Crawford Creek Impoundment

Bluegill – Fair: Bluegills being caught are 8-9.5 inches.  Try a small hair jig tipped with a wax worm.  Largemouth Bass – Fair: Fair numbers of bass are being caught but most are sublegal size.

Moorhead Park Pond

Channel Catfish – Slow: Some decent sized catfish have been picked up.  Bluegill – Fair: Good numbers of bluegill can be caught, but they’re smaller fish.  Good opportunity to get kids on some fish.  Largemouth Bass – Fair: Fair numbers are being caught, but most are sublegal fish.

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)

The dredge machine is in operation on Storm Lake.  Boaters should use caution and stay clear of the dredge machine, booster pump barge, and pipeline.  Channel Catfish – Fair: Catfishing has been hit or miss.  Use Sonny’s dip bait and fish overcast days to increase chances of success.  White Bass – Fair: Shore anglers have been picking up white bass with blue and silver 1/4 ounce Kastmasters and Mepps spinners.  Some walleye are picked up while fishing for the white bass too.  Walleye – Fair: Anglers have been catching decent numbers of slot fish and even some over the slot.  Try trolling salmo hornet crankbaits or #6 shad raps around the dredge cuts.  The dredge cut between Stoney Point and the big island has been the best.  Early morning is the best time to go with the bite dropping off around mid morning.

Black Hawk Lake

Water levels are about seven inches above crest.  The thick blue-green algae blooms have mostly subsided, but it is still present.  Bluegill – Fair: Anglers have been catching 7.5-8-inch bluegill off the deeper rock piles.  Use a 1/16 ounce chartreuse marabou hair jig tipped with a piece of bait.  Largemouth Bass – Fair: Anglers have reported decent action, however most are sub legal.

Little Sioux River (Linn Grove to Correctionville)

As of Sept. 4, river levels were well below flood stage near Correctionville.  Channel Catfish – Good: Anglers reporting catches of 4-6 pound fish.

North Raccoon River (Auburn to Perry)

Flows have significantly increased since the rains last weekend in the North Raccoon River.  Discharge (CFS) near Sac City is above the 90th percentile.  Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Smallmouth bass have been picked up casting twisters and hair jigs.  Walleye – Slow: A few walleye have been caught casting crankbaits.

Des Moines River (Humboldt to Stratford)

Although the river is below flood stage near Fort Dodge, discharge is still above the 90th percentile.  Channel Catfish – Good: Anglers have been catching good numbers of channel catfish below the dams in Fort Dodge.  Try using night crawlers.

Water levels are at or near crest at most of the lakes in the Black Hawk District.  For more information on fishing in this area contact the Black Hawk District Office in Lake View at 712-657-2638.

Lake Smith

Channel Catfish – Slow: Try after dark near the rocks or steeper shorelines.  Bluegill – Slow: Try in near the rocks at dark or out deeper looking for suspended fish with a depth finder.

Lake Catherine

Catfish are biting on stink bait.  Channel Catfish – Fair: There are some nice 22-27-inch cats in the lake. Try after dark with some cutbait, worms, or stink bait.  Largemouth Bass – No Report:

Clear Lake

Channel Catfish – Good: The best bite is after dark but some will bite throughout the day. Target the edge of reeds or rocks with Sonny’s or similar stink bait. Other spots to try are the Ventura jetties, state dock area on north shore, the outlet, the city seawall or Farmers Beach.  Bluegill – Slow: Anglers fishing the canals have been having some luck.  Largemouth Bass – Fair: An occasional largemouth near the edge of the reeds, rocks or lily pads on the little lake.  Walleye – Fair: Boat anglers are picking up some walleyes trolling crankbaits. Shore fishing is slow but wader fisherman may pull some in along the edges of reeds either off Farmers Beach or McIntosh Point. Try fishing after dark.  Muskellunge – Good: Fishing has been fairly consistent. Get out on some of those stable weather or humid days and you have a good chance of catching one.  Yellow Bass – Good: Some anglers catching yellows in about 6.5-10 feet off the north shore between the island and fisherman’s reef or state reef. Some anglers are also doing ok near the edges of the reeds in the little lake.

Lake Cornelia

Channel Catfish – Good: Reports of channel cats 1.5-2 pounds being caught during the early mornings and late evenings.

Crystal Lake

No reports this week.  Bluegill – Fair: Try with a slip bobber for the bluegills near the deeper dredged water (11-13 feet). Casting a lighter jig and letting it slowly sink will also catch some fish. Tip with a worm or leech.  Largemouth Bass – No Report: Try on the Dredge cut weed line or up close to the rock shorelines.  Walleye – No Report: An occasional walleye may be caught near the edge of the dredge cut along the edge of the curlyleaf.

Iowa River (Iowa Falls to Marshalltown)

No reports this week but smallmouth bass should be biting on jigs.  Smallmouth Bass – No Report:

East Fork Des Moines (Algona to Humboldt)

Channel catfish or walleye are worth a try. Look for rock riprap or snags or deeper outside bends for the late summer period. Minnows, worms, or small pieces of cut baitfish are good options for both.  Channel Catfish – Good: A few reports of catfish biting on the East Fork.

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

Northern Pike – Fair: Anglers using spinner baits near weed edges have been catching a few harvestable size fish.  Crappie – Fair: Anglers fishing from piers and docks as well as by boat near bull rush beds have been picking up a few small crappies using small jigs with plastic twister tails.  Walleye – Slow: Cooler daytime and overnight temperatures have started to drop the water temperature on Big Spirit. This shift should start to get fish more active. Anglers hoping to target fall mode walleyes should use live bait jigged or drifted near rocky points in the early morning and evening hours.

East Okoboji Lake

Channel Catfish – Good: Cut bait, chicken livers, and stink bait presented in the evenings and overnight hours is producing a number of nice aggressive catfish for anglers.  Bluegill – Fair: Small ice jigs tipped with red worms or other live bait when presented near weed lines is producing some angler acceptable fish right now. Early morning seems to be when most folks are fishing these spots.  Yellow Perch – Good: Pilkies tipped with red worms worked near rocky points have been producing a few nice perch. Be prepared to sort some small ones, but anglers can count on keeping some for the freezer.  Walleye – Fair: Action has started to pick up in the last week or so with the cooler temperatures in the area. Anglers with the best success are working deeper areas with both live bait rigs and deep running crank baits. Trolling across the deep ends of structure is producing a few nice keepers. Make sure to slow your presentation way down when using live bait, fish have been hitting very softly.  Yellow Bass – Good: Deep weed lines and structures are providing the best action to anglers who use small jigs tipped with live bait.

West Okoboji Lake

Bluegill – Good: Tiny jigs tipped with live bait have been producing a few keepers when worked near the edges of weed beds. The bite seems to be best at first light.  Yellow Perch – Good: Smaller fish need to be sorted out, but red worms tipping a pilkie have been producing some nice action for anglers.  Walleye – Fair: Cooler temperatures have fish a bit more active. Live bait and crankbaits are producing a few keepers around the rocky points. First/last light seem to be doing the best for anglers.  Yellow Bass – Good: Small jigs tipped with wigglers will get you some nice action.

Ingham Lake

Bullhead – No Report: Ingham supports a healthy bullhead population of angler acceptable sized fish. Soaking a night crawler should keep anglers entertained for quite a while. When action is hot, this would be a great time to get kids outside fishing with you.

Five Island Lake

Channel Catfish – Good: Five Island has a strong population of angler acceptable catfish. Folks looking to target these fish should use cut bait, stink bait or chicken livers in the evening and overnight hours.

Lost Island Lake

Channel Catfish – Good: Using cut or stink bait after dark is producing some nice size cats right now.  White Bass – Fair: A small hair jig tipped with a white or chartreuse twister should get white bass interested.  Yellow Perch – Fair: Nice sized perch continue to keep anglers entertained when they work small jigs or pilikis tipped with wigglers near rocky shorelines and weed edges.  Walleye – Fair: Cooler temperatures are getting walleyes moving again. Keep hitting the rocky points at first light and last light to target a few nice keepers.  Yellow Bass – Fair: Small jigs tipped with twister tails will get you a few small yellows with the occasional keeper.

Little Sioux River (state line to Linn Grove)

Channel Catfish – Good: Catfish should be hitting cut or stink bait presented near deeper pools and tree snags. Watch for nice deep cut banks on outside bends that will hold 17-20-inch cats.

West Fork Des Moines (state line to Emmetsburg)

Channel Catfish – Good: Catfish should be hitting cut or stink bait presented near deeper pools and tree snags.  Walleye – Slow: Anglers are working areas below rock and sand bars with shiners and leeches for a few fish right now.

For lake updates and fishing information for Northwest Iowa, contact the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.