Northwest
Ice conditions are good throughout west central Iowa, with 10-to-15
inches the norm. Use caution around the aeration systems at Black Hawk Lake
in the Town Bay area and at Swan Lake, in Carroll County.
Crawford Creek Lake (Ida): Fishing is fair to good for 8-inch plus
bluegills and 9-inch crappies.
Swan Lake (Carroll): Fishing is fair for 7-1/2-inch bluegill.
Storm Lake (Buena Vista): Walleye fishing is fair using live minnows or
jigging lures tipped with a minnow head. Don't forget that all walleye
between 17-22 inches must be released immediately.
Brushy Creek Lake (Webster): Angers are catching some bluegills, crappies
and yellow perch, but overall fishing is slow. The main lake has ice between
8 and 14 inches thick, but there have been no ice thickness reports from the
dam area.
Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo): Anglers are catching a few yellow bass in the
mud flats around the Island. Walleye fishing has been slow. Anglers fishing
the sunrise and sunset periods report some walleye action. Fish seem to be
scattered across the mud flats and not relating to any particular structure.
Fishing in water depths of 10 feet or greater is the best for walleye.
Blue Pit - Lester Milligan Park (Cerro Gordo): The third stocking of
1,500 trout took place on Feb. 9. Small jigs and wax worms fished just below
the ice work the best. Trout seem to be near shore in the early morning and
evening hours. Don't forget the trout fee.
Indian Lake - Eldred Sherwood (Hancock): Bluegills are hitting small
teardrop jigs tipped with wax worms. Bluegill size has been 6-to-8 inches.
For more information on fishing in northwest Iowa, call the regional
office in Spirit Lake at 712-336-1840.
Southwest
The ponds and lakes have around 12 inches of good ice.
Don Williams (Boone): Small crappies and bluegills are being caught on
jigs tipped with wax worms.
Hickory Grove (Story): Medium-sized bluegills are being caught on wax
worms and 7 to 9-inch crappies are being caught on minnows at dusk.
Banner Lakes at Summerset Park (Warren): The north lake is in the process
of being renovated, so there are no fish in this lake. Trout should still be
present and willing to bite in the south lake. Don't forget your trout
stamp.
Big Creek (Polk): The best fishing has been at dusk. Small walleyes are
hitting on jigs tipped with was worms. Channel cats are biting on minnows
fished near the bottom.
Lost Lake (Polk): Small bluegill and crappies are still being caught on
small jigs tipped with wax worms or maggots. A few walleyes are being caught
in the deeper water, near the bottom, using wax worms. Stinger hooks can
help catch those finicky fish.
Rock Creek (Jasper): Anglers are catching 8-to-9 inch bluegills and
9-to-11 inch crappies from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on wax worms and minnows.
Lake Ahquabi and Hooper (Warren): Nice bluegills and redear sunfish are
being caught with small jigs and wax worms.
Easter Lake (Polk): Small bluegills and crappies are being caught on jigs
tipped with wax worms.
Contact: Ben Dodd (515) 432-2823, Ext.108, for information on the above
area lakes. For more information on general fishing in southwest Iowa, call
the regional office in Lewis at 712-769-2587.
Fogle (Ringgold): Ice conditions are good. Bluegills and a few crappies
are being caught in deeper water near structure with wax worms and minnows.
Walnut Creek Marsh (Ringgold): Ice conditions are good. The marsh has
some open water from the winter aeration system. A few nice bluegills are
being caught with wax worms on the edge of the dike trench.
Wilson (Taylor): Ice conditions are good. Nice bluegills are being caught
near the dam on wax worms.
Windmill (Taylor): Ice conditions are good. A few bluegills and crappies
are being caught near the dam and at a brush pile straight out from the boat
ramp. No large numbers of fish were reported, but the size of the fish being
caught is making up for the numbers.
East Lake Lenox (Taylor): Ice conditions are good. Bluegills and a few
small crappies are being caught in deep water next to the bottom with wax
worms.
West Lake Lenox (Taylor): Ice conditions are good. Good numbers of
bluegills are being caught in deep water with wax worms.
Three Fires (Taylor): Ice conditions are good. A few nice bluegills and
crappies are being caught with wax worms and minnows. Best locations are
near deep water structure or next to the drop in the channel.
Icaria (Adams): Ice conditions are good. A few nice bluegills and
crappies are being caught with wax worms and minnows. Best locations are
near deep water structure, next to the drop in the channel, and in the deep
flats on the east end.
Green Valley (Union): Ice conditions are good. Few reports were given on
Green Valley, but reports from those fishing Green Valley are that a few
bluegills and crappies are being caught using wax worms and minnows in
deeper water.
Three Mile (Union): Ice conditions are good. Good numbers of bluegills
are being caught next to deep structure on wax worms. Crappies seem to be
harder to find, but a few crappies are also being caught next to deep
structure.
Little River (Decatur): Ice conditions are good. A few crappies and
bluegills are being caught with wax worms and minnows.
Slip Bluff (Decatur): Ice conditions are good. Bluegills and a few
crappies are being caught near brushy structure in deep water.
Contact: Gary Sobotka (641) 464-3108 for information on the above area
lakes. For more information on general fishing in southwest Iowa, call the
regional office in Lewis at 712-769-2587.
Orient (Adair): Fishing is good for 8-inch bluegill and 8-to-10 inch
crappie.
Greenfield (Adair): Fishing is good for 8-inch bluegill. Teardrops tipped
with a wax worm have been effective. A few crappies are being caught in
evenings using minnows. Ice is 15 inches thick.
Mormon Trail (Adair): Fishing has been slow for bluegill and crappies.
Ice is 15 inches thick.
Nodaway (Adair): Bluegills are fair using teardrops tipped with wax
worms.
Meadow (Adair): A few crappies are being caught in the brush piles using
minnows. Bluegills are fair using wax worms.
Littlefield (Audubon): No reports of fishing. Ice is 15 inches thick.
Anita (Cass): No report of fishing. Anita has a good population of 7-inch
bluegill. Ice conditions are 15 inches.
Manawa (Pottawattamie): Ice is averaging 14 inches thick. A few wipers
are being caught using large minnows on east side of the lake. Crappie
fishing is fair on west side around Boy Scout Island. Try jigs tipped with
small minnows.
DeSoto Bend (Harrison): Crappies fishing is good using jigs tipped with
minnows around sunken brush piles on east side of lake.
Prairie Rose (Shelby): No reports of fishing at this time. Ice conditions
are 15 inches.
Willow (Harrison): A few bluegills are being caught on teardrops tipped
with wax worms.
Farm Ponds: Bluegill fishing has been good using wax worms. Crappies are
fair using minnows in evenings. Ice conditions are good averaging 15 inches.
Contact: Bryan Hayes (712) 769-2587 for information on the above area
lakes. For more information on general fishing in southwest Iowa, call the
regional office in Lewis at 712-769-2587.
Southeast
Mississippi River Pools 16 to 19: The majority of the boat ramps are iced
in at this time. At the gauging station on Pool 16 (Lock and Dam 16 -
Muscatine) the water temperature is 32 degrees and the river pool state is
11.61 feet and is expected to remain stable over the next several days.
Anglers are reminded to use caution and check ice conditions regularly as
they venture out. River ice can often be variable even in backwaters and is
not as strong as ice on farm ponds and lakes. On Pool 16, the backwaters at
Credit Island and Sunset Marina have been fair for panfish. Ice fishing at
Big Timber (Pool 17) has been fair for bluegill and crappies - with some
sorting for sizeable fish. Anglers are also picking up panfish in the deeper
boat harbor areas
Lake Darling (Washington): Good ice conditions are present. Midwinter
conditions have slowed down the bite. Subzero morning temperatures did not
help anglers either. Crappies are still around the cedar trees in the middle
of the lake. The trick is finding the right one.
Lake Belva Deer (Keokuk): Good ice conditions are present. Fishing has
slowed. The early morning hours are your best chances for catching some big
bluegills
Lake Geode (Henry): Good ice conditions are present. Fish along the area
across from the beach parking lot and the drop off across from the lower
boat ramp.
Lake Rathbun (Appanoose): Crappies have been hitting on minnows and
jigging type baits. The most productive areas have been in the coves of
Honey Creek and Buck Creek. Areas with submerged cedar trees or stumps have
been the most productive.
Lake Wapello (Davis): Bluegills and crappies have been biting on small
jigs tipped with a wax worm. The best areas have been around the submerged
cedar trees and pallet structures.
Lake Sugema (Van Buren): Bluegills and crappies have been hitting on
small jigs tipped with a wax worm or a minnow. Areas with underwater habitat
have been the most productive.
Lake Miami (Monroe): Bluegills and crappies have been hitting on small
jigs tipped with a wax worm. The most productive areas have been on the
north end of the lake among the stumps.
Lake Macbride (Johnson): Once again, anglers are catching lots of small
bluegills and some small crappies. A few anglers are finding nice crappies
on occasion. Bluegills can be caught off rock or wood habitat, while the
crappies seem to prefer the newer wooden structures.
Otter Creek (Tama): Smaller bluegills and yellow bass are biting. Fish
will either be associated to structure or suspended in 12 to 14 feet of
water.
Hannen Lake (Benton): Bluegills and crappies are being taken from the
brush piles. Look for the crappies in deeper water, while the bluegills are
in a bit more shallow. Remember, minnows are not allowed at this lake.
Rodgers Lake (Benton): Bluegills between 7 and 9 inches are being taken
from deeper brush piles.
Diamond Lake (Poweshiek): Anglers are having success with crappies here.
Look for them in the deeper brush, or suspended in deeper water. Dusk and
evenings have been effective times. Remember, minnows are not allowed at
this lake.
Kent Lake (Johnson): Bluegills have been caught in and around structure,
with a crappie or a bass as a bonus.
For more information on fishing in southeast Iowa, call the regional
office in Brighton at 319-694-2430.
