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

Channel Catfish – Slow:   Bluegill – Slow: Although fishing for bluegills has been tough, the big ones that get caught are nice fish and around 10 inches. 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.  Walleye – Fair: Target walleye in the deeper areas around structure.  Focus on rock piles, road beds, and submerged bridges. 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 three walleye per day, all fish between 17 and 22 inches must be released, and only one fish over 22 inches may be kept.

North Twin Lake

Yellow Bass – Fair: Anglers are catching yellow bass around the docks.  Fish are about 8 to 8.5 inches. Water clarity is poor.  Lake is at full pool.

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 Park Lake

Fishing has been pretty slow, but anglers have been catching a few largemouth bass.  Focus efforts around submerged structure.

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 biting near the grade, on some of rock reefs, near the island and perhaps by the city seawall. Your best bet is to fish after dark with small live bait, cutbait, or stinkbait.  White Bass – Good: Anglers have been getting some nice white bass (13-16 inches) on the Little Lake near the grade, near the edges of bulrush or near the island. Cast a twister tail or small swim shad.  Bluegill – Fair: Bluegill numbers are low, but some fish may be caught below docks or on the edge of bulrush.  Crappie – Fair: Reports of crappies hitting near the state reef, near the dollar dock and a few by the Ventura grade.  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 – Good: Anglers are getting lots of yellows from boats near the state artificial reef, which is out from the state dock area.  The lake is full. Water temperature is around 75 degrees.

Lake Cornelia

Channel Catfish – Good: Cats should be biting on cutbait or stinkbait. Fish 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 – Fair: Some channel cats have been caught in the evenings.  Largemouth Bass – Fair:   Crappie – Slow: Little Wall is at crest. Water temperature is around 75 degrees.

Crystal Lake

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 coming into the lake.  Channel Catfish – Slow:  Bluegill – Fair: Great population of 7-8 inch bluegills in the lake. Bluegills are finished spawning but you can still find some close to shore.  Largemouth Bass – Slow: Anglers reported catching lots of largemouth. Fish on the outside edges with a bobber and live bait or a weedless spoon.  Walleye – Slow: Walleyes are around 16-20 inches. Water temperature is around 77 degrees. The curlyleaf has died back and the algae has bloomed tinting the water green.

Bluebill Lake

Bluegill – Good: Bluegills still biting. Largemouth Bass – Good: Remember the 15-inch minimum length limit on bass.

Interstate Park Lake

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

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 back water areas you can find.  Channel Catfish – Slow: Anglers should try below the dams or in back water areas using cutbait, stinkbait, or minnows.

East Fork Des Moines (Algona to Humboldt)

The East Fork is running high. Fishing is marginal.  Channel Catfish – No Report: The 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

Largemouth Bass – Slow: 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 working. Some are trolling crankbaits as well.

West Okoboji Lake

Bluegill – Slow: Try fishing deep weed lines and rock piles with a pilkie or slip bobbers.  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.

Little Sioux River (state line to Linn Grove)

The river is looking pretty good try fishing deeper holes and logjams for catfish with either cut bait or stink bait.  A few walleye may be caught on twister tails or minnows.

West Fork Des Moines (state line to Emmetsburg)

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.