Brushy Creek Lake

Reports indicate care should be taken when getting onto ice and around trees. Bluegill – Good: Fish are being caught in 10-30 feet of water on wax worms.  Crappie – Good: Fish are being caught in 10-30 feet of water on wax worms around trees.

Bacon Creek Lake

Rainbow Trout – Good: Fish are being caught on spoons.

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)

There is a large open water area in the southeast corner of the lake that has expanded with warmer weather.  Ice has also deteriorated around the inlet.  Anglers have reported ice depth ranging between 18-24 inches. Channel Catfish – Fair: Fish in the 2-4 pound range are being caught using buckshot or rattle spoons.  White Bass – Good: Fish ranging in the 10-13-inch range are being caught with buckshot or rattle spoons.  Walleye – Fair: Mostly 7-10-inch fish have been caught with rattling spoons.

Swan Lake

Aeration units have a large open hole near the fish house. Channel Catfish – Fair: A few catfish up to 25 inches have been caught by bluegill/crappie anglers. Bluegill – Fair: A few fish are being caught with small ice jigs tipped with a wax worm. Crappie – Fair: A few fish are being caught with small ice jigs tipped with a wax worm.

Black Hawk Lake

Aeration units are on in Town Bay and on the east end of the lake between the outlet and marina the ice heave has split open and waterfowl have enlarged the opening. Bluegill – Fair: A few bluegills in the 6-7-inch range have been caught near rock bars. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Fish ranging from 5-18 inches have been caught while bluegill and walleye fishing.  Walleye – Fair: Mostly 6-8-inch fish with a few approaching 15 inches have been caught near rock piles and on Ice House Point.

Anglers must pay attention to open holes and be careful around rocks and trees that will absorb sunlight and weaken ice as temperatures warm up. There have been reports that some sections of the Little Sioux, North Raccoon and Des Moines rivers have started to open up.

Lake Smith

Ice thickness is 25-26 inches. No reports.

Clear Lake

Ice thickness is 28-29 inches. Access is difficult to the lake with snow and ice melt making it tough to get on the lake. Access has been limited to foot travel, at the moment. Fishing activity has been minimal this past week.  Crappie – Fair: Anglers are still getting some in the deeper areas of the little lake around dark. Look for them suspended a ways off bottom in deeper water in the little lake. A few crappies also have been caught near Baptist Camp/Farmers Beach areas. Most are in the range of 8-11 inches. Walleye – Slow: Occasional walleye near the aerator on the west end at dark or in the Farmer’s Beach area. (14-inch minimum)  Yellow Bass – Fair: Most of the yellow bass action seems to be coming from anglers on the main lake near the Baptist Camp and Farmers Beach. Yellows on the little lake seem to be around 12 feet of water. Most yellow bass being caught are around 7.5-8 inches with a few 9-9.5 inchers.

Crystal Lake

Ice thickness is 30 inches. Bluegill – Good: Fishing seems to be fairly consistent using small jigs tipped with wax worms. Anglers are reporting better success in the shallower water eight feet near the edge of the dredged basin.  Crappie – Good: Crappie fishing has been fair using minnows at dusk in the deeper water near or on the drop-off of the basin.  Walleye – Slow: An occasional walleye may be taken in the deeper water using minnows.

Blue Pit

Additional rainbow trout were stocked on Feb. 7. Anglers should be able to catch them with a small ice fly and a wax worm or a small spoon. Start shallow, near shore.

Bluebill Lake

Ice thickness is 22 inches. No reports lately; earlier anglers were having some success catching perch, bluegill, and some largemouth bass on spikes and wax worms fished near sunken cedar tree clumps.

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

There is 30 plus inches of ice and the walleye season is closed.  Overall angling for all species continues to be slow.

Center Lake

We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week.

East Okoboji Lake

Walleye season is closed.  There has been very little fishing pressure.

West Okoboji Lake

We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week.

Five Island Lake

We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week.