Crawford Creek Impoundment

Fishing has been slow at Crawford Creek.

Moorhead Park Pond

Fishing has been slow at Moorehead.

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)

The dredge machine on Storm Lake is in operation.  Stay clear of the dredge, booster pump and pipeline that runs from the dredge to the east shore.  Fishing remains the same as last week at Storm.  Channel Catfish – Good: Anglers drift fishing with night crawlers have been doing good.  White Bass – Fair: White bass can be caught pulling plugs, crankbaits or casting white twisters.  Walleye – Slow: Pulling plugs or Shad Raps continue to be the best producers.

North Twin Lake

Fishing for yellow bass and crappie is starting to pick up.  Anglers are focusing their efforts around the docks.

Black Hawk Lake

Black Hawk Lake is approximately 10 inches below crest.  Black Hawk Lake’s fishery was renovated last fall. Although we have been restocking the lake with sportfish, there are not a lot of harvestable size fish in the lake yet.

Browns Lake

Anglers are catching catfish using Sonny’s stink bait and dead shad at night.  Fishing for other species has been slow.

Snyder Bend Lake

Fishing has been slow.

Arrowhead Lake

Catfish have been biting good on leeches under a bobber.  Some largemouth bass can be caught with the same technique.

Little Sioux River (Linn Grove to Correctionville)

Good sized catfish are being caught in the deeper pools.  Use a slip sinker and hook and look for the current breaks along high banks preferably or the standard snags.  Anglers should really focus on the current breaks.  A few walleye can be caught using night crawlers for bait.  The river is in good condition for wading right now.

Little Sioux River (Correctionville to Missouri River)

Walleye have been biting good on white twisters.  Fish in the morning and evening hours and focus efforts around rocky habitat and deeper water.

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

Upper Pine Lake

A few bluegills are being caught.

Lake Smith

Channel Catfish – Good: Try with some cutbait, worms or stinkbait. Fish are probably biting best the last hour of sunlight to an hour after sunset. Bluegill – Slow:   Largemouth Bass – Slow: A few largemouths are being caught in the evening and early morning.

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 to 9 pounds.  Largemouth Bass – Good:

Largemouth bass are biting on spinners.

Clear Lake

Channel Catfish – Good: Catfish are still hitting quite well. Fish can be caught just about anywhere on the lake. Try the edges of the reeds. Fish with worms, cutbait or stinkbait in the evening or morning hours.  Bluegill – Fair: Anglers looking to catch a few bluegills can target the jetties by Ventura. Dangle a worm right on the edge of the rocks off the tips of the jetty in the evening hours.  Walleye – Slow: Anglers are catching a few walleyes trolling or drifting along the north shore, from the state dock area to the east.  Muskellunge – Good: Muskies are still hitting good near docks around the lake or near reed edges.  Yellow Bass – Good: Anglers are still catching good numbers of yellows near the state reef area or any of the rock reefs. On strong south wind days, shore anglers can pick up good numbers by the boat harborage and reed edges. South of the lake outlet on the east side of the lake has been good lately.

Crystal Lake

No Reports from anglers lately.

Iowa River (Iowa Falls to Marshalltown)

Channel Catfish – Good: Fish the logjams and deeper holes and move often. Fish with cutbait or stinkbait.  Flathead Catfish – Good: A few reports of anglers catching flatheads on dough balls. If you can get a boat or kayak on the river and find some of the deeper holes to spend the night with some live bait, you should have good success.

East Fork Des Moines (Algona to Humboldt)

Water is low and anglers are using kayaks.  Northern Pike – Good: Pike are also being caught on crankbaits.  Channel Catfish – Good: Catfish are good size (3 to 8 pounds) and can be caught on a variety of bait (worms, cutbait, live bait, stinkbait). Some anglers have had good luck using a purpledescent crankbait.  Smallmouth Bass – Good: Smallmouth (most are 10 to 14 inches, though some may push the 20-inch mark) hitting gold and black crankbaits.  Walleye – Slow: A few anglers are picking walleyes up on jigs.

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

Walleye – Slow: Fishing continues to be slow but a few more fish are starting to come in.  Trolling live bait rigs as well as crankbaits early and late in the day seems to be the best.  Shore fishermen are also catching a few.

East Okoboji Lake

Yellow Bass – Fair: Try a Pilkie tipped with wigglers over rock piles.

West Okoboji Lake

Bluegill – Slow: bluegills should start to move shallower as the water cools. Continue to fish around weed edges and open pockets.

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