Northeast

Mississippi River Pools 9 to 15: Water levels on the Mississippi River rose over the weekend, but are expected to fall throughout the upcoming week. Water levels on Monday were 8.1 feet at Lansing, 12.5 feet at Lynxville, Wis., 4.3 feet at Guttenberg, 7.22 feet in Dubuque, 3.87 feet at Bellevue, and 9.25 feet in Camanche. Water temperature is around 80 degrees and clarity has improved. Heading into August, the shallow backwater areas are becoming anoxic (low dissolved oxygen levels) due to heavy vegetation. In order to survive, the bluegills, crappie and largemouth bass typically found in the backwaters have moved to the side channels and main channel with current and higher oxygen levels. When searching for fish, do not stay in one spot more than 15 to 20 minutes without a bite. It usually pays to move to find the right combination of current and bottom type for the species you are after. At this time of year, fish are often concentrated on the tips of the wing dams in 10 to 16 feet of water. Boaters are reminded to stay alert as lower water levels increase the underwater hazards including wing dams, stumps and rocks. Care should also be taken at the boat ramps. Often during low water, it is easy to back off the end of the cement ramp and damage the trailer axle. Fishing is good to excellent for channel catfish in Pools 9 to 15 as they continue to move onto the rocks to spawn. Fish worms, minnows, cut bait or stink baits by drifting the bait under a bobber through the rocks and riprap in the main channel and running sloughs. Also try fishing stink baits along the woody debris in the side channels or on the outside end of wing dams. Anglers are also having success pitching scented jigs into the rock crevices. Bluegill fishing has been good in an array of spots from the backwaters to the main channel in Pools 9 to 15 using night crawlers on the bottom and off of brush piles. Try fishing at the near-shore section of the wing dams or around log piles off the main channel. During low water levels, bluegills and other species often move to main channel border areas off rock piles or dead fall trees. Remember, not every snag will hold fish, so if you have not had a bite after about 20 minutes, move to another snag until you find the fish. Fishing for freshwater drum (sheephead) is consistently good in Pools 9 to 15 using a simple sliding sinker and a night crawler on the bottom. The larger drum, many around 5 pounds, are being caught using crayfish. These big ones are more for sport; although, some anglers used them for smoking. Night crawlers will yield fish of all sizes, but primarily the smaller edible-size drum. Drum are found mostly in current situations and you do not need a boat to catch them. Tailwater areas and wing dams are good areas to fish for drum, but remember to move if you do not get a bite within 15 minutes. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing is good to excellent in Pools 9 to 15, with many 11 to 13-inch bass being caught. Bass hit on a variety of lures including small spinners, crankbaits, jigs, top-water lures and soft plastics. Both species are feeding heavily along rocky areas with current. Try backwater sloughs along the snags for hungry largemouth. Many largemouth bass have moved to edges of current situations to feed on minnows. The key to bass fishing is to find habitat and structure. Riprap banks, snags and logs along the shoreline or a combination of these structures is even better. Anglers fishing the rock and woody structure in current areas are catching smallmouth bass using in-line spinners, jigs, stick baits, and crankbaits. Seek areas with some flow as the water level is dropping and temperature is increasing. Northern pike fishing continues to be good to excellent in Pools 9 to 15. Minnesota Slough (Pool 9) north of Harpers Ferry has been very good for pike as well as Harpers Slough (Pool 10) near Harpers Ferry. Pike will seek cool water as the summertime water temperature continues to rise. Spinners, larger crankbaits or white jigs work well. Northern pike have generally been smaller, around 25 inches, although, a few fish up to 14 pounds are being reported.

Cedar River (Mitchell, Floyd and Chickasaw): Water levels are low and clear. A few walleyes are being caught on jigs tipped with a minnow at Nashua. Some crappies are being caught there on the same setup. Below Nashua, smallmouth bass are biting on twister tails fished in the riffles. Channel catfishing is fair on chicken liver and dead chubs.

Cedar and Shell Rock rivers (Butler, Bremer and Black Hawk): Fishing has improved due in part to stable water conditions. Channel catfish are biting well on night crawlers, chicken liver and stink baits. Smallmouth bass fishing is good using crankbaits or a jig tipped with a night crawler. Fishing is fair for walleyes using jigs tipped with a night crawler. Concentrate along the rocky shorelines or current breaks near logjams.

Maquoketa River (Delaware): Fishing is good for 10 to 12 inch channel catfish. A few walleyes are also biting.

Turkey River (Clayton): Water level and clarity is very good. Smallmouth bass fishing is good using night crawlers, twister tails or shad raps in the riffles. Rock bass are being caught on small pieces of night crawler fished next to rock boulders and riprap. Walleye fishing is fair using a variety of lures throughout the day. Channel catfishing is good below the Elkader Dam using cut baits and a variety of other catfishing favorites.

Upper Iowa River (Winneshiek and Allamakee): Water is a little turbid, but fishable and improves as you travel upstream. The river should be looking good by the middle and the end of this week as long as the rains hold off. Walleye fishing has been excellent using crankbaits, white twister tails and jigs tipped with night crawlers and other live bait above the upper dam. Below the lower dam, walleye fish has been slower but should pick up as the river clears. Fishing for smallmouth bass is good above the upper dam using twister tails, shad raps, crankbaits and night crawlers on the edge of the current breaks. Below the lower dam, smallmouth fishing is slower, but a few are still being caught. Northern pike fishing has been slow, but there were reports of trophy-sized fish being caught using crankbaits in the very lower end of the river. Channel catfish fishing is fair at the lower dam and downstream using chicken liver or night crawlers on the bottom.

Yellow River (Winneshiek and Allamakee): Water levels are normal and clarity is fine. Smallmouth bass fishing is excellent on a variety of lures.

Black Hawk County Lakes and Ponds: Fishing has slowed.

Lake Delhi (Delaware): Crappie fishing is good using live minnows in deeper water. Channel catfishing is good using chicken liver, stink baits, cut baits or worms fished on the bottom.

Lake Hendricks (Howard): Channel catfishing is fair using chicken liver, stink bait, cut bait, or worms on the bottom. Catfish that are being caught are the larger-sized fish. Fishing is fair for bluegills on wax worms or a piece of night crawler suspended under a bobber, or with artificial flies. Try using smaller gear when fishing mid-day to hook the finicky ones. A few crappies are being caught with minnows under a bobber on the weed lines. Largemouth bass fishing is good using top-water lures in the evening and fair using plastic worms worked near structure the rest of the day.

Lake Meyer (Winneshiek): Channel catfish are in the shallows next to the larger logs and riprap. Catfishing is good using chicken liver or dead chubs fished over the snags on the south and west sides of the lake. They are also being caught in the evenings on the east side in the shallows using chicken liver on the bottom. Crappies can be caught along the weed edges using crappie jigs. Try fishing in 8 to 10 feet of water on the west side next to the weed edge. Bluegill fishing is good on night crawlers or angle worms under a bobber near the weeds, with sorting of some smaller fish required. Largemouth bass are being caught with surface lures especially in the evening hours. Try using plastic weed less worms during other hours of the day.

Volga Lake (Fayette): Fishing is picking up for channel catfish using night crawlers or liver on the bottom. Largemouth bass fishing is good in the early morning and late evening hours. Use slower-moving artificial lures along structure. Bluegill fishing is good using wax worms or crawlers under a bobber with many small fish.

Trout fishing and stream conditions are excellent. Mornings and evenings usually provide the best success for catching trout. In mid-summer, these times of day are easier on the angler as well. Many trout stream stockings 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

Spirit Lake (Dickinson): Smallmouth bass fishing is good throwing grubs around shallow rock piles from Big Stoney all the way to Reeds Run. Fishing is fair for yellow perch and bluegills along weed lines on the south shore.

West Okoboji Lake (Dickinson): Bluegill fishing is fair over deep rocks using garden worms. Fishing is good for largemouth bass using leeches or night crawlers around weed lines. Smallmouth bass fishing is good using crawdads around Fort Dodge, Pillsbury and Gull Point. Fishing is fair for muskies trolling in the evening.

East Okoboji Lake (Dickinson): Muskie fishing is fair trolling in the evening.

West Fork of the Des Moines River (Emmet): Fishing is good for channel catfish using night crawlers for small fish and cut bait for larger fish. Some great fishing is occurring from Estherville to Graettinger. Use a canoe and fish the holes along this stretch. Catch your own bait and make a day of it.

Little Sioux River (Dickinson): Fishing is good for channel catfish using cut bait.

Storm Lake (Buena Vista): Fishing is fair to good for channel catfish and is good for white bass along the shoreline with twisters.

Black Hawk Lake (Sac): Channel catfish fishing is fair on a variety of baits, with chicken liver working the best.

Brushy Creek (Webster): Anglers are catching nice sized bluegills right off the bottom in 10 to 15 feet of water. The larger bass have moved deeper, fish 15 to 20 feet deep. A few crappies have been caught in the early morning along the shoreline.

Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo): Yellow bass are hitting live bait. The yellows are between 7 and 8 inches, with a few of the larger ones mixed in.

Beeds Lake (Franklin): Fishing is fair for crappies trolling small jigs along the causeway. Sorting is required for larger fish. Largemouth bass are hitting spinner baits, plastic worms and jigs, with the best fishing in the early morning or in the evening.

Indian Lake, Eldred Sherwood Park (Hancock): Fishing is fair to good for bluegills using night crawlers along the vegetation. Largemouth bass fishing is fair in the mornings and evenings using plastics and spinner baits. Channel catfish are hitting on stink bait and liver, especially in the evening.

East Fork of the Des Moines River (Kossuth): Channel catfish fishing is good using liver, frogs or stink baits near snags.

Smith Lake (Kossuth): Fishing is good for largemouth bass using spinner baits and jerk baits. Remember Smith Lake has an 18-inch minimum length limit on bass. Channel catfish fishing is good using chicken liver, stink baits and dead chubs.

Lake Cornelia (Wright): Fishing is excellent for channel catfish using chicken liver, stink bait or dead chubs.

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

 

Southwest

Farm Ponds: Fishing is good for bluegill, largemouth bass and channel catfish.

Icaria (Adams): Anglers are catching channel catfish.

Little River (Decatur): Channel catfish are biting in the bays on stink baits. Some bluegills and crappies are being caught from the deeper flooded timber at the lower end of the lake.

Wilson (Taylor): Channel catfish are biting on stink baits or liver.

Windmill (Taylor): Anglers are catching channel catfish on liver.

Green Valley (Union): Fishing is good for channel catfish on night crawlers and liver in the shallow bays. Some bluegills are being caught from the cedar trees.

Three Mile (Union): Crappies and bluegills are being caught from the flooded trees in 8 to 12 feet of water. Some walleye can be caught from the mounds.

Twelve Mile (Union): Channel catfish are being caught on all types of baits. Bluegills can be caught from the deeper flooded trees. Anglers can catch largemouth bass up to 17 inches, although most between 11 and 13 inches.

Badger Creek (Madison): Channel catfish are being caught from the shallow bays during the late evening. Small bluegills can be caught from the ends of the jetties or from the flooded tree stumps.

Three Fires (Taylor): Bluegill are being caught from the trees in 6 to 10 feet deep. Anglers are catching some nice channel catfish on liver or stink baits. Largemouth bass fishing is good near structure. The lake is full and easily usable.

Fogle Lake (Ringgold): Several bluegills are being caught from the deeper flooded trees on night crawlers. The channel catfish are biting on stink baits or night crawlers in the rocks or close to shore.

West Osceola (Clarke): Largemouth bass fishing is good near shore and around the trees.

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

Big Creek (Polk): Crappies are being caught on small minnows fished under a bobber. Bluegills are hitting on jigs and bait. Largemouth bass are hitting plastics and top-water baits in the mornings and evenings. Catfishing is decent on worms and crawdads.

Hickory Grove (Story): Bass fishing is decent on plastics and crankbaits. Bluegills and crappies are being picked up on small jigs. Catfishing is fair at night on worms.

Saylorville (Polk): White bass and wiper fishing is still consistent. Small crankbaits and spinners in white or chrome are the best bet. Catfishing is very good on night crawlers, liver and live bait.

Saylorville Dam (Polk): Catfishing is very good on chicken liver and night crawlers in the evening. Lots of drum are being caught along with a few white bass and walleye here and there.

Des Moines River (Polk): Catfishing is very good on shrimp, liver, worms, large minnows, frogs and crawdads.

Ahquabi (Warren): Some small bass are biting on plastics around wood. Bluegills are biting on jigs and bait under a bobber. Overall, fishing is slow.

Easter Lake (Polk): Catfishing is fair on chicken liver and night crawlers. Small bluegills are biting on worms under a bobber.

Don Williams (Boone): Catfishing is decent on liver and worms. Crappies are still being caught on minnows and night crawlers. Largemouth bass are hitting top-water baits and a few walleye are being caught.

Red Rock (Marion): The white bass and wiper bite is still going strong. The most consistent bite has been the White Breast area. Small rattle traps and blade baits in white and chrome colors seem to be working the best.

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

Orient (Adair): Channel catfish fishing is fair during the day on prepared baits. Bluegills are fair and can be caught on small jigs and tipped with night crawlers. Largemouth bass is fair using a slow retrieve and plastic worms.

Nodaway (Adair): Bluegill fishing is fair using small jigs tipped with night crawlers. Crappies are slow, but a few are being caught around brush piles with minnows. Channel catfish is fair using liver.

Greenfield (Adair): Bluegill fishing is fair around brush piles or drifting jigs tipped with night crawlers. Largemouth bass are being caught using plastic baits and spinner baits. Channel catfish fishing has been fair using liver.

Morman Trail (Adair): Bluegills are fair on south and west side of lake. Channel catfish is good using liver around jetties and the shallow bays in the evening. Largemouth bass can be caught on plastic baits.

Littlefield (Audubon): Crappie fishing is slow, but a few are being caught drifting a jig and minnow. Bluegills are fair casting a small jig tipped with night crawlers. Channel catfish has been fair in shallow bays and corners of the dam using stink bait.

Anita (Cass): Anglers are catching 7 to 8-inch bluegill using jigs from shore and around the jetties. Channel catfish, 2 to 6 pound size, are being caught on night crawlers and blood bait. Largemouth bass fishing has been fair for fish up to 18 inches using crankbaits and jigs around brush piles and rock piles.

DeSoto Bend (Harrison): Crappie fishing is slow. Channel catfish is fair on outside bend close to shore in the rocks. Dip baits with a red worm have been producing fish between 2 and 4 pounds.

Manawa (Pottawattamie): A few walleyes are being caught on west shore using Lindy rigs and crankbaits. Channel catfish is fair drifting cut bait or shrimp.

Arrowhead (Pottawattamie): Bluegills are fair using jigs with night crawlers. Fish are 7 to 8 inches. Channel catfish are fair using liver and prepared bait close to shore around jetties.

Prairie Rose (Shelby): Fishing is fair for crappies and bluegill drifting jigs tipped with minnows or night crawlers. Channel catfish is slow fishing shallow bays with liver. A few largemouth bass are being caught using crawdad-colored lures.

Willow (Harrison): Bluegill fishing is slow with a few fish being caught on jigs tipped with night crawlers. Fishing has been fair for 12 to 14-inch bass on plastic worms and crankbaits.

Schaben (Harrison): Bluegills are fair using small jigs tipped with night crawlers. Largemouth bass are being caught on night crawlers and plastic baits.

Middle Raccoon River (Guthrie): The “No Kill” stretch below Lenon Mills is fair for smallmouth bass using 1/32-ounce jigs tipped with a night crawler.

Farm Ponds are good for largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish. 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

Mississippi River Pools 16 to 20: Water levels on the Mississippi River are back to low summer levels. Tail water levels are 3.45 feet at Lock and Dam 16, 3.56 feet at Lock and Dam 17, and 1.43 feet at Lock and Dam 18. River stage at Muscatine is 5.99 feet. Water levels are forecasted to stay stable over the next week. Water temperature at Lock and Dam 16 is 82 degrees. In Pool 16, walleye and sauger are being caught on the wing dams with jigs and minnows. Cast the jig to the top of the wing dam and work it down the front. Wing dams around Credit Island and the I-280 Bridge have been good. A few walleyes have been caught trolling with crankbaits in Sylvan Slough. Channel catfish are being caught on stink baits and cut bait around Credit Island. Channel catfish are still being caught along rocky shorelines by drifting a bobber with a leech. Bluegills and crappies are being caught in the backwaters on wax worms. White bass are biting below Locks and Dams 15, 16, and 18 casting spinners, small crankbaits, and little jigs with twister tails. Some smallmouth bass are being caught in Sylvan Slough. Look for areas with rock and current. Wing dams can also be very productive for smallmouth bass with low water conditions. Largemouth bass fishing has been good in Pool 17 in the backwater areas and below the spillways of the lock and dams. Freshwater drum are being caught along the main channel can sloughs fishing night crawlers on the bottom.

Lake Darling (Washington): Catfishing has been spotty, but when they have been hitting it has been very good. In the morning, fish in 4 to 5 feet of water, then move out to the 10 to 12-foot flat in the middle of the lake by late morning. Remember there are flathead catfish in the lake…a 41 pounder was caught last Tuesday.

Lake Geode (Henry): Bluegill fishing is slow to fair using jigs at the edges of the weed lines along the drop-offs. Bass fishing has been slow as the water heats up. Try late evening along the weed lines.

Lake Belva Deer (Keokuk): Bluegill fishing remains fair. The fish seem to be tight to the habitat and are staying in the shade to keep cool.

Lake Rathbun (Appanoose): Channel catfish have been biting on minnows and night crawlers. White bass have been hitting on crankbaits and minnows. Watch for schools of shad breaking the surface and the white bass should be nearby.

Lake Sugema (Van Buren): Bluegills have been hitting on small jigs. Crappies have been hitting in the evenings in 8 to 10 feet of water using small jigs. Largemouth bass have been hitting on a variety of artificial lures.

Lake Wapello (Davis): Channel catfish have been hitting on liver and night crawlers. Bluegills have been hitting on small jigs. Largemouth bass have been hitting on spinner baits.

Lake Keomah (Mahaska): Largemouth bass have been hitting on rubber worms and spinner baits. Channel catfish have been biting on stink bait and liver.

Diamond Lake (Poweshiek): Fish early morning or late evening for channel catfish. Most of the typical smelly baits are working. Some crappies are being picked up by drifting for suspended fish, or by fishing around deeper brush.

Pleasant Creek (Linn): Fish in 8 to 10 feet of water with a variety of baits for channel catfish. Early and late tend to be the best periods.

Cedar River (Linn): Anglers are picking up some channel catfish below the dams on shad. A few smallmouth bass are being picked upon spinners and twisters.

Skunk River (Washington and Henry): Catfishing has been fair. The river seems to have leveled off but is still above normal.

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