smith’s Bay and Emerson Bay are still producing a few fish in the evening along the weed line. Bluegills are being caught in Emerson Bay and a few at the north end. Small teardrops tipped with wax worms. Experiment with jigging style and color of baits. Perch are being caught in Hayward’s, Miller’s and Emerson bays, but most fish are small.

Lake Pahoja (Lyon): There is plenty of bluegill action using teardrops and insect larvae, although fish are a bit small. Crappie size seems to be improving from earlier in the winter. Minnows have been the choice for crappies.

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

 

Southwest

Most lakes in southwest Iowa have no ice. Lakes in the region that do have ice should be considered unsafe. Little fishing activity has been reported.

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

 

Southeast

Ice, where it still exists, is not safe on southeast Iowa ponds and lakes.

Mississippi River Pools 16 to 19: Fishing on the Mississippi River Pools 16 to 19 has been fair to good. At the gauging station on Pool 16 (Muscatine), the water temperature is 39 degrees, the river pool stage is 11.61 feet and is expected to rise slightly over the next several days. The Mississippi River and backwaters are not safe for ice fishing, with most areas free of ice.

Fishing continues to be fair to good for walleyes and sauger in the tailwaters of Pools 16 to 19. Anglers report the best success at tailwater 16 and tailwater 17 (New Boston). Most anglers are using jigs with twister tails or hair jigs tipped with a minnow. With the cold water temperature, anglers should slow down bait presentations, and use as small of jig as possible that can maintain contact with the river bottom. Some anglers are catching white bass in the tailwaters, and near the GPC plant in Pool 17.

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