Oldham Lake
Anglers are catching some 7 to 8-inch bluegills.
Brushy Creek Lake
Fishing continues to be good. Crappie fishing has been excellent, especially in the south end. Largemouth bass and walleye are biting.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Walleye fishing is continuing to pick up. Crappie – Fair: Fish the marina for crappie. Walleye – Good: Evening fishing has been the best. Anglers have been picking up walleye near the inlet, from the east shore, and in the marina. Fishing a live chub or minnow on the bottom has been working the best. Anglers from shore have been doing better than boat anglers. Boaters should use caution on Storm Lake. The hydraulic dredge is in operation in the east basin of the lake. There is a pipeline running from the dredge to the shoreline and may rise to the surface at times.
Swan Lake
Anglers are still catching some bluegill and crappie fishing along the south portion of the lake from the jetties. Bluegill – Fair: Bluegill are around 7.5 to 8 inches. Crappie – Good: Crappies are measuring around nine inches.
Black Hawk Lake
Fishing is picking up. Water temperature is in the mid 60s. Bullhead – Good: Bullheads can be caught on nightcrawlers or leeches. The bullheads are around 8 to 9 inches and are abundant. Channel Catfish – Good: Channel catfish are still being caught close to shore. Try using leeches, minnows, or cut bait. Some are being caught on twisters while fishing for walleye. Crappie – Good: Anglers have been doing well for crappie in the Town Bay area. Fish along the shore at Ice House Point, from the handicapped accessible dock and the west stone pier. Yellow Perch – Fair: Anglers are picking up a few nice yellow perch while fishing for other species. Walleye – Fair: Some legal walleye are being caught from shore. Try fishing Ice House Point or the east shore or drifting with a minnow or a leech. Walleye must be at least 15 inches to keep and anglers are allowed three per day. Yellow Bass – Good: Yellow bass fishing has really turned on this week. Anglers are catching good numbers of yellows with many over 10 inches. Cast a small bright colored lure close to shore where the wind is blowing in. The east shore north of the outlet is a good place to fish with a west wind.
Browns Lake
Crappies are biting at Browns Lake. Some are reaching 13 inches. Minnows, worms, and feathered jigs are working well.
Little Sioux River (Linn Grove to Correctionville)
Small catfish and suckers are being picked up on nightcrawlers along the river. Fishing around the Linn Grove Dam has been slow.
Black Hawk District Farm Ponds
Anglers are catching some crappie and bluegill on small feathered jigs baited with a piece of nightcrawler.
Water temperature is in the mid 60s at most of the lakes in the area. For information contact Ben Wallace or Don Herrig at the Black Hawk District Office in Lake View at 712-657-2638.
Beeds Lake
Crappies, from 7 to 9 inches, and largemouth bass are being caught on artificial lures and minnows. Consistent, warmer temperatures next week will bring crappies near shore. Target these fish in the shallows and near the causeway using small tube jigs or jigs tipped with bait.
Lower Pine Lake
Bluegill and crappie are biting on wax worms. Anglers are catching largemouth bass with crawlers and spinner baits.
Upper Pine Lake
Bluegill and crappie are being picked up using wax worms. Anglers are catching largemouth bass with crawlers and spinner baits.
Lake Smith
Anglers are catching bluegill and crappie using small tube jigs and jigs tipped with bait. Largemouth bass fishing has also picked up – use a spinner or a crankbait.
Clear Lake
Walleye are biting on minnows and crankbaits. Yellow bass fishing is good. Use jigs tipped with small minnows, cut bait, or a piece of crawler in shallow, rocky areas – such as near the island, the outlet, Farmer’s Beach, and Dodge’s Point. Hair jigs and twister tail soft plastics have been effective in 2 to 5 feet of water near the island during mornings and evenings. Anticipate spawning crappies to show up in the rushes of the little lake and in the rocks along the jetties.
Lake Cornelia
Crappies are spawning and being caught along rocky shorelines, they are running in the 7 to 9-inch range. Bluegills are biting on tube jigs and crawlers. Yellow bass fishing is good, use jigs tipped with bait or soft plastic twister tail grubs.
Little Wall Lake
Yellow bass fishing is good. They are running in the 5 to 8-inch range. Use jigs tipped with bait and soft plastics fished along the shoreline. Bluegill fishing has been slow. Crappies have not yet moved into the shallows, but look for them to appear along the rocky shorelines with this next week’s warmer temperatures.
Crystal Lake
Largemouth bass fishing is good. Anglers are catching 8 to 16-inch largemouth bass using spinners and crankbaits. With warmer temperatures next week, look for bluegills to be next to spawning beds in the shallows. Fish these areas with a small tube jig or jigs tipped with bait.
Interstate Park Lake
Anglers reported catching bluegills from shore using tube jigs and jigs tipped with small minnows or a piece of crawler.
Winnebago River
Anglers are catching northern pike using artificial baits.
For more fishing information in the north central area contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
Big Spirit Lake
Musky season is closed. A few panfish are being caught in Templar Park and the North Grade. Bullhead – Good: There were lots of bullheads being caught off the north grade as well as a few at Templar Park. Most were coming on worms but minnows and leaches also caught a few. Northern Pike – Fair: Try using spoons, and spinner baits around vegetation. Some pike are being caught trolling crankbaits for walleye around 10 feet of water. White Bass – Fair: Locating an active school of white bass is the hard part. Once found, something resembling a minnow should get good results. Smallmouth Bass – Slow: Most smallmouth bass have are being caught off rock piles. Largemouth Bass – Fair: look for green weeds and bass should be nearby try using a slow presentation and long casts. Walleye – Fair: The opener was good with a fair number of limits coming in both Saturday and Sunday. Leaches and night crawlers seemed to be the choice bait by most fishermen with minnows bringing some success as well. Trolling crankbaits in the 10-20 feet range has been another good tactic.
Center Lake
We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week. White Bass – No Report: The water is warming and the white bass are moving into the shallows to spawn. Try fishing with minnow baits along the shorelines.
East Okoboji Lake
Musky season is closed. Bullhead – Fair: Try using worms on bottom. Walleye – Fair: Try fishing near bottom with crawlers and leaches or trolling crankbaits. Twister tails can also be productive. Yellow Bass – Good: Many yellow bass are being caught try looking for rocks and wood and use small baits.
Silver Lake (Dickinson)
We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week. Bullhead – No Report: A healthy population of large bullheads inhabits the lake and with an abundance of public access they should be easy to target. White Bass – No Report: These strong fighting fish can be a lot of fun to catch and they can usually be caught on baits resembling minnows such twister tails and stick baits, top water baits can also be effective.
West Okoboji Lake
Musky season is closed. The canals seem to be where the most action is with bluegills and largemouth bass gaining the most attention but many of the fish are small. Smallmouth Bass – Slow: A few smallies have been caught off rock piles but with the clear water most fish are spooky. Walleye – Fair: A few fish were caught trolling crankbaits as well as live bait rigs with crawlers and leaches.
A reminder to bow fishermen please dispose of your fish properly and it is unlawful to sell fish. For more information on fishing in northwest Iowa, call the Spirit Lake fish hatchery at 712-336-1840.
