NORTHWEST

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.

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.  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 – Fair: Anglers are still catching bluegill, but many of them are small.  Crappie – Good: Fishing continues to be good for crappie.  Anglers are reporting limits, but most of the fish are between 7 and 9 inches.  Walleye – Fair: Anglers are still catching walleye.  Focus on the rock piles and use leeches under a slip bobber.

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)

Fishing has slowed down dramatically over the last week. 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

Yellow bass continue to bite and a few crappies are being picked up.

Swan Lake

Water levels are low on Swan Lake.

Black Hawk Lake

The lake is about eight inches below crest.  Bullhead – Good: Bullheads can be caught on nightcrawlers 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.

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.

Southwood Conservation Area Pond (east)

Bluegill, bass, and catfish are biting.  Channel Catfish – Good: Catfish are being caught the same way as bluegill.  Bluegill – Good: Bluegill are biting on a jig baited with a piece of nightcrawler under a bobber.  Largemouth Bass – Good: Bass are being picked up with crankbaits.

For more 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 are biting on buzz baits and surface baits.  Bluegills and crappies are biting on wax worms.

Upper Pine Lake

Largemouth bass are biting on buzz baits and surface baits.  Anglers are picking up bluegills and crappies using wax worms.

Clear Lake

Channel Catfish – Fair: Channel catfish are being caught with live bait fished over the rock reefs.  Crappie – Fair: Panfish are entering summer patterns.  Some crappies are being picked up on minnows.  Walleye – Fair: Walleye are being caught while drifting with live bait over rock reefs and in the west end of the main basin in 8 to 10 feet of water.  Yellow Bass – Fair: Anglers are picking up some yellow bass while drifting live bait and cut bait in 8 to 10 feet of water around rock reefs and in the west end of the main basin. Note: The boat ramps at McIntosh Woods State Park and Ventura Access (Lynn Lorenzen Park) on Clear Lake have reopened after workers installed concrete pad extensions to eliminate scour holes that developed at the end of the ramps.

Lake Cornelia

Channel Catfish – Fair: Channel catfish are being caught on stink bait and live bait.  Crappie – Fair: Anglers reported catching 6 to 10-inch crappies using twisters.  Walleye – Fair: Walleye are biting on live bait and twisters.

Little Wall Lake

Anglers are having success catching channel catfish with chicken livers fished during early mornings and evenings.

Crystal Lake

Bluegill fishing is good.  Bluegills are being picked up 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 less than 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 north central Iowa, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.

Mill Creek (Lake)

Many 10-inch bullheads and bluegills up to 7 inches were captured during a recent fish survey.  Largemouth bass numbers were also good with many 10 to 14-inchers and a few larger ones mixed in.

Big Spirit Lake

With recent rains and warm temperatures the water clarity has declined, but the spillway is now running.  Bullhead – Good: There have been lots of bullheads caught off the north grade and a few at Templar Park.  Most were coming on worms but minnows and leaches also caught a few. Northern Pike – Fair: With warmer water temperatures northern pike should become more difficult to catch but they will still be hanging out along weed edges.  Casting or trolling along or near these weed edges should produce the best action.  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 – Fair: Some of the bigger smallmouth are being caught on weed edges but the rock piles are still producing a few.   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 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)

Channel Catfish – No Report: Try using cut bait or stink bait around cover for cats and don’t be surprised to catch a few big bullheads as well.  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 rock piles but fish spook easily in the clear water.  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: The water temperature is holding in the mid 60s and the bite hasn’t slowed.  Good results have come in 10-15 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.  For more information on fishing in northwest Iowa, call the Spirit Lake Hatchery at 712-336-1840.