NORTHWEST

Reminder – Permanent ice shacks need to be removed by February. 20th

Crawford Creek Impoundment

Bluegill – Fair: Anglers have been picking up 6-8 inch bluegill in 10-20 feet of water using jigs and wax worms. Anglers who stay mobile are more likely to locate and stay on top of fish.

 

Brushy Creek Lake

Brushy has about 10 inches of good ice. Fishing on the south end of the lake continues to be popular this week, with anglers targeting the Taylor’s Island and Cedar Point areas.  Bluegill – Slow: There have been some reports of anglers picking up bluegill in about 30 feet of water. Yellow Perch – Slow: Anglers have been picking up a few yellow perch towards the west end and in the south end while fishing for crappie. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers are catching crappie in depths of 28-31 feet and also around 40 feet of water using minnows and spoons. A few are also being picked up using wax worms on various colored jigs (orange predominant). Walleye – Slow

 

Bacon Creek Lake

Rainbow Trout – Fair: Approximately 1,500 rainbow trout were stocked into Bacon Creek on January 17th.

 

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)

Storm Lake has around 14 -18 inches of ice. Walleye – Slow: Anglers have been picking up a few walleye along the dredge cuts on the east side in about 13-14 feet of water. They are having the best luck using spoons and minnows. Anglers have also reported having luck fishing in 5-6 feet of water during low light conditions and dredge cuts during the day. Yellow Perch – Slow: Yellow perch are being picked up just about anywhere using a small spoon and wax worm. White Bass – Slow: A few anglers are picking up some white bass in the deeper dredged areas while fishing for walleye.

 

North Twin Lake

There has been little angling activity on North Twin this week.

 

Black Hawk Lake

The winter aeration system is on in the Town Bay. Ice thickness is 10-11 inches off Ice House Point boat ramp. Walleye – Slow: The walleye bite has been slow. Anglers have picked up some near dredge cuts by Denison Beach and Lakewood Point areas. Yellow Perch – Slow: Some yellow perch have been picked up in between the Denison Beach and Lakewood Point areas. Bluegill – Slow: Anglers are catching bluegill, but most are smaller. Some have picked up 8 inch fish. Anglers are marking large numbers of bluegill near the bottom, but are having difficulty getting the bigger fish to bite. Those having the best luck are using wax worms on a small jig fished around Ice House Point.

 

Arrowhead Lake

Arrowhead Lake has 8 inches of ice off the boat ramp. Bluegill – Fair: Hand-sized bluegills can be caught in the middle of the lake and along the east side, with some bluegill up to 9.5 inches being caught on a small jig tipped with a wax worm fished in 15-16 feet of water. Black Crappie – Slow: A few keeper size crappie have been picked up while bluegill fishing. Yellow Bass – Slow: A few yellow bass have been picked up while bluegill fishing.

 

Black Hawk Pits

There is 9 inches of ice off the boat ramp. Bluegill – Fair: Anglers have been catching bluegill using small jigs tipped with wax worms. The best bite seems to be from late afternoon to evening. Yellow Perch – Slow: Some yellow perch have been picked up while fishing for bluegill. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Anglers are catching largemouth bass while fishing for bluegill.

 

Moorland Pond

Rainbow Trout – Slow: Some trout are being picked up while fishing for perch. Yellow Perch – Fair: Fishing activity is continuing to be productive for perch fishing with different colored jigs tipped with a red worm. Fish are being caught in 10-12 feet of water.

 

Little Sioux Park Lake

Channel Catfish – Fair: Anglers have had some luck picking up channel catfish.

 

Des Moines River (Humboldt to Stratford)

Most of the Humboldt County stretch has ice, but the Corn Belt Dam near Frank Gotch Park does have some open water and is a popular fishery. Anglers frequently pick up walleye and smallmouth bass at this location, with success dependent on migrations and water levels. Good fishing in this location can be expected in spring open water season. Due to the extreme variability in ice conditions on rivers, it is safest to avoid venturing onto the ice and to fish these open water areas from the bank.

 

Most lakes in the Black Hawk district have anywhere from 9-15 inches of ice, with conditions along shore and near inflows being more variable.  For more information on the Black Hawk District, call 712-657-2638.

 

Lake Smith

Ice is good at Smith Lake with 14-15 inches. Anglers have been active and are doing well on bluegills with a few crappies.

 

Lake Catherine

15 inches of ice. Bluegill – Slow. Largemouth Bass – Slow.

 

Clear Lake

Ice is about 16 inches. Yellow Bass – Good: Yellow bass have been caught in 8-10 feet of water on the little lake and in the Baptist Camp area. Anglers have reported bigger yellow bass and less sorting on the main lake around the island in about 12 feet of water. Crappie – Fair: Action for crappies has slowed, but they can still be caught in deeper water (18-24 feet) on the little lake. Most crappies being kept are 10-12 inches. Morning bite is good until about 10am then slower action in midday and picking up at around 4pm. Walleye – Fair: Some walleyes have been caught near the west aerator this past week.

 

Lake Cornelia

Cornelia has around 13 inches of ice. Yellow Bass – No Report: Activity has been hit or miss. Fishing success earlier in the winter was in the deeper water. Fish with small jigs tipped with spikes.

 

Crystal Lake

Ice is 18 inches thick. Bluegill – Slow: Action has been slow lately. Anglers are doing best on the dredge cut in 12 to 14 feet of water. They have been keeping fish in the 7.75 to 8.25 inch range. Crappie – Slow: Anglers are catching 10 to 11 inch black crappies in 17 feet of water. They are suspended 2 to 4 feet off the bottom.

 

Blue Pit

Rainbow Trout – Good: 2,500 Rainbow trout were stocked on January 17th. Anglers should be able to catch them swimming along the shallower water along the edges. Try a small teardrop jig and a wax worm or a small jigging spoon.

 

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

Reminder – walleye season open thru February 14th on Spirit, East and West Okoboji Lakes.

Walleye – Slow: The walleye bite has slowed during the day; the night bite has been more consistent. Yellow Perch – Slow: Some quality perch are being caught on the south end near the pump house and along the north end near Anglers Bay. Size varies from 7-10 inch fish.

                               

West Okoboji Lake

Reminder – walleye season open thru Feb. 14th on Spirit, East and West Okoboji Lakes.

Bluegill – Good: Nice sized bluegills are being caught on the weed lines of Emerson and Millers Bay. Slow falls and light jigging brings these fish in. Fish weed lines in less than 10 feet of water. Yellow Perch – Good: Fish are being caught in various locations. Try Millers Bay in around 20 feet water. Small jigs and wax worms have produced the best action.

                               

Scharnberg Pond

Rainbow Trout – Good: Scharnberg was stocked with 1,500 trout on January 31st, with good catches being reported.

 

NORTHEAST

Volga Lake

Volga Lake hasn’t seen a lot of action this week. Quite a bit of snow melted and refroze. There is about 5 inches of hard, crusty snow covering about 10 inches of ice. Use caution when venturing on the ice. The road and parking lot have been plowed. Crappie – Slow: A fair number of anglers were catching their limits of crappie. Anglers were using a variety of small jigs tipped with minnows. Bluegill – Slow: Bluegills will bite on a small jig tipped with a wax worm. Best bet for a bluegill is to find brush piles or rock mounds.

 

Lake Hendricks

There is about 12 inches of ice on the lake. Much of the snow has melted, leaving a hard 3 inch layer of slushy refrozen snow on top. Use caution when venturing out on ice and check depths often. No ATV’s or motorized vehicles are allowed on the lake. There is open water around the aerator.  Bluegill – Slow: Try small light colored jigs with tipped wax worms. Mid afternoon bite is best and shuts down after dark. Fish around structure and toward the bottom. Crappie – Slow: Try a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow. Best bet is to let your minnow do the talking.

 

Lake Meyer

The lake has about 12 inches of ice with about a 3 inch layer of hard slushy refrozen snow on top. Continue to use caution when going out on the ice. A few anglers have been venturing out with mixed reports of fish caught. The bite seems to be from about 3pm to dark. Bluegill – Slow: Anglers are catching bluegills but the bite remains spotty. If you don’t get bites, move to another location. Fish have been found at varying depths. Crappie – Slow: A few anglers have found crappie but the bite is really slow. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Schools of small largemouth bass have been found in the lake. Anglers happening on a school can catch quite a few but if they’re less than 15 inches, they must be released.

 

Airport Lake

There is about 8-9 inches of ice on Airport Lake with open water near the aerator. Use caution and check ice depths often. Bluegill – Slow: Anglers can find fish near structure or along sharp depth profile changes. Move often if fish don’t bite right away.

 

Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)

The Upper Iowa is open but new ice is forming, especially in this cold spell. Use extreme caution walking on river ice as flow may weaken it. Rock bass – No Report: Anglers can catch rock bass using small jigs tipped with a wax worm. Bluegills will also bite on this type of rig.

 

Turkey River (above Clermont)

Anglers are having luck fishing in the mill pond above the Vernon Springs dam near Cresco. Use caution when crossing river ice.  Bluegill – Slow: Fish have been caught off the bottom in about 5 feet of water. Small jigs tipped with wax worms work the best.

 

Cedar River (above Nashua)

Backwaters are frozen. Use extreme caution when crossing areas with current. Ice thickness will vary. Anglers have been catching a variety of fish using a hook tipped with a wax worm or minnow. Crappie – No Report. Bluegill – No Report: Jigs tipped with wax worms are your best bet.

 

Decorah District Streams

Use caution trying to get to your favorite spots, as snow will cover uneven ground and ice. Some light black stonefly hatches have been taking place on warmer sunny afternoons. Anglers have also been taking trout on light spruce flies, small #20 caddis fly nymphs, and streamers. Brook Trout – Good: Angling strategies should change during the winter months. Angling should take place in the riffles; especially concentrate your lure/fly along the deeper channels running along a cut bank. Brown Trout – Good: The scientific name for brown trout is “Salmo trutta” derived from Latin which roughly translates as “leaping trout”. Rainbow Trout – Good: Traditionally now is a good time to find rainbow heading upstream to spawn. If you do land a spawning fish, please practice CPR (Catch, Photograph, and Release).

 

It’s once again shaping up to be a brutally cold weekend with highs around 0. Fish activity continues to be slow on area lakes this week. Use caution when venturing out on any ice. Snow covering ice may hide weak spots on the ice. Urban lake catchable trout stockings are taking place statewide. See our website for dates, times and locations. For local information, call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.

 

Silver Lake (Delaware)

Silver Lake has offered some catches of northern pike over the past few weeks. Concentrate in areas of water depth near 6-8 feet. Use tip-ups or sight fishing is also good as the water is extremely clear. Northern Pike – Fair: Use tip-ups with a shiner below or fish with an ice jig tipped with a minnow or wax worm.

 

Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)

Bluegills are being reported as fair for Casey Lake. Fishing has slowed some from what it had been; fish the deeper water near brush piles. Bluegill – Fair: Small ice fishing jigs tipped with a wax worm has been good.

 

Martens Lake

Martens Lake continues to report some catches of both bluegill and crappie. Anglers have been driving off of the boat ramp onto the lake as of late. Access is also available from the northwest corner by walking across the reservoir and over the dike. Bluegill – Fair: A jig tipped with a wax worm has been best. Sight fishing is generally best if water is clear. Crappie – Fair: A jig tipped with a wax worm or crappie minnow is best. Sight fishing is generally best if water is clear.

 

Ice conditions remain good across most Black Hawk County area lakes but always take precautions when venturing onto ice. Most lakes and anglers have really slowed with the recent onset of heavy snow and cold. Anglers need to get out and try different areas, the weather forecast looks below freezing temperatures for the next week. For more information, call the Manchester District Office at 563-927-3276.

 

MISSISSIPPI RIVER

Mississippi River Pool 9

River level at Lansing has remained stable at around 8 feet. Many anglers continue to concentrate fishing on the Shore Slough and Village Creek areas.  Yellow Perch – Fair: Nice perch continue to be caught but the bite has slowed. Bluegill – Fair: The bite has been variable but fish are being caught early morning and later afternoon, using jigs and wax worms. Northern Pike – Fair: Some nicer size pike are being caught. Try tip-up fishing using shiners in backwater areas. Crappie – Fair: Not a lot of crappie being caught through the ice, but the ones biting are nice sizes. Wax worms and minnows fished in submersed trees work well. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Tip-ups baited with a minnow can produce some larger bass.

 

Mississippi River Pool 10

River Level at Lynxville is up to 14.7 feet. The boat ramp at Lynxville remains closed. Sny Magill continues to be popular for panfish and northern pike. Johnson Slough to Methodist was open in places last week, but subzero temps may freeze it over again. Bluegill – Fair: Many bluegills up to 8 inches being caught using jigs and wax worm, although recent results have been mixed. Crappie – Fair: Nice crappie still being caught through the ice, although success has slowed. Northern Pike – Fair: Some nicer size pike are being caught. Try tip-up fishing using shiners in backwater areas. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Largemouth fishing has been good using tip-ups baited with a minnow suspended at mid-depth under the ice. Yellow Perch – Good: Occasional nice sized perch being reported from the Greymore lake area.

 

Mississippi River Pool 11

River level at Guttenberg has risen slightly to 6.3 feet. The city ramp in Guttenberg and the DNR ramp are blocked with ice.  Small flat-bottom boats have been pushing out over ice in the DNR harbor to reach open water.  Sauger – Slow: Tail water fishing is difficult to access at this time, but a few saugers are being caught jigging minnows below the locks. Walleye – Slow: Tail water fishing is difficult to access at this time but a few walleye are being caught jigging minnows below the locks. Bluegill – Fair: The bite has been variable but fish are being caught early morning and later afternoon, using jigs and wax worms. Anglers are reporting nicer size bluegills in the 8-9 inch range. Yellow Perch – Good: Perch fishing action has been good using wax worms in the Zollicoffer Slough area at Mud Lake. Largemouth Bass – Fair: The bass population is excellent in Mud Lake and Sunfish Lakes. Tip-ups baited with a minnow can produce some larger bass. Northern Pike – Fair: Some nicer size pike are being caught. Try tip-up fishing using shiners in backwater areas.

 

Recent cold weather has helped to solidify ice conditions, although snow cover will act to insulate, so weak areas may still exist in areas near run off or current. Ice thickness varies from 10-15 inches in many areas, but cold temperatures and snow cover have slowed the bite. Dissolved oxygen levels are holding up over most areas and fish will be hanging in the mid to upper depths for the best oxygen levels.

 

Mississippi River Pool 12

The water level at Dubuque Lock and Dam is at 6.0 feet and the water level at the Dubuque RR bridge is at 8.6 feet. Water is expected to be stable this week.  Crappie – No Report: Most fishing was taking place in the various marinas and Hennebery and Tippy lakes around Dubuque.  Try a jig or a minnow for best results.  Anglers report crappie fishing from poor to excellent. Bluegill – Fair: Backwater ice conditions vary within the pool.  Bluegill populations are very good in the Mississippi River.  Some nice bluegills were reported from Tippy Lake. Northern Pike – No Report: Pike populations are robust in the river right now and fishing with tip ups have been reported at various locations.  Both bass and pike were being caught on the tip ups, but fishing has slowed some. Yellow Perch – Good: Lots of yellow perch have been reported throughout the district.  It has been the dominant species caught in some places.  It appears at least three size classes of ring perch biting with the small ones being the most common to hit the wax worms.

 

Mississippi River Pool 13

The water level at Bellevue is at 6.3 feet and stable.  The city ramp into the tail water is open at times, but ice flows can be a major factor whether you can launch a boat.   Bluegill – Fair: Consistent ice is available, but the bite for large fish has been slow.  Numerous small bluegills have been hitting in some spots. Sauger – Good: When boats could get into the tail water this winter, fishing has ranged from poor to excellent. Lots of weather fronts and water level changes can make fishing walleye and sauger a challenge.  The ramp was open, as of Thursday, but call ahead before making a long trip to Bellevue. Yellow Perch – Good: The number of yellow perch caught this year has been a pleasant surprise.  It has been the dominant species caught in some places.  It appears at least three size classes of ring perch are biting with the small ones the most common to hit the wax worms. Crappie – Fair: Some Crappie are being reported out of the deeper water pockets in the Sabula Area Lakes.  Some crappie is also being reported out of Browns Lake.

 

Mississippi River Pool 14

The water level at Fulton is at 5.2 feet, near 9.3 feet at Camanche, and 4.6 feet above the dam at LeClaire, all fairly stable.  Water levels are expected to drop slightly this week.  Most backwaters are reported as safe ice for fishing with ice depth at 6 or more inches.  Never venture across current areas or areas with unknown ice.  Snow on top of the ice makes it difficult to determine open patches.  Bluegill – Good: Most of the winter small bluegills have been reported to in the Rock Creek, Sunfish, and Cattail backwaters.  Some nicer bluegills were reported in lower cattail slough last week.  Also some small bluegills reported out of Joyces Slough by Clinton. Sauger – No Report: Winter fishing reports are varied in Pool 14, but some nice saugers were being caught on three way rigs and jigs earlier this winter.  Access to the tail waters may be a challenge. Yellow Perch – Fair: Small yellow perch are also being reported at most backwater locations in Pool 14.  It is a good sign for the future, but frustrating now finding larger fish.

 

Mississippi River Pool 15

The water level at Rock Island is at 4.0 feet, down from last week.   Water temperature is 33 degrees and water clarity is good.  No fishing was reported on Pool 15 this week.  Bluegill – No Report: Most panfish have moved into their overwintering homes for the winter.  Marinas often offer over wintering areas on Pool 15, but ice fishing conditions were poor most of this season.  We now have some good conditions and fishing may pick up. Conditions and fishing is similar to the past week.  At times the fish bite well with long periods of very slow fishing. Have a safety plan when you venture out.  Let people know where you are going and take safety and rescue equipment with you.  

 

Mississippi River Pool 16

Tail water stage at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad Cities is 4.56 feet. The main channel by the Marquette Street boat ramp is starting to freeze with some skim ice. Sylvan Slough is also starting to freeze again. Bluegill – Slow: Anglers are still catching some bluegills through the ice at Sunset Marina. Fishing is reported as hit or miss. We have not received any reports on how thick the ice is in Sunset Marina.

 

Mississippi River Pool 17

The main channel out from the boat ramps in Muscatine is starting to freeze over with some skim ice. Ice conditions in Big Timber are 5-7 inches with some thinner ice in some spots. Big Timber has some flow and groundwater that seeps in that can create variable ice conditions, so use caution. A couple of spots downstream from the boat ramp in Big Timber appear to have some open water that recently refroze with the cold snap, so use caution.

 

Mississippi River Pool 18

Tail water stage at Lock and Dam 17 above New Boston is 3.79 feet. As of Wednesday, February 11th, a boat had launched at Toolsboro prior to this cold snap. We have not received any recent reports on ramp conditions, but with this recent cold snap the main channel is likely to be freeze again.

 

Mississippi River Pool 19

Tail water stage at Lock and Dam 18 above Burlington is 1.91 feet. No fishing information has been received for this pool this week.

 

Mississippi River Pools 16-19. With the recent cold snap, boat ramps are starting to freeze back in. We have not received much for ice fishing reports this week. If venturing out, check ice thickness often as you move. If you have questions on fishing Pools 16-19, contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.

 

SOUTHEAST

Lake Geode

UNSAFE ICE. Bluegill – No Report:

 

Lake Belva Deer

UNSAFE ICE. Bluegill – No Report:

 

Lake of the Hills

Use caution on the ice. Ice thickness is highly variable, but still around 9 inches. Lake Of The Hills is the only lake in West Lake Park where you can use live minnow as bait. Bluegill – Fair: The anglers still have to move, but are having better luck this week finding fish on the brush piles out front of the main boat ramp parking lot.

 

Lake Darling

UNSAFE ICE. Some open water. Bluegill – No Report:

 

Big Hollow Lake

UNSAFE ICE. Bluegill – No Report:

 

For more information on the above lakes, call the Lake Darling Fisheries Station at 319-694-2430.

 

Hannen Lake

Ice conditions are about 9 inches. Bluegill – Slow. Crappie – Slow.

 

Rodgers Park Lake

Ice conditions and fishing are poor.

 

Iowa Lake

The lake has about 5-6 inches of good ice and a few inches of poor ice. Bluegill – Slow. Crappie – Slow.

 

Lake Macbride

Most of the lake has 9-11 inches of ice. Bluegill – Good: Size is poor but numbers are usually good. Get around rock, stumps, or brush and use a jig and wax worm. Crappie – Fair: Some anglers are having success around brush, and some are catching suspended fish over deeper water. Small spoons or jigs tipped with wax worms are working best. Sunrise and sunset are most productive. Channel Catfish – Fair: Look in 20+ feet of water. They may be from the bottom to half way up the water column. Spoons or minnows are working. Walleye – Slow: A few walleyes, mostly smaller, are being caught early and late in the day. Fish in deeper water around rock.

 

Pleasant Creek Lake

Ice conditions are good, 10+ inches in most areas. Bluegill – Fair: Most fish are coming off the dam in 15-20 feet of water. Use small jigs and wax worms. Yellow Perch – Slow: An occasional perch is being caught near the dam or on humps by bluegill and walleye fishermen. Walleye – Fair: Fish the dam or humps with spoons or jigs tipped with bait. Mornings and evening are best. Most fish are smaller, but some keepers are being caught. White Bass – Fair: Fish over deeper water with a jig or spoon and wait for a school to come by. A few wipers are being caught mixed in.

 

Diamond Lake

Ice conditions are marginal. Check ice thickness frequently and be especially careful around the edges. Many anglers were out last weekend, but one broke through along the shoreline. Bluegill – Good. Crappie – Good.

 

Coralville Reservoir

Ice conditions are variable. There has been little fishing activity on the lake.

 

Terry Trueblood Lake

Rainbow Trout – Fair: Use small jigs or spoons and tip them with wax worms or minnows. Remember, you must have a trout stamp to fish for or possess trout.

 

For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.

 

Lake Wapello

Very little fishing activity has been occurring and few anglers have been out. Ice thickness varies by area and ice conditions have deteriorated during the past 2 weeks. Use caution when venturing out and drill several test holes. There is open water out from the beach.

 

Red Haw Lake

Ice thickness varies by area and ice conditions have deteriorated in the past 2 weeks. Use caution when venturing out and drill several test holes.

 

Lake Miami

Lake Miami is currently undergoing a lake renovation and is 6-8 feet below normal.

 

Lake Sugema

Ice thickness varies by area and ice conditions have deteriorated from 2 weeks ago. Use caution when venturing out and drill several test holes.

 

Rathbun Reservoir

The current lake level is 904.72. Lake Rathbun contains zebra mussels, so make sure to clean, drain, and dry equipment before transporting to another water body. The entrance to Southfork marina is closed for the season. Ice thickness varies across the lake and conditions have deteriorated in the past 2 weeks. Use caution when venturing out and drill several test holes. Fishing activity is very low and very few anglers have been out.

 

Take your trash with you so your favorite fishing spot is clean and litter free. Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions regarding angling in south central Iowa. Use caution in south central Iowa as the lakes and ponds have varying thicknesses of ice.

 

SOUTHWEST

Beaver Lake

Crappie – Fair: A good crappie population of 9 to 10 inch fish exists. Sunset and just after is a good time to try using glow jigs with wax worms or minnows. Bluegill – Fair: Bluegills are being caught near the tree tops in the center of the lake and near the drop-off to the deepest portion of the lake.

 

Jacob Krumm Nature Preserve Lake (west)

There is about 4 inches of good ice with 2 to 4 inches of weaker refreeze on the surface. Bluegill – Good: Good size bluegills are being caught during the day throughout the lake. A good general area to start is the west half of the lake from the dam up to where the flooded trees start. Crappie – Fair: Crappie from 8 to 12 inches are being caught moving from hole to hole in the flooded trees on the upper half of the lake.

 

Big Creek Lake

Big Creek has ice ranging from 8 to 10 inches. Bluegill – Fair: Bluegill fishing has been fair to slow. Anglers moving around fishing habitat in 10 to 25 feet of water are picking up some good size bluegills using very small ice jigs with spikes or partial wax worms. Walleye – Fair: The walleye bite is fair to good in the evenings, fishing the sharp drops to the creek channel from mid-lake on to the south. Use glowing jigging spoons or jigging crank baits with live minnows or minnow heads.

 

Dale Maffitt Reservoir

Due to the lowering of water levels and the potential for unsafe gaps under the ice, ice fishing is prohibited for the remainder of the 2015 ice season.

 

Hickory Grove Lake

Ice thickness ranges from 6 to 11 inches. Bluegill – Fair: Bluegills are being caught on the pallet and brush piles at depths of 15 feet or deeper. Afternoon fishing up to sunset has been best. Crappie – Fair: Anglers are catching most crappie over brush piles more so than the pallets. Use glow jigs and wax worms or glowing jigging spoons with minnows during the evening and past dark.

 

Lake Petoka

Rainbow Trout – Good: Trout were stocked on January 30th. Anglers are catching them as they school throughout the lake using jigging spoons with wax worms, live minnows, or artificial trout baits.

 

Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake

Ice thickness ranges from 10 to 12 inches. Rainbow Trout – Good: 2,200 rainbow trout were stocked on Saturday, February 7th. They are being caught mostly 15 to 40 yards off shore using jigs tipped with wax worms or prepared trout baits and small live minnows.

 

Central Iowa lakes north of I-80 have held on to 6 to 11 inches of good ice. Anglers should use caution south of I-80 as ice became variable from 4 to 8 inches with the warm weather and snow melt. For information on central Iowa lakes and rivers contact Andy Otting or Ben Dodd at 515-432-2823.

 

Littlefield Lake

Ice conditions at Littlefield vary from 3 to 7 inches. There is open water out from the beach and along the dam. Bluegill – No Report. Crappie – No Report.

 

Lakes in the southern part of the district were unsafe this week due to warm weather and snow melt. Ice conditions in the northern part are variable from open water to 7 inches. For more information, call the Cold Springs District Office at 712-769-2587

 

Green Valley Lake

Anglers report 5 inches of ice. Geese are keeping an area of open water near the boat ramp in the northeast arm. The open water now extends past the fishing pier. Very little fishing activity has been observed this past week.

 

Three Mile Lake

Little fishing activity observed the past week. Open water reported at the main boat ramp, along the dam, and near the campground on the east shore.  

 

Twelve Mile Creek Lake

Anglers report 8 inches of ice. Geese are keeping an area of open water on the south end of the lake. Bluegill – Slow: Bluegills up to 8 inches have been caught on wax worms near the roadbed. Crappie – Slow: Crappies up to 9 inches have been caught on minnows near the roadbed. Yellow Perch – Slow: Yellow perch up to 11 inches have been caught on wax worms near the roadbed.

 

Variable ice thickness has been reported by anglers this week on Mount Ayr district lakes. The district includes Page, Taylor, Adams, Union, Ringgold, Decatur, Clarke and Madison counties. For more information, call: 641-464-3108.