Beeds Lake

Sucker – Good: There are lots of white suckers in Beed’s. A worm and sinker on the bottom should entice them to bite.  Channel Catfish – Fair: Cats should be close to spawning. Anglers might try near rocks.  Largemouth Bass – Good:   Crappie – Fair: Try for crappies around the jetty’s with minnows.

Upper Pine Lake

Good numbers of bluegills and crappie from both lakes are coming in on grub-type baits.  Largemouth bass from Upper Lake with spinner baits. Bluegill – Good: Bluegills are spawning in 4 to 5 feet of water. A bobber and small jig with a piece of worm should work. Small grub-style baits are also working.  Largemouth Bass – Good: Bass are biting on spinnerbaits.  Crappie – Fair: Some crappies are being caught near structure.

Lake Smith

Channel Catfish – Good: Try cutbait, worms, or stinkbait. Fish are probably biting best the last hour of sunlight to an hour after sunset.  Bluegill – Slow:   Largemouth Bass – Good: Try spinnerbaits.

Lake Catherine

Channel Catfish – Good: Cats are biting on minnows or chicken liver. Try early morning or right at dark. They are decent size with some running 7-9 pounds.  Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth bass are biting on spinners.

Clear Lake

Channel Catfish – Good: Catfish are staging for spawning. Look around the rock reefs or the island. The jetties by Ventura or the mouth of the Harborage are also worth a shot. If you find fish, action is fast and aggressive. Try cutbait, worms or small live bait.  Bluegill – Fair: Bluegill numbers are low, but some fish may be caught below docks or on the edge of bulrushes.  Largemouth Bass – Slow: Some largemouth have been caught near the reeds with live bait.  Crappie – Good: Some crappies are still in or near the Venetian Village and the Harborage. Some of the larger crappies, though, have been hitting near the edge of the bulrushes at dusk.  Yellow Perch – Slow: Anglers might catch a few perch when fishing near the reed edges. Size is mostly small along with a few up to 10 inches.  Walleye – Fair: A few bigger fish have been caught but most anglers are catching a mix of sublegals and small legal walleyes. Most are caught on jig and a minnow. Some are catching walleyes drifting or trolling. Action on the Rock reefs and rock piles is picking up; anglers are using live bait and bobbers or jigging right on bottom.  Muskellunge – No Report:   Yellow Bass – Fair: Numbers of smaller fish can still be caught on some of the reefs (Billy’s). Some anglers are picking up a few larger ones near the bulrush edges. The lake is full and water temperature is around 75 degrees.

Lake Cornelia

Channel Catfish – Good: Cats should be biting on cutbait or stinkbait. Fish during the last hour of sunlight to an hour after sunset, or try during the day on a windward side of the lake.   Bluegill – Good: Bluegills are keeper size.  Largemouth Bass – Fair: Largemouth bass are near the rocks by the harbor and other rocky shorelines.  Crappie – Fair: Crappies are around 8 inches.  Yellow Bass – Good: Yellow bass are 7-7.25 inches.

Little Wall Lake

Channel Catfish – Good: Channel cats are spawning on the rocks. Try with a bobber and minnow, small live bait or chicken liver. If you’re after flatheads use a live fish for bait and fish after dark.  Largemouth Bass – Fair:   Crappie – Slow: Little Wall is at crest and the water temperature is around 73 degrees.

Crystal Lake

Try fishing on the edge of weeds near the deeper dredged water for bass, walleyes, and pike.  Channel Catfish – Slow:   Bluegill – Fair: Great population of 7-8 inch bluegills. Bluegills are finished spawning but some are still close to shore.  Largemouth Bass – Slow: Anglers reported catching lots of largemouth. Fish on the outside edges with a bobber and live bait or try a weedless spoon.  Walleye – Slow: Walleyes are around 16-18 inches. Water temperature is around 77 degrees. There is lots of curlyleaf growing in the lake.

Bluebill Lake

Channel Catfish – Good: Look for cats near rocks.  Bluegill – Good:   Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth bass are biting well along shorelines. There is a 15-inch minimum length limit on bass.  Crappie – Fair: Crappies are biting on minnows under a bobber.

Fin and Feather Lake

There has been some activity for panfish. There was a partial fish kill this winter but there are still some bluegills and largemouths left to provide some action.  Bluegill – Fair:   Largemouth Bass – Fair: Largemouth are near shore. Remember the 15-inch minimum length limit.

Interstate Park Lake

There was a partial fish kill this winter on this lake but anglers report catching a variety of fish this past week.  Bluegill – Fair:   Largemouth Bass – Fair: Largemouths are cruising the shorelines.  Crappie – Fair: Crappies are a nice size and should be biting off the boat ramp point or off the east rock side.

Iowa River (Iowa Falls to Marshalltown)

Iowa River is flooding from recent local rains. There is some activity below Steamboat Rock for walleye and northern pike.

Shell Rock River (above Greene)

Water levels are high.  Northern Pike – Slow: A few northern pike are being caught with a chub and bobber, or slow artificial presentations. Between Northwood and Nora Springs below dams, backwater areas and anywhere a creek feeds into the river.  Walleye – Slow: A few small walleye being caught on Shell Rock River on jig/twister.

Winnebago River

Water level is still high. Try fishing any slower water areas or backwater areas you can find.  Northern Pike – Slow: Northern pike are being caught in Fertile by the dam and the park point east of the dam.  Anglers are using a slow retrieval with Mepps number 4 and 5 spinner baits or a Rapala 3-inch Countdown Minnow. Some pike are also hitting chubs presented below bobbers.  Channel Catfish – Slow: Anglers should try below the dams or in backwater areas using cutbait, stinkbait, or minnows.

East Fork Des Moines (Algona to Humboldt)

The East Fork is running high right now. Fishing is marginal. Walleye – No Report:

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