Nelson Park Lake
Channel catfish are being caught from the dam and near the lake bottom below the catfish cages.
Brushy Creek Lake
Water clarity has improved. Bluegill fishing is decent in 15 to 20 feet of water. Walleye and crappie fishing have slowed down.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Channel Catfish – Good: Anglers drift fishing with night crawlers have been doing good. White Bass – Fair: White bass can be caught pulling plugs, crankbaits, or casting white twisters. Walleye – Slow: Pulling plugs or shad raps continue to be the best producers. The dredge machine on Storm Lake is in operation. Stay clear of the dredge, booster pump and pipeline that runs from the dredge to the east shore.
North Twin Lake
Water levels are about 3 to 4 inches below crest. Water clarity is poor. Fishing for most species is slow, except for catfish. Anglers have been doing well for channel catfish using night crawlers, stink bait, cut bait, etc.
Black Hawk Lake
Black Hawk Lake is approximately 3 inches below crest. Water clarity is good. Black Hawk Lake’s fishery was renovated last fall. Although we have been restocking the lake with sport fish, there are not a lot of harvestable size fish in the lake yet.
Browns Lake
Anglers are catching catfish using shrimp at night.
Little Sioux River (Linn Grove to Correctionville)
Channel catfish have been hitting hard on chicken livers. Use a slip sinker and toss into a snag or along a high bank. The river has come down and is in good shape. Fishing around the Linn Grove dam for catfish has been good too.
For more information on lakes and rivers in the Black Hawk District contact the Black Hawk District Office at 712-657-2638.
Beeds Lake
Sucker – Good: There are lots of white suckers in Beed’s. A worm and sinker on the bottom should entice them to bite. Channel Catfish – Fair: Largemouth Bass – Good: Crappie – Fair: Try for crappies around the jetty’s with minnows.
Lower Pine Lake
Channel Catfish – Good: Some very nice channel catfish from Lower Pine Lake on liver. Largemouth Bass – Fair:
Upper Pine Lake
Channel Catfish – Fair: A few catfish are being caught on liver. Bluegill – Good: Small grub-style baits are also working. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Crappie – Fair: Some crappies are being caught near structure.
Lake Smith
Channel Catfish – Good: Try with some cutbait, worms or stinkbait. Fish are probably biting best the last hour of sunlight to an hour after sunset. Bluegill – Slow: Largemouth Bass – Fair: A few largemouths are being caught in the evening and early morning.
Lake Catherine
Channel Catfish – Good: Cats are biting on minnows or chicken liver. Try early morning or right at dark. They are decent size with some running 7-9 pounds. Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth bass are biting on spinners.
Clear Lake
Channel Catfish – Good: Catfish are biting near the grade, on some of the rock reefs, near the island, and perhaps by the city seawall. Your best bet is to fish after dark with small live bait, cutbait, or stinkbait. Bluegill – Slow: Bluegill numbers are low, but some fish may be caught below docks or on the edge of bulrush. Crappie – Slow: Reports of crappies hitting near the state reef, near the dollar dock and a few by the Ventura grade. Walleye – Slow: Anglers are catching a few walleyes trolling or drifting along the north shore, from the state dock area to the east. Muskellunge – Good: Anglers have had action near the state reef, near the bulrush by the Baptist camp, and near the Ventura jetties. Good reports of catches this past week. Sounds like some of them are being caught around the docks. Yellow Bass – Good: Anglers are getting lots of yellows from boats near the state artificial reef, which is out from the state dock area, and from Fisherman’s Reef.
Lake Cornelia
Channel Catfish – Good: Cats should be biting on cutbait or stinkbait. Fish the last hour of sunlight to an hour after sunset. Or try during the day on a windward side of the lake. Bluegill – Good: Bluegills are keeper size. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Largemouth bass are near the rocks by the harbor and other rocky shorelines. Crappie – Fair: Crappies are around 8 inches. Yellow Bass – Good: Yellow bass are 7-7.25 inches
Crystal Lake
Most anglers are fishing the deeper dredged water to catch fish. Channel Catfish – Slow: Bluegill – Good: Anglers are picking bluegills up in 7-8 feet of water, but some deep, too. Largemouth Bass – Good: Anglers have reported catching lots of largemouth. Fish on the outside edges with a bobber and live bait or try a weedless spoon. Walleye – Fair: Walleyes are around 16-20 inches. Fish deep during the day and a little shallower during the evening.
Bluebill Lake
Channel Catfish – Good: Anglers still catching some catfish off the jetty. Bluegill – Good: Bluegills still biting. Largemouth Bass – Good: Please remember the 15-inch minimum length limit on bass.
Interstate Park Lake
There was a partial fish kill this winter on this lake but anglers have been reporting catching a variety of fish this past week. Bluegill – Fair: Largemouth Bass – Fair: Crappie – Fair: Crappies are a nice size and should be biting off the boat ramp point or off the east rock side.
Iowa River (Iowa Falls to Marshalltown)
Water levels have gone down. No reports, but fishing should be good for a variety of species. Channel Catfish – Good:
Shell Rock River (above Greene)
Water levels have gone down. No reports, but fishing should be good for pike, walleye, and catfish. Northern Pike – No Report: Look for areas with cooler water flowing in, if you can find them. Channel catfish should be biting well. Try whatever you have available: worms, cutbait, stinkbait, live bait. Some of the best action can be had by throwing a slip sinker rig right in front of a snag/logjam and waiting for a bite.
Winnebago River
Anglers are catching pike, smallmouth bass, and catfish on artificial lures on the Winnebago from Mason City to Rockford. Northern Pike – Good: Anglers are catching their limits on artificial lures. Channel Catfish – Good: Catfish should be biting well. Try whatever you have available: worms, cutbait, stinkbait, live bait. Some of the best action can be had by throwing a slip sinker rig right in front of a snag/logjam and waiting for a bite. Smallmouth Bass – Good:
East Fork Des Moines (Algona to Humboldt)
The East Fork is fishable. Channel Catfish – Good: Anglers are having nice catches with frogs. Walleye – No Report:
For lake updates and fishing information in the north central area contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
Big Spirit Lake
Smallmouth Bass – Slow: Look around rock piles and weed lines for smallmouth with a combination being even better. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Fish have been found in a few different areas but there doesn’t seem to be a clear cut pattern. Pitching docks, cranking weed lines, and top-water early and late have all caught a few fish. Walleye – Slow: Fish seem to be scattered try weeds, rocks, and out in the basin some days are better than others. Shore anglers have also been catching a few slots around sunset.
West Okoboji Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Look for bluegills in and around weeds, with open pockets and weed edges being the most productive. Live bait rigged on a slip bobber rig suspended just above the weeds has been good as well as jigging pilkies and small jigs. A few perch and yellow bass are also being picked up with this presentation. Smallmouth Bass – Slow: The smallies have been relating more so to deeper weed edges and drop-offs. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Look for weed pockets or weed edges for largemouth.
Lost Island Lake
A few have been venturing out in search of walleyes and are finding a few trolling spinners. A few white bass are also being found on the outside of the docks.
Little Sioux River (state line to Linn Grove)
The water is low and fish are concentrated in deeper holes. Try a white twister tail for walleye and a worm on bottom should catch just about anything.
For more information contact the Spirit Lake Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
