Crawford Creek Impoundment

Some bass are being caught at Crawford Creek.  Most of the bluegill and crappie that are being caught have come from the dam, but not in high numbers.

Moorhead Park Pond

Moorhead Pond was renovated in 2009 and restocked.  The panfish are now at a size worth keeping.  Fishing for bluegill, crappie, and bass has been good.  Most of the bass are a sub-legal size, though.  Bluegill – Fair: Anglers are still catching fair numbers of bluegill with some crappies mixed in.

Brushy Creek Lake

Fishing continues to be good for many species.  Bluegill – Fair: Look for bluegill spawning beds in the shallows.  Crappie – Good: Fishing continues to be good for crappie.  Walleye – Good: Anglers are reporting limits of 18 to 20-inch walleye.  Leeches under a slip bobber and crankbaits in around 10 feet of water have been working.  Muskellunge – Fair: Muskie fishing has been fair up in the north ends, along the east shoreline from the beach on north, and in the coves around Taylor’s Island.  Large crankbaits, surface baits, spinners, and bucktails have all been producing.

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)

Walleye fishing has picked up some.  Channel Catfish – Fair:   Walleye – Fair: Anglers are having the best luck in the evenings.  Most of the fish are being caught on the east side.  Minnows with a split shot and bobber is key. 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.

North Twin Lake

Channel Catfish – Fair: Most catfish are being caught close to shore in the evenings with cut bait and nightcrawlers.  Walleye – Slow: A few walleye are being caught trolling.  Yellow Bass – Fair: Yellow bass fishing has picked up with most yellows being caught with a small piece of nightcrawler under a bobber or a small twister/jig.

Swan Lake

Anglers are still catching some bluegill and crappie, but it has slowed down some for crappie over the past couple of weeks.  Fish from shore along the south portion of the lake off the jetties.  Anglers have been doing well from the fish house.  Bluegill – Good: Bluegill are around 7.5 to 8 inches.  Crappie – Slow: Crappie are around 9 inches.

Black Hawk Lake

Fishing has slowed down some over the past week.  Bullhead – Good: Bullheads can be caught on nightcrawlers or leeches.  The bullheads are mostly 10 to 11 inches and are abundant.  Channel Catfish – Good: Channel catfish are still being caught close to shore.  Try leeches, minnows, or cut bait.  Some are being caught on twisters while fishing for walleye.  Bluegill – Slow: There are lots of bluegill in close to shore along Ice House Point and the north end of the marina.  Bluegills are running about 7 inches.  Crappie – Slow: Crappie have started to slow down.  Walleye – Slow: Try fishing Ice House Point or the east shore.  Use leeches under a slip bobber set off the bottom.  Walleye must be at least 15 inches to keep and anglers are allowed three per day.  Yellow Bass – Fair: 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.

Southwood Conservation Area Pond (east)

Bass, bluegill, and crappie are hitting well on live bait under a bobber, mainly nightcrawlers.

Little Sioux River (Linn Grove to Correctionville)

Water levels are high and some flooding is occurring around the Linn Grove Dam.  Northern Pike – Fair: Target the backwaters below the dam.  Channel Catfish – Fair: Some catfish are being picked up in the channel.  Walleye – Slow: Some walleyes are being caught but it has been pretty slow.  Muskellunge – Slow: Target the backwaters below the dam.

Black Hawk District Farm Ponds

Bluegills are starting to nest at farm ponds around the area.  Bluegills are very aggressive when guarding the nest and can be easily caught.  Look for shallow areas where bluegills are nesting.

For more information, contact Ben Wallace or Don Herrig at the Black Hawk District Office in Lake View at 712-657-2638.

Lower Pine Lake

Largemouth bass and bluegills are biting on crawlers.

Upper Pine Lake

Largemouth bass and bluegills are biting on crawlers.  Anglers are also having success catching crappie with wax worms along the shoreline and channel catfish with liver fished in the creek between the Lakes.

Clear Lake

Crappie – Fair: Some crappies are being picked up using minnows.  Fish small tube jigs and jigs tipped with bait in areas near the rushes, next to shore, and in the rocks along the jetties.   Walleye – Fair: Walleye are biting on minnows and crankbaits fished over rock reefs, around the island, and near steep dredging contours in the little lake.  The majority of walleye being caught are under the 14-inch minimum length limit.  Yellow Bass – Good: Yellow bass continue to bite in shallow, rocky areas – such as near the island, the outlet, Farmer’s Beach, and Dodge’s Point.  Use jigs tipped with small minnows, cut bait, or a piece of crawler.  Anglers continue to have the best success using either small hair jigs or twister tail soft plastics on a jig fished in 2 to 5 feet of water near the island and Dodge’s Point around sunrise. Note: Due to low water conditions, boaters are reminded to use caution when backing trailers into the water to not go beyond the end of the McIntosh and Ventura boat ramps.  Scour holes developed at the ends of these ramps from boats powering onto trailers.  If the trailers are backed beyond the ramps, the wheels will fall into these scour holes, dropping the trailer frame on the concrete.  Signs posted on the courtesy docks mark the end of the ramps at both McIntosh and Ventura accesses.

Lake Cornelia

Crappies 7-8 inches are biting. Some walleyes under 14 inches, and catfish are being caught on live bait.

Little Wall Lake

Crappie and bluegill fishing is good. Crappies have moved into shallow areas of the lake along the rocks to spawn.  Target these fish in near-shore areas with small tube jigs or jigs tipped with bait.

Crystal Lake

Bluegills are on spawning beds in the shallows and along the edges of weed beds.  Fish these areas with a small tube jig or jigs tipped with bait.  Anglers are also catching 8 to 16-inch largemouth bass using spinners and crankbaits.

Bluebill Lake

Anglers are having success catching bluegills using crawlers.

Winnebago River

Anglers reported catching northern pike on artificial lures and channel catfish using live bait.

Bluegills are on spawning beds in many north-central water bodies.  For more information in the north central area contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.

Big Spirit Lake

Bluegills and crappies are in the spawning areas try using small presentations while sight fishing.  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 the 10 foot depth.  White Bass – Fair: Locating an active school of white bass is the hard part, but 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: Green vegetation still seems to be the key but as the water keeps warming the fish are becoming more active.  Slow presentations are still bringing fish to the boat but the top water bite is also shining when conditions allow.  Yellow Perch – Slow: Fishing has been slow but a few are being caught while fishing for walleye.  Walleye – Fair:  Leeches and night crawlers seemed to be the choice bait by most fishermen with minnows bringing some success as well.  Trolling crankbaits in 10 to 20 feet of water has been another good tactic.

East Okoboji Lake

Bullhead – Fair: Try using worms on bottom.  Walleye – Fair: Try fishing near bottom with crawlers and leeches 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.

West Okoboji Lake

The canals seem to be where the most action is taking place with bluegills and largemouth bass gaining the most attention but many of the fish are small.  Northern Pike – Fair: Find weed beds and you have found the pike; try using spoons or most anything resembling a minnow and don’t forget the steel leader.  Bluegill – Good: Action is picking up in the main lake around docks but there are still a good number of fish in the canals.  Try using small jigs coupled with light line and a small bobber.  Smallmouth Bass – Slow: A few smallies have been caught off rock piles but with the clear water most fish are spooky.  Largemouth Bass – Fair: Fish are still in the canals but there are a few being caught in the bays around the weed beds.    Walleye – Fair: A few fish were caught trolling crankbaits as well as live bait rigs with crawlers and leeches.

Lost Island Lake

Walleye – Fair: Fishing is picking up as the water has reached the mid 60’s.  Try drifting live bait either on a jig or a rig with live bait.  A few good sized yellow bass may also be picked up with these methods.  Yellow Bass – Good: There are some good sized yellow bass in the lake and they can be caught using crappie sized baits.  Try using twister tails, crappie tubes, and live bait to catch a batch of these taste fish.

A reminder to bow fishermen please dispose of your fish properly and it is unlawful to sell fish.  With the summer season upon us remember to be courteous to fellow lake users.  For more information, contact the Spirit Lake hatchery at 712-336-1840.