Oldham Lake

Crappie – Fair: A few crappies have been caught at sunrise or sunset with wax worms.

Brushy Creek Lake

Bluegill – Good: Fish are being caught in 25 feet of water on wax worms.  Crappie – Fair: Fish are being caught in 25 feet of water on wax worms.

Bacon Creek Lake

Rainbow Trout – Good: Fish are being caught with shiny spoons.

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)

There is a large open water area in the southeast corner of the lake.  Channel Catfish – Good: Fish in 5-7 feet of water using a spoon tipped with a minnow head or live minnow on a dead stick rod.  White Bass – Good: Fish in 5-7 feet of water using a spoon tipped with a minnow head or live minnow on a dead stick rod.  Walleye – Good: Fish in 5-7 feet of water using a spoon tipped with a minnow head or live minnow on a dead stick rod.

North Twin Lake

Yellow Bass – Good: Yellow bass are being caught but a lot of sorting has been required.

Swan Lake

Aeration units have a large open hole near the fish house. Bluegill – Fair: A few fish are being caught with small ice jigs tipped with a wax worm. Crappie – Fair: A few fish are being caught with small ice jigs tipped with a wax worm.

Browns Lake

Very little angler activity has been reported.

Lake Smith

Ice thickness is 25-26 inches. In general, fishing is slow. A few crappies have been caught. Best bite is late afternoon and evening hours.

Clear Lake

Ice thickness is 28-29 inches. Anglers should avoid driving through the channel that runs from the little lake to the big lake, as that area can be unsafe; take the highway around instead.  Crappie – Fair: Anglers are still getting some suspended a ways off bottom in the deeper areas of the little lake around dark. A few crappies also have been caught near Baptist Camp/Farmers Beach areas. Most are 8-11 inches long. Yellow Perch – Slow: Some small perch being caught. Walleye – Slow: Occasional walleye near the aerator on the west end at dark or in the Farmer’s Beach area. (14-inch minimum)  Yellow Bass – Fair: Most of the yellow bass action seems to be coming from anglers on the main lake near the Baptist Camp and Farmers Beach. Yellows on the little lake seem to be around 12 feet of water. Most are 7.5-8 inches with a few 9-9.5 inchers.

Lake Cornelia

Ice thickness is 20 plus inches. No reports.

Crystal Lake

Ice thickness is 30 inches. Bluegill – Good: Fishing seems to be fairly consistent. Bluegill fishing has been good using small jigs tipped with wax worms. Anglers are reporting better success in the shallower water 8 feet near the edge of the dredged basin. Crappie – Good: Crappie fishing has been fair using minnows at dusk in the deeper water near or on the drop-off of the basin.  Walleye – Slow: An occasional walleye may be taken in the deeper water using minnows.

Blue Pit

Additional rainbow trout were stocked on Feb. 7. Anglers should be able to catch them with a small ice fly and a wax worm or a small spoon and start in shallow water near shore.

Bluebill Lake

Ice thickness is 22 inches. No reports lately; earlier anglers were having some success catching perch, bluegill, and some largemouth bass on spikes and wax worms fished near sunken cedar tree clumps.

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

There is 28-30 inches of ice and walleye season is closed.  A few bluegills and crappies are being caught in Anglers Bay with early morning or late afternoon being best.

East Okoboji Lake

Walleye season is closed

West Okoboji Lake

There is 26-30 inches of ice and walleye season is closed.  Bluegill – Slow: Most anglers have been targeting Emerson and Millers Bay and weeds have been a key factor.  The fishing has been hit or miss with some days being much better than others.  Yellow Perch – Fair: Fish have been in 40 plus feet of water and lots of small fish have been caught.  Keep in mind that fish coming out of deep water have a higher mortality rate.

Five Island Lake

There is 24-28 inches of ice on the lake. Most activity is focused around the upper part of the lake with crappie, perch, catfish, and walleye making up most of the catch.

Lost Island Lake

There is 28-30 inches of ice and there has been little fishing pressure.

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