Northeast

Mississippi River Pools 9 to 15: Water levels on the Mississippi River have stabilized. River stages on Monday were 8.3 feet in Guttenberg, 10.3 feet in Dubuque and 9.2 feet in Bellevue. The water temperature at Guttenberg is in the low 60 s. The river is expected to remain relatively steady. Conditions on the river are setting up to produce some great fishing in the upcoming weeks. Panfish are beginning to hit in Pools 9 to 15 as the water temperature rises. Fish the backwaters and sloughs around snags using tube jigs or a hook with a worm or small minnow. Bluegill fishing is very good right now below the tailwaters in Pools 10 and 11. Anglers are catching more bluegill and crappie around structure in the backwaters of Pools 9 to 15. Walleye and sauger fishing has been slow in Pools 9 to 15. Walleye and sauger are moving back onto the wing dams. Try trolling crankbaits or three-ways with floating jigs and a night crawler or a minnow. In Pool 9, a few anglers are beginning to catch walleyes along wing dams and in Minnesota Slough. Fishing for freshwater drum is very good using night crawlers fished on the bottom in Pools 9 to 15. Anglers are finding drum in the tailwaters below the locks and dams. A few catfish are being caught in the tailwaters below the dams in Pool 10 and Pools 12 to 15 on worms. Smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing has really picked up in Pools 9 to 15. Try casting crankbaits or soft plastics along the rocks or around fallen trees. White bass have started to move into the tailwaters of Pool 13 in Bellevue. Use crankbaits that imitate bait fish, spinner baits or three-way rigs with spinners. Fishing should really pick up in the next couple of weeks. Yellow perch are biting below the spillway at Lock and Dam 9.

Cedar River (Mitchell, Floyd and Chickasaw): The river is up but still fishable. Channel catfish are hitting cut baits, chubs and some chicken liver fished below the dams. Anglers are finding hungry cats below the Nashua impoundment to the Midway Bridge. A few crappies are biting on minnows. Walleye are also hitting minnows, ring worms and lizards in various colors. Smallmouth bass are starting to hit on an assorted baits and lures.

Maquoketa River (Delaware): The river is up. Channel catfish are hitting on worms or dead cut baits fished on the bottom below dams and at the mouths of creeks.

Turkey River (Clayton): Smallmouth bass fishing is excellent on night crawlers, plastics and crankbaits. Walleye fishing is fair on twister tails. White sucker fishing has been slowing on night crawlers drifted along the bottom. Some rock bass are being caught on worms.

Upper Iowa River (Winneshiek and Allamakee): White sucker fishing is fair to good using night crawlers. Walleye fishing is fair on twister tails. Smallmouth bass fishing is excellent using night crawlers, plastics and crankbaits.

Wapsipinicon River (Buchanan): Water levels are high. Channel catfish are biting on dead cut baits and night crawlers fished below the dams or at the mouths of feeder streams.

Lake Delhi (Delaware): Channel catfish are good using dead minnows or cut baits fished on the bottom. Bluegill and crappie fishing should improve as water levels recede and temperatures warm. The best fishing on Lake Delhi occurs during the weekdays or from shore on the weekends, as heavy boat traffic on the weekends makes fishing difficult.

Lake Hendricks (Howard): Fishing is fair to good for 8- to 10-inch crappies using small minnows. Bluegills are hitting on jigs tipped with a wax worm or piece of night crawler. Some 12-to 15-inch largemouth bass have been caught on crankbaits and artificials. A few anglers have pulled in 18-inch bass.

Lake Meyer (Winneshiek): Water temperature is 63 degrees and the bite is on at Lake Meyer. The fish are piled into the new brush piles and anglers are catching lots of crappies in the 6- to 8-inch range-some report a fish per cast! Bluegill fishing is also very good with fish ranging between 6 and 8 inches. A few largemouth bass are hitting on artificials. Take a kid fishing at Lake Meyer and hook them on the sport for life.

Volga Lake (Fayette): Bluegill fishing is fair to good on jigs tipped with a wax worm or night crawler. Crappie fishing is fair using small minnows.

Trout fishing is excellent! Water conditions are good and fish are active. Most trout stream stocking are announced and the dates of proposed stockings can be found on the Iowa DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov or by calling the trout stocking hotline at 563-927-5736.

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

 

Northwest

West Okoboji Lake (Dickinson): Fishing is good for smallmouth bass throwing jigs around points and docks. Gull Point, Pillsbury Point, and Fort Dodge Point are good areas to target. Crappie fishing is good around docks in the Canals and Triboji lagoon using small white hair jigs or mini jigs tipped with wax worms and crappie minnows on a plain hook work well. Most fish are running 7-9 inches with occasional bigger fish being caught. Bluegill fishing is excellent in the Canals, Triboji lagoon and the Trestle. Small garden worms tipped on a plain hook or small teardrops are the baits of choice. Largemouth bass fishing is excellent in the canals using plastics, jigs and spinnerbaits.

East Okoboji Lake (Dickinson): Fishing is excellent for white bass below the spillway casting jigs tipped with shiners or minnows.

Spirit Lake (Dickinson): Bluegill and crappie fishing is fair in the Templar Lagoon.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): Walleye fishing is good around the island in the evening. Drifting with minnows or using minnows under slip bobbers are excellent choices. Fish are also being caught during the day drifting and trolling.

Center Lake (Dickinson): Walleye fishing is good casting jigs tipped with minnows along the south shore. A few white bass are also being caught while fishing for walleyes The water temperature in smaller lakes in northwest Iowa is approaching the upper 50s. Look for fish to start moving shallow.

Ocheyeden Pits (Osceola): Bluegill fishing is good around submerged brush using small worms. Largemouth bass fishing is good using plastics along the shoreline

Fairview Pond (Sioux): Bluegills are being caught along the east side up the old creek channel and along the south shore. Largemouth Bass fishing is fair in the old creek channel and near shallow flats pitching plastic baits

Winterfeld Pit (Sioux): Largemouth bass fishing is fair near the island and shallow flats throwing spinnerbaits.

Ingham Lake (Emmet): Crappie fishing is good along the west side near submerged brush casting small jigs. Most fish are in the 7 to 9-inch class.

Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo): Walleye fishing is fair wading or boat fishing Dodge's Point, the Island and areas along the east shoreline. Use a jig and minnow or crankbaits with a slow presentation. Many walleyes are sub-legal size, but some legal fish are being caught. Yellow bass fishing is excellent. Use a small jig and twister in the morning and evening along the north shore, Island, Dodge's Point, and east shoreline. A wind blowing into a rocky area is usually best. White bass are being caught while fishing for yellow bass.

Beeds Lake (Franklin): Crappie fishing is fair from the jetties and causeway. Small jigs and minnows work the best. Fish size has been 7 to 9 inches.

Lower Pine Lake (Hardin): Crappies are hitting small jigs and minnows near shore.

Rice Lake (Winnebago/Worth): Bullhead fishing is good using night crawlers. Fish the windy shoreline for the best action.

Lake Cornelia (Wright): Walleye fishing is fair using live bait. Bullhead fishing is good using crawlers.

Black Hawk Lake (Sac): Channel catfish are good on shad entrails or cut bait. Fishing is good for 8-inch bullheads on night crawlers. Walleyes are fair to good on twisters or drifting with minnows.

Storm Lake (Buena Vista): Walleye fishing is excellent trolling shad raps in clown, hot steel and blue colors in 8 feet of water. Remember there is a new 17-to 22-inch protected slot limit at Storm Lake. All walleyes in that slot must be returned unharmed to the water. Channel catfish are good on a variety of baits. A few white bass are being caught trolling or casting twisters.

North Twin Lake (Calhoun): Bluegill, crappie and yellow bass fishing is all fair.

Brushy Creek (Webster): Heavy spring rains has warmed the lake and fishing has improved. Fish are moving into shallower waters.

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

 

Southwest

Icaria (Adams): Anglers are catching 1.5 to 5 pound channel catfish. Some walleyes are being caught on jigs while casting from shore. Several largemouth bass up to 16 inches can be caught near shoreline structure. Several crappies between 7 and 9 inches long can be caught near shoreline structure on white jigs. The lake is full and running over.

Little River (Decatur): Crappies can be caught in five feet of water just offshore on jigs or minnows. Some channel catfish are biting in shallow water. Anglers have been catching some walleye off the dam and the points.

Wilson (Taylor): Anglers are catching some crappies on jigs near the dam.

Windmill (Taylor): Some crappies are biting on small jigs.

Green Valley (Union): Some crappie and bluegill are starting to bite near shore or just off shore. Fishing is good for channel catfish on night crawlers, stink bait and liver off silt dikes in shallow ends.

Three Mile (Union): Fishing is good for channel catfish at the north end. Walleyes have slowed but may be found around dam and deep points using minnows. Several muskies have been picked up around dam or north end. Several wipers have been caught using minnows in deepwater near points. Some crappies have started to bite in five to 10 feet of water near structure.

Twelve Mile (Union): Walleyes are being caught, but most are 12 inches. Anglers are picking up largemouth bass up to 17 inches with most between 11 and 13 inches. The lake is three feet low and the main boat ramp is easily usable.

Badger Creek (Madison): Some channel catfish can be caught in the warm shallow water. Bluegill and crappie are biting near the rocks of the jetties and in areas near shoreline access.

Contact: Gary Sobotka (641) 464-3108 for information on the above area lakes.

Big Creek (Polk): The crappie bite is on. Walleyes are being caught from the shore at night. Some nice largemouth and muskie have been caught as well.

Robert's Creek (Marion): Try fishing the outflow tube, the old beech and the brush piles for crappies.

Red Rock (Marion): White bass are being caught below the dam.

Saylorville (Polk): White bass and wipers are being caught below the dam.

Des Moines River: Walleyes are being caught between the Saylorville dam and Beaver Creek. Try fishing the gravel bars and the low-head dams.

Ada Haden (Story): Some crappie and bass are being caught.

Hickory Grove (Story): Largemouth bass, bluegills and crappie are all being caught here.

Contact: Ben Dodd (515) 432-2823, Ext.108, for information on the above area lakes

Orient (Adair): Fishing is good for channel catfish with average size 20 inches. Bullheads are being picked up in the silt ponds. Crappie fishing is slow, but should pick up with warm weather. Largemouth bass is fair using plastic worms with a slow retrieve.

Greenfield (Adair): Bluegill fishing is slow using worms under a bobber.

DeSoto Bend (Harrison): The lake is open to fishing. Anglers can expect to catch crappies on small minnows fished under a bobber in 6 to 8 feet of water.

Manawa (Pottawattamie): Fishing for crappies is good in the canals using minnows with bobber or small jigs. A few wipers are also being caught.

Prairie Rose (Shelby): Fishing is good for 7- to 8-inch crappies using jigs in the riprap areas around the lake.

Lake Anita (Cass): Fishing is good for 14 to 15-inch largemouth bass on crankbaits and jigs.

Farm Ponds are beginning to warm up and anglers should start to catch fish in area ponds. Be sure to ask permission from the landowner first.

Contact: Bryan Hayes (712) 769-2587 for information on the above area lakes.

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

 

Southeast

Lake Odessa (Louisa): Boat ramps are still useable. With the recent rains the water is only up to the top of the ramps. Anglers are starting to catch a few crappies but the spawn has not yet started.

Lake Darling (Washington): The water temperature has jumped into the low 60s with the hot weather over the weekend. Four inches of rain last week has muddied the water, but it is clearing quickly. Last week the crappies were deep. Look for crappies to be in shallow this week with some starting to spawn fairly soon.

Lake Geode (Henry): Anglers are catching some nice 10-inch crappies on bobbers and worms or minnows along the riprap along the dam.

Lake Belva Deer (Keokuk): Bluegill fishing is very good. Look for fish down in eight feet of water. Fish with either slip bobbers or small jigs.

Lake Rathbun (Appanoose): Crappies have been hitting on small jigs or jigs tipped with a minnow in 15 to 20 feet of water. Most anglers are fishing around underwater structure, such as cedar trees or pallet structures. Channel catfish have been biting on leeches and cut bait. The lake has been rising due to rain last week. For best results, look for areas where some water is flowing into the lake. The water temperature is 55 degrees.

Lake Sugema (Van Buren): Largemouth bass have been hitting on a variety of artificial presentations. Walleyes have been hitting on jigs and crankbaits fished around the rocks on the dam and other shorelines with riprap. Crappies and bluegills can be caught using small jigs tipped with a wax worm or minnow.

Lake Wapello (Davis): Largemouth bass have been hitting on a variety of artificial presentations. Look for fish around submerged structure and around the rock jetties. Crappies and bluegills are still in deeper water. Fish around brush piles in 10 to 15 feet of water with a small jig tipped with a wax worm.

Lake Keomah (Mahaska): Largemouth bass have been hitting on a variety of artificial presentations. Fish areas at the end of the rock jetties and around any overhanging trees. Crappies and bluegills should start to pick up around the handicap accessible fishing pier. Use small jigs and a twister tail along this area.

Hannen Lake (Benton): Numerous smaller bass can be caught around the shorelines on a variety of artificial lures.

Lake Macbride (Johnson): Crappies are awaiting the spawn in the brush off the bank. Try small jigs or minnows for best results. A few walleyes still remain in the dam area as the spawn wraps up.

Coralville Reservoir (Johnson): Some boat anglers were having good success for shallow crappies last week. Shore anglers below the Macbride spillway were also catching some crappies and the occasional white bass. Small jigs were working best.

Diamond Lake (Poweshiek): Fish the stake beds/brush piles for crappies and some bluegills. The crappies will tend to be suspended in or over the structure, while the bluegills will tend to be in the lower half of the structure.

Pleasant Creek (Linn): Nice sized crappies and average sized bluegills are being caught in the brush in 6 to 8 feet of water. Ice jigs tipped with wax worms and minnows under a bobber have been productive.

Skunk River (Washington and Henry): Minor flooding is occurring and is forecasted to continue for most of this week.

Iowa River (Washington and Louisa): The Iowa River is forecasted to stay at or near flood stage for most of this week, then to go back into its banks by the weekend.

Cedar River (Louisa): The Cedar River is forecasted to stay at or near flood stage for most of this week, then to go back into its banks by the weekend.

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