Nelson Park Lake

The invasive plant species brittle naiad is present at Nelson Park.  Please make sure to inspect and clean boat trailers, boats and lower units to avoid transferring the plant species to other bodies of water.

Yellow Smoke Park Lake

The invasive plant species brittle naiad is present at Yellow Smoke Lake.  Please make sure to inspect and clean boat trailers, boats and lower units to avoid transferring the plant species to other bodies of water.

Crawford Creek Impoundment

The invasive plant species brittle naiad is present at Crawford Creek.  Please make sure to inspect and clean boat trailers, boats and lower units to avoid transferring the plant species to other bodies of water.  Bluegill – Good: Bluegill fishing has improved at Crawford Creek.

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 sub-legal size, though.  The invasive plant species brittle naiad is present at Moorhead Park Pond.  Please make sure to inspect and clean boat trailers, boats and lower units to avoid transferring the plant species to other bodies of water.  Bluegill – Fair: Anglers are still catching fair numbers of bluegill with some crappie mixed in.

Brushy Creek Lake

Fishing continues to be good for many species.  The invasive plant species brittle naiad is present at Brushy Creek.  Please make sure to inspect and clean boat trailers, boats and lower units to avoid transferring the plant species to other bodies of water.  Bluegill – Good: Bluegill fishing has picked up.  Largemouth Bass – Good: Anglers are doing well for largemouth bass.  Focus on the weedlines and around structure.  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)

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.  Channel Catfish – Good:   White Bass – Fair: White bass fishing has picked up.  Try casting white twisters or Shad Raps.  White bass are being picked up while fishing for walleye.  Walleye – Slow: Leeches have been the bait of choice.  The bite has been hit and miss.  Anglers putting in a lot of time have been able to catch limits.

North Twin Lake

Channel catfish, bluegill and yellow bass fishing have been decent at North Twin, but the crappie fishing has slowed down.

Swan Lake

Water levels are low on Swan Lake right now.

Black Hawk Lake

The lake is about 8 inches below crest.  Bullhead – Good: Bullheads can be caught on night crawlers or leeches.  The bullheads are mostly between 10 and 11 inches and they are abundant.  Channel Catfish – Good: Fish the windy shorelines close to shore and use crawdads for bait.  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 – Slow: 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

Channel Catfish – Good: Try fishing for channel catfish in the no wake zone in the north end of the lake.  Use caution as there may be some shallow areas there.  Bluegill – Fair: Bluegill are being picked up around the ends of the docks and around the boat ramp.  Largemouth Bass – Slow: Some largemouth bass are being caught with frogs around the vegetation west of the boat ramp.  Crappie – Fair: Try using a 2-inch black twister tail with a slow retrieve around boat docks and the edges of vegetation.

Great Western Park Lake

The invasive plant species brittle naiad is present at Great Western Park.  Please make sure to inspect and clean boat trailers, boats and lower units to avoid transferring the plant species to other bodies of water.

Midway Park Lake

Northern Pike – Good: Northern pike have been very aggressive in the south pond.  Pike are ranging from 14 to 20 inches. A fast retrieve is key to catching the pike.  Bluegill – Fair: Fish with night crawlers and a bobber on the north pond.  Crappie – Fair: Crappie are hitting with a slow retrieve and a black twister tail.  Yellow Bass – Fair: Fish with night crawlers and a bobber on the north pond.

Southwood Conservation Area Pond (east)

Panfishing is excellent at the south wood ponds.  The west pond is producing more of the bigger bluegill.  Fish about 4 to 6 feet down.  Some bluegills are still guarding the nests near shore.

Little Sioux River (Linn Grove to Correctionville)

Water levels are high on the Little Sioux and some flooding is occurring around the Linn Grove Dam.  Northern Pike – Fair: Use spinners to target northern pike.  Channel Catfish – Fair: Some catfish are being picked up in the channel on stinkbait and cut bait.

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

Briggs Woods Lake

Anglers are catching largemouth bass using crawlers and twisters.

Lower Pine Lake

Largemouth bass and bluegills are biting on crawlers.

Upper Pine Lake

Largemouth bass and bluegills are biting on crawlers.  Crappies are being picked up with wax worms fished along the shoreline.

Clear Lake

Note:  The boat ramps at McIntosh Woods State Park on Clear Lake are now open. Workers installed concrete pad extensions to eliminate scour holes that developed at the end of the ramps.  Similar repairs will take place to the ramps at Ventura Access (Lynn Lorenzen Park) beginning June 25, and will reopen June 27.  Boat ramps at the Ritz, Clear Lake Boats and City Park will remain open.  Channel Catfish – Fair: Channel catfish are being caught on minnows in the little lake and during evening near the jetties.  Crappie – Fair: Some crappies are being picked up on minnows.  Fish small tube jigs and jigs tipped with bait.  Walleye – Fair: Walleye are being caught while drifting with minnows over rock reefs and also in areas of the little lake.  Anglers reported having greatest success while fishing during late evening and after sunset.  Yellow Bass – Fair: Anglers are picking up some yellow bass in areas near the island, Dodge’s Point, over rock reefs and in the little lake.  Use jigs tipped with small minnows, cut bait, or a piece of crawler.

Lake Cornelia

Anglers are picking up some crappies and a few walleye under 14 inches.  Channel catfish are being caught on live bait.

Crystal Lake

Bluegill fishing is good.  Bluegills are on spawning beds in the shallows and also along the edges of weed beds in 5 to 8 feet of water.  Fish these areas with a small tube jig or jigs tipped with bait.  Anglers are also catching largemouth bass with spinner baits fished along weed beds.  A few walleyes are being caught on jigs tipped with live bait.

Bluebill Lake

Anglers are having success catching bluegills up to 9 inches and crappies 9 to 11 inches.  Largemouth bass under 11 inches are being picked up with spinners and crawlers.   A few channel catfish are being caught while drifting with live bait.

For more fishing information in the north central area contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.

Mill Creek (Lake)

During a recent fish survey many bullheads in the 10 inch range were captured as well as bluegills up to 7 inches.  Largemouth bass numbers were also good with many being in the 10-14 inch range with a few larger mixed in.

Big Spirit Lake

With recent rains and warm temperatures the water has become dirtier but the spillway is now running. Bullhead – Good: There have been lots of bullheads 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 crank baits for walleye around the 10- to 15-foot depth.  White Bass – Fair: Look for schools of white bass breaking the surface in the morning and afternoon, once located a popper or minnow bait should get some action. Smallmouth Bass – Slow: Most smallmouths are being caught off rock piles.  Largemouth Bass – Fair: The largemouth are still being found near weeds but some are also starting to disperse to other areas in the lake.    Yellow Perch – Slow: Action has picked up a bit. Look for most perch in deeper water on mudflats.  Walleye – Fair:  Leeches and night crawlers seemed to be the choice bait by most fishermen with minnows bringing some success as well.  Trolling crank baits in the 10- to 20 foot range has been another good tactic.

East Okoboji Lake

With the spillway now running, many fishermen are targeting the north end of the lake.    Bullhead – Fair: Try using worms on bottom.   Walleye – Fair: Try fishing near bottom with crawlers and leeches or trolling crank baits.  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)

White Bass – Fair: A few white bass are being caught out of the lake look for fish hitting the surface or cast the shoreline with minnow baits.

West Okoboji Lake

Try fishing early in the morning to avoid boat traffic.  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 rockpiles 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 crank baits as well as live bait rigs with crawlers and leeches.

Lost Island Lake

Walleye – Fair: The water temperature is still holding in the mid 60s and the bite hasn’t slowed.  Good results have come in 10 to 15 feet of water with many small fish being caught.  Try trolling crawler harnesses or drifting with either live bait or jigging with specialty plastics designed for walleye. 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 tasty 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.