Nelson Park Lake

Brittle naiad, an invasive plant species, is present and boaters and anglers should make sure their equipment and boats are clean and free of vegetation before leaving the lake.

Yellow Smoke Park Lake

Brittle naiad, an invasive plant species, is present and boaters and anglers should make sure their equipment and boats are clean and free of vegetation before leaving the lake.

Brushy Creek Lake

Largemouth Bass – Fair: Largemouth bass can be picked up casting crankbaits.  Muskellunge – Slow:  Brittle naiad, an invasive plant species, is present and boaters and anglers should make sure their equipment and boats are clean and free of vegetation before leaving the lake.

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)

Channel Catfish – Fair: Channel catfish can be caught with night crawlers.  Fish are 2 to 3 pounds.  White Bass – Slow: Anglers should try fishing top waters in the evening when the water is calm.  Look for schools of white bass breaking the surface and cast into them.  Walleye – Slow:  Storm Lake is at full pool. 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. Anglers are allowed 3 walleye per day, all fish between 17 and 22 inches must be released, and only one fish over 22 inches may be kept.

Swan Lake

Swan Lake is currently three feet low.  This draw down is being conducted to encourage growth of aquatic plants around the shallow perimeter of the lake.  Water clarity is good and emergent plants are starting to grow.  Most of the jetties are still fishable and the boat ramp is usable.

Black Hawk Lake

Black Hawk Lake is at crest and has very good water clarity.  Black Hawk Lake was renovated last fall.  Although fish have been stocked this spring and summer there are no harvestable size fish in the lake.

Great Western Park Lake

Brittle naiad, an invasive plant species, is present and boaters and anglers should make sure their equipment and boats are clean and free of vegetation before leaving the lake.

Arrowhead Lake

Fishing is slow for all species.  Water clarity is around four feet.

Little Sioux River (Linn Grove to Correctionville)

Catfishing has been very good.  Try using stink bait or night crawlers on the bottom.

For more information on rivers and lakes in the Black Hawk District please contact the Black Hawk District Office at 712-657-2638.

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 jetties with minnows.

Upper Pine Lake

Good numbers of bluegills and crappie from both lakes with 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 – Fair: Some bluegills are still on beds.  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 up for spawning. Look around the rock reefs, or island. The jetties by Ventura or the mouth of the Harborage are also worth a shot. If you find the 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 bulrush.  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 bulrush 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. Some are catching walleyes drifting or trolling. Most of the action is either in deeper water on the various rock reefs using a small lead head with a quarter piece of nightcrawler. Shore fishing can still be ok on the windward shorelines.  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. Water temperature is around 75 degrees.

Lake Cornelia

Channel Catfish – Good: Cats should be biting on cutbait or stinkbait. Fish from 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 full and the water temperature is around 73 degrees.

Crystal Lake

Water temperature is around 77 degrees. The curlyleaf has died back and the algae has bloomed tinting the water green. Try fishing deeper water for most species or near some of the sources of inflow on the lake.  Northern Pike – Fair: The pike are attracted to some of the sources of cooler water.  Channel Catfish – Slow:   Bluegill – Fair: Great population of 7-8 inch bluegills. Bluegills are finished spawning but you can still find some close to shore.  Largemouth Bass – Slow: Anglers have 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 16-20 inches.

Bluebill Lake

Channel Catfish – Good: Look for cats near rocks.  Bluegill – Good:   Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth bass are biting well along shorelines at Bluebill. Remember the 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 is still some bluegills and largemouth 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 have been reporting catching a variety of fish this past week.  Bluegill – Fair:   Largemouth Bass – Fair:   Crappie – Fair: Crappies are a nice sized and should be biting off the boat ramp point or off the east rock side.

Iowa River (Iowa Falls to Marshalltown)

Water levels are going down. It may be fishable in some areas.

Shell Rock River (above Greene)

Water levels are high.

Winnebago River

Water level is still high. Try fishing any slower water areas or backwater areas you can find.  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.  Channel Catfish – No Report: Catfish bite is probably a little slow but should pick up in a few weeks.  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.

Big Spirit Lake

Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Look for smallies on the rock piles try throwing crankbaits, jerk baits, and plastics.   Largemouth Bass – Fair: Look for largemouth around the weeds try top water early and late in the day along with crankbaits, jigs and plastic worms.  Walleye – Slow: Fishing has been best early and late in the day with leeches being the live bait of choice.  Trolling, drifting, and slip bobbers have all been proven fish catchers.  Some are trolling crankbaits as well.

West Okoboji Lake

Bluegill – Slow: Fishing in the backs of the bays around the weeds can be good at times; look deeper for the biggest fish.  Smallmouth Bass – Slow: Look toward the rock piles for smallmouth action.  Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try fishing around the weeds in the bays top water and soft plastics should produce.

Five Island Lake

Channel Catfish – Fair: Try drifting Lindy rigs and bottom bouncers during low light periods.  Walleye – Fair: Try drifting Lindy rigs and bottom bouncers during low light periods.

Lost Island Lake

Walleye – Fair: Drifting live bait with Lindy rigs and bottom bouncers has been producing a few fish some days are better than others.

Little Sioux River (state line to Linn Grove)

The water has come down but is still a bit muddy.  Try current seams and brush piles for catfish and walleye.

West Fork Des Moines (state line to Emmetsburg)

The water is still a bit high and fishing is tough.  Try cut bait or stink bait for catfish in slack water areas or near the edge of the current.

For more information contact the Spirit Lake Hatchery at 712-336-1840.