Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)

Channel Catfish – Fair: Catfish are being picked up using small to medium sized chubs.  White Bass – Fair: Some anglers have picked up white bass casting ripple shad.  Walleye – Fair: Anglers have picked up some slot fish and a few over the slot.  Try trolling #4 Shad Raps or casting blue and silver Kastmasters.  Recent sampling efforts have shown good numbers of harvestable size walleye from the Chautauqua jetty along the north shore/high banks and from the north end of Frank Starr Park on south to the inlet.

North Twin Lake

Walleye – Fair: Try jigging for walleye close around the docks. Yellow Bass – Fair: Yellow bass are being caught in decent numbers around the docks. The fish are small and it will be tough to find one over 7.5 inches.  Black Crappie – Slow:

Swan Lake

Water levels have reached crest elevation.  Water clarity continues to improve.  Bluegill – Fair: Fish in the early mornings and evenings around the fish house with a small jig tipped with a wax worm. Bluegills are around 7-7.5 inches. Black Crappie – Good: Focus efforts around the fish house.  Crappies are around 8.5-9.5 inches.

Black Hawk Lake

Water levels are about nine inches above crest.  Water clarity continues to improve.  Channel Catfish – Fair: Anglers were catching channel catfish from the stone piers a few weeks ago.  The catfish are around 15 inches. Bluegill – Good: Anglers have been catching 7.5-8 inch bluegill.  Try fishing from the west stone pier, around docks, and around emergent vegetation.  Largemouth Bass – Fair: Anglers have reported decent action for largemouth. Most fish are in the sub legal size range. Yellow Perch – Fair: Most perch are around eight inches or less.  Try using a small live minnow set 4-5 feet below the bobber and cast out from shore as far as possible. Walleye – Fair: Fair numbers of walleye can be caught throwing twisters or hair jigs in the evenings. Most walleye are sublegal, around 12-13 inches.

Snyder Bend Lake

The area south of the red buoys is an inviolate refuge.  Channel Catfish – No Report:

Little Sioux River (Linn Grove to Correctionville)

As of Oct. 16, discharge near Correctionville was 582 CFS, which is in the 76th percentile, and gage height 5.87 feet.  As of Oct. 16, discharge near the Linn Grove Dam was 248 CFS, gage height 15.74, and in the 62nd percentile.  Northern Pike – Fair: Some northerns are being picked up around the Linn Grove Dam. Walleye – Good: Reports are coming in of anglers catching good numbers of walleye around the Linn Grove Dam. Try small live chubs or soft plastics like ripple shads or paddle tail baits.  Anglers have been experiencing good walleye catches from Peterson all the way down to Washta. Target the deeper holes for best chances of success.

North Raccoon River (Auburn to Perry)

As of Oct. 16, discharge in the North Raccoon River near Sac City is 382 CFS, which is in the 90th percentile, gage height 7.91, and water temperature 53 degrees.  Channel Catfish – No Report:

Des Moines River (Humboldt to Stratford)

As of Oct. 16, discharge on the Des Moines River near Fort Dodge was 1,650 CFS, which is in the 81st percentile, and gage height 4.73 feet.  Channel Catfish – No Report:

For more information on fishing in this area contact the Black Hawk District Office in Lake View at 712-657-2638.

Beeds Lake

Boat fisherman are getting bluegills, crappies, and yellow bass casting light jigs or slow trolling jigs in the upper water column. Try with a light tube jig or a small hair jig tipped with a small piece of worm.  Crappie – Good:

Lower Pine Lake

Crappie – Good: Crappies from Lower Pine with crawler on a spinner.

Clear Lake

Crappie – Slow: A few crappies mixed in with angler catches of yellow bass.  Yellow Perch – Good: Anglers have had action with a slip bobber and minnows around the Ventura jetties.  Walleye – Good: Boat anglers are trolling with crankbaits and picking up some walleyes. Anglers are picking up an occasional walleye on the Ventura jetties.  Muskellunge – Fair: A few Muskies are being caught by panfish anglers. Yellow Bass – Good: Tips of the jetties by Ventura are getting some action. Boat fishermen are drifting around the edges of the deeper water.

Crystal Lake

Northern Pike – No Report: Try casting the shallower water during the fall for pike. For bluegills and bass try on the edges of the dredge cut.

Interstate Park Lake

Crappie – Fair: Crappies are biting; try with minnows and a bobber from shore, or try drifting with a light jig from a boat. Size is around 8-9 inches. A few nice perch mixed in.

Iowa River (Iowa Falls to Marshalltown)

Smallmouth Bass – Good: Smallmouth bass and walleyes from the Iowa River both on Rapalas.

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