NORTHWEST
Arrowhead Lake
Bluegills were spawning along the shore about a week ago. Find nest colonies along the west and east shorelines; the highest concentration are likely in the southern end of the lake.
Black Hawk Lake
Water temperaturesas of Tuesday were 64 degrees. Bluegill – Good: Bluegill can be picked up just about anywhere along the shoreline. The fish are averaging 7.5 inches. Use a small hair or tube jig with a small piece of crawler fished under a bobber off the floating fishing pier, the west stone pier, and the inlet bridge. Bluegills are sitting on nests; you can easily target the males. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers have had luck fishing from Ice House Point, the floating dock, the stone piers, and the inlet bridge. Catch fish up to 11 inches with crawlers and leeches fished under a bobber. The crappie spawn has slowed down. Walleye – Fair: Anglers are picking up walleye from shore and by boat. Town Bay, the shoreline along Ice House Point, and near the inlet bridge are producing fish.Use leeches fished under a bobber and twisters. Fish being kept are 15 to 21 inches. Late evening into dark and the early mornings are best. Largemouth Bass – Good: Catch largemouth all over the lake using the traditional bass lures. Fishing the lake side of the inlet bridge has provided good bass action for many anglers. Muskellunge – Fair: Anglers are still reporting the occasional muskie catch; most are on the smaller side. Some fish in the high 30 inch size range have been reported.
Black Hawk Pits
Bluegill and crappie are spawning near shore. Use a small tube jig tipped with crawler fished under a bobber near shore.
Blue Lake
Black Crappie – Slow: Use jigs and slip bobber rigs tipped with minnows near the shoreline. Some sorting is needed. Largemouth Bass – Good: Anglers are catching largemouth bass on various artificial baits near the shoreline emergent vegetation.
Browns Lake
Walleye – Fair: Some anglers have picked up their limit the past several weeks. The fish are 15- to 22-inches. Use leeches under a slip bobber. Black Crappie – Fair: Crappies were hitting along the cattails on the inside bend of the lake a few weeks ago. Check the deadfalls in the deeper water along the outside bend of the lake.
Brushy Creek Lake
Fishing has been productive along the weed lines. Panfish action is picking up near shore. Walleye – Fair: Use jigs and leeches. Bluegill – Fair: Bluegill are starting to move closer to shore. Use a small jig tipped with bait in 5-15 feet of water. Muskellunge – Fair. Largemouth Bass – Good: Anglers have been doing well fishing the weed lines and near structure.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Water temperatures are around 65 degrees. Dredge is in operation in the northeast portion of the lake; boaters must maintain a 100 foot distance from the dredge, booster pump and dredge pipes at all times. Storm Lake has a daily limit of 3 walleye and all 17- to 22-inch walleye must be released; no more than one walleye longer than 22 inches may be taken per day. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers are picking up crappie in the Marina and near the inlet. Walleye – Good: Much of the walleye action has shifted to the boat anglers. Boat anglers are doing well trolling shad raps or ripple shads or drifting crawler harnesses on the edges of the dredge cuts around the lake
Swan Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Anglers are picking up bluegills from along the dam and off the jetties. Use a small jig tipped with crawler. The larger gills are 8.5 inches. Black Crappie – Fair: A few crappie are being picked up while bluegill fishing.
Yellow Smoke Park Lake
Look for bluegill spawning in the arm north of the swim beach and in the coves along the south shore. Yellow Smoke is known for its big bluegill consistently reaching 9 inches or more.
Water temperatures in Black Hawk District lakes are in the mid-60 degrees. Bluegill and crappie are close to shore in many lakes and ponds. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Briggs Woods Lake
Largemouth Bass – Good: Use artificial lures or minnows near rocks or downed trees. Black Crappie – Good: Try a small hook and slip bobber with live bait.
Clear Lake
The water temperature is 64 degrees. McIntosh Woods State Park boat ramp is closed for repairs. There is a 14 inch minimum length limit for walleyes on Clear Lake with a daily limit of three fish per person; only one walleye can be greater than 22 inches. Walleye – Fair Boat anglers are trolling with leeches and artificial lure. Shore anglers are using jigs or hooks tipped with small minnows at the docks or public jetties. Black Crappie – Fair: Use a small jig or live bait with a slip bobber in the cattails. Yellow Bass – Fair: Try small jigs tipped with a nightcrawler or cut bait at the docks or jetties. Boat anglers should target Billys reef and Dodges point. White Bass – Fair: Use a small jig or a hook tipped with a minnow in shallow water around docks, reefs and the island. Bluegill – Fair: Use a small jig or a hook tipped with a minnow and slip bobber in the cattails. Shore anglers are catching fish at the jetties using live bait.
Crystal Lake
Black Crappie – Good: Use live bait with a slip bobber. Bluegill – Good: Use small minnows in areas with vegetation.
Silver Lake (Worth)
Yellow Perch – Good: Use small minnows or nightcrawlers in areas of vegetation.
For information in the north central area, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
East Okoboji Lake
Fish on East Okoboji are active with many people leaving the lake with full buckets. Yellow Bass – Good: Yellow bass activity has started to slow on the north end of East Okoboji Lake. Use live baits under bobbers. Yellow Perch – Fair: Yellow perch are active on the north end of the lake. Use live bait off of the public docks. Walleye – Fair: The walleye bite has slowed the past week.
Five Island Lake
Yellow Bass – Fair: Yellow bass are active on Five Island Lake.
Lake Pahoja
Bluegill – Good: Use mini jigs and artificial baits near the weed lines.
Lost Island Lake
The fishing on Lost Island Lake has picked up over the past week. Walleye – Good: Nice sized walleye are coming off the lake. Channel Catfish – Fair: Channel catfish are active; cast traditional catfish baits.
Silver Lake (Dickinson)
The fish on Silver Lake are very active. Walleye – Good: Both wader anglers and boat fishermen have reported catching many. Use live baits such as minnows.
Spirit Lake
The fish are extremely active right now with many people leaving the lake with limits. Black Bullhead – Fair: Fishing for bullheads is very popular on the north end of the lake by the grade and at buffalo run. Yellow Perch – Fair: A fair number of angler acceptable perch are being caught. Walleye – Excellent: Walleyes have become very active over the past week with many people limiting out quickly.
West Okoboji Lake
The fishing continues to be very good. Black Crappie – Good: Many keeper crappies are being caught. Use light jig heads and artificial baits in the shallows. Bluegill – Good: Many keeper bluegills are being caught. Use light jig heads and artificial baits in the shallows. Northern Pike – Good: Nice northerns are being caught on West Okoboji. Walleye – Good: Anglers are having a high success rate fishing for walleye on West lake; use live bait such as minnows and leaches.
The fishing on the Iowa Great Lakes has been very active over the past couple of weeks. For more information throughout the week, contact the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
NORTHEAST
Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water clarity is improving with temperatures in the low 60’s. Visit https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ia/
Decorah District Streams
Streams conditions are improving. Flows remain elevated. Use care when crossing. Call 563-927-5736 for catchable trout stocking locations. Use jigs tipped with twister tails, feathered spinnerbaits, or flashy spoons. Use a nightcrawler to catch a freshly stocked fish. Brook Trout – Good: Use mayfly or caddis fly imitations for the afternoon hatch. Brown Trout – Good: Off color water is a great time to fish for brown trout. Try caddis fly and mayfly imitations hatching off the water.Hatches are improving with warming temperatures. Use leach or streamer patterns for more aggressive fish. Rainbow Trout – Good: Fish rainbow trout in the head end of riffles. Slowly pull a black bead head fly with a light colored scud or midge dropper through the upper and lower ends of pools for trout in deeper water.
Lake Hendricks
Near shore fish activity will improve with warmer temperatures. Slow your retrieve giving fish time to strike. Boat anglers are finding fish in deeper water. Bluegill – Good: Catch gills moving into shallower water with a small jig. Let it sink and slowly reel it in. Channel Catfish – Slow: Use cut baits on windblown rocky shorelines. Black Crappie – Fair: Use a hook tipped with a minnow under a bobber. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use a jig tipped with a plastic twister for bass moving into shallower water.
Lake Meyer
Water clarity is improving. Water temperatures are in the low 60’s. Find the latest hot spots on the Iowa DNR’s fishing atlas. Set your GPS coordinates to WGS84 to key in to your structure preference. Bluegill – Good: Bluegill are building nests. Use a small jig in shallow water with a slow retrieve. Channel Catfish – Slow: Try a crawler fished on the bottom in a rocky shoreline. Dawn and dusk are best. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use a spinnerbait; a variety of colors are working. Bass are moving in as water warms. Black Crappie – Fair: Use a minnow or artificial scented baits fished under a bobber in the evening in shallow water along a rocky shoreline. Northern Pike – Fair: Try a spinnerbait for a pike hanging in shallow water.
Turkey River (above Clermont)
Water levels are slowly dropping with temperatures in the low 60’s. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Try a jig tipped with a minnow or feathered spinnerbait around a current break. Walleye – Fair: Use a jig tipped with a soft plastic twister tail. Use a slow retrieve in cooler water. White Sucker – Good: Try a hook tipped with a nightcrawler fished off the bottom.
Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Water levels are falling with temperatures in the low 60’s. Visibility is good. Visit https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ia/
Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
Water levels are falling with temperatures in the low 60’s. Visibility is improving. Bank anglers should toss a lure upstream and let it float through the current along a ledge or current seam. Walleye – Slow: Use spinnerbaits and jig tipped with a minnow fished at the head and tail ends of deeper pools. White Sucker – Good: Try a hook with a worm and enough weight to get the worm to the bottom. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Use jigs tipped with nightcrawlers or ring worms. Try also bright colored twister tails. Northern Pike – Slow: A few anglers are picking up pike using spinnerbaits.
Volga Lake
Water temperatures are rising. Fish shallower water in the evening. Fish attractors were recently added in the lake. Find fish attracting structure locations on the Iowa DNR’s fishing atlas. Bluegill – Slow: Use small jigs tipped with small piece of nightcrawler or red worm fished deep. Black Crappie – Fair: Find crappie along rocky shoreline especially near sunset. Try a hook tipped with a small minnow under a bobber. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use dead minnows or crawlers fished off the bottom to attract a cruising cat. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Fish bass moving into shallow water. Try a spinnerbait with a slow retrieve in cooler water.
Water clarity is much improved and water temperatures are slowly rising. Please thank landowners for allowing public fishing on private property. Help us keep our streams beautiful. For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.
Big Woods Lake
Black Crappie – Good: Try numerous depths floating a crappie minnow under a slip bobber as the crappie begin to stage for spawn. Bluegill – Good: Find bluegill spawning beds along the shorelines. Try a piece of worm or small jig under a slip bobber fished above the beds.
Brinker Lake
Black Crappie – Good: Try numerous depths floating a crappie minnow under a slip bobber as the crappie begin to stage for spawn. Bluegill – Good: Find bluegill spawning beds along the shorelines. Try a piece of worm or small jig under a slip bobber fished above the beds.
Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
The Cedar River has risen with recent rainfall events, but is beginning to recede. There are no reports for this past week.
George Wyth Lake
Black Crappie – Good: Try numerous depths floating a crappie minnow under a slip bobber as the crappie begin to stage for spawn. Bluegill – Good: Find bluegill spawning beds along the shorelines. Try a piece of worm or small jig under a slip bobber fished above the beds.
Manchester District Streams
Trout streams are clear and in excellent condition. Rainbow Trout – Good.
Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
Angler reports have been really good for smallmouth bass on the Maquoketa River in Delaware County. Recent surveys have found good numbers of walleye also. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Use artificial baits. Channel Catfish – Good: Try fishing a nightcrawler or stink baits.
Martens Lake
Anglers are doing well on largemouth bass on Martens Lake. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use weedless spinnerbaits or plastic worms fished along shoreline or near lily pads.
Plainfield Lake
Anglers are starting to catch some bluegill on Plainfield Lake as the spawn approaches. Bluegill – Good: Find the spawning beds along the shorelines. Try a piece of worm or small jig under a slip bobber fished above the beds.
Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
The river is falling nicely and should provide some good angling opportunities by this coming weekend.
Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
The river is falling nicely and should provide some good angling opportunities by this coming weekend.
Interior river water levels are beginning to fall with the recent rainfall events. Lake fishing has picked up throughout the crappie and bluegill spawn. Trout fishing remains good. Contact the N.E. District Office at 563-927-3276 for more information.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Mississippi River Pool 9
River level is dropping and is currently at 12.9 feet at Lansing. It is expected to fall to 11 feet later next week. Army road at New Albin is closed. Water temperature is in the low to mid 60’s. Walleye – Slow: Tailwater fishing has dropped off, but walleyes will be settling in to the wing dams as water returns to normal. Yellow Perch – Slow: Use minnows under a bobber in structure off side channels with little or no current. Bluegill – Good: Bluegills are becoming more active. Try a bobber tipped with crawler in the flooded trees. Freshwater Drum – Good: Freshwater drum are actively feeding. Use a crawler fished along the bottom or live crawdads in current. Flathead Catfish – Good: Flathead are actively feeding in preparation for the spawn. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Largemouth are biting on spinnerbaits fished in the trees in the backwaters. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Cast along rock structure off the main channel and running sloughs. Black Crappie – Fair: Crappies are tough to find with the high water conditions, but some larger fish are being caught using a crappie minnow fished in the flooded trees.
Mississippi River Pool 10
Lynxville river level is 23.2 feet and will gradually recede by late next week. Water temperature at Lock and Dam 9 is 60 degrees. Gates are up at the Lock and Dam. Sny Magill ramp is inaccessible due to high water over the road. Water is still on Bussey Lake ramp, but small boats are launching. Walleye – Slow: Tailwater fishing has dropped off, but walleyes will be settling in to the wing dams as water returns to normal. Yellow Perch – Slow: Use minnows under a bobber in structure off side channels with little or no current. Bluegill – Good: Bluegills are becoming more active. Try a bobber tipped with crawler up in the flooded trees. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum are actively feeding. Use a crawler fished along the bottom or live crawdads in current. Flathead Catfish – Fair: Flathead are actively feeding in preparation for the spawn. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Largemouth are biting on spinnerbaits fished in the trees in the backwaters. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Cast along rock structure off the main channel and running sloughs. Black Crappie – Fair: Crappies are tough to find with the high water conditions, but some larger fish are being caught using a crappie minnow fished in the flooded trees.
Mississippi River Pool 11
River levels are gradually receding at Guttenberg. Current level is 14.6 feet and is predicted to fall to 12 feet late next week. Water temperature at the dam is 60 degrees. Gates remain out of the water at Lock and Dam 10. Many ramps are inaccessible due to water over the roads. There is still water over the South Guttenberg boat ramp. Walleye – Fair: Tailwater fishing has dropped off, but walleyes will be settling in to the wing dams as water returns to normal. Yellow Perch – Slow: Use minnows under a bobber in structure off side channels with little or no current. Bluegill – Good: Bluegills are becoming more active. Try a bobber tipped with crawler in the flooded trees. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum are actively feeding. Use a crawler fished along the bottom or live crawdads in current. Flathead Catfish – Good: Flathead are actively feeding in preparation for the spawn. Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth are biting on spinnerbaits fished in the trees in the backwaters. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Cast along rock structure off the main channel and running sloughs. Black Crappie – Fair: Crappies are tough to find with the high water conditions, but some larger fish are being caught using a crappie minnow fished up in the flooded trees.
Mississippi River levels are receding quickly after cresting last week. There is still a lot of current and debris in channel areas. Water temperatures have risen into the 60’s. Most boat ramps are still inaccessible and full of debris. Anglers are doing some searching, but having success in areas out of the heavy current.
Mississippi River Pool 12
River levels are 16.02 feet at the Dubuque Lock and Dam and 17.87 feet at the RR bridge. These are up two feet from last week. Many of the smaller boat may be flooded out. Channel Catfish – Good: Use worms near the flooded shoreline; catfish will be feeding on the newly flooded areas. Freshwater Drum – Good: Drum bite well in higher water levels. A simple egg sinker and worm rig works best. White Crappie – Good: Some nice white crappies have been reported in flooded timber. Walleye – Fair: Some walleyes are biting on crankbaits or pitching jigs into eddy areas. Fish near shore; walleyes will be feeding around the newly flooded areas.
Mississippi River Pool 13
River level is 16.39 feet at Bellevue. This is up from last week and water will rise all week. Several boat ramps are under water including the DNR boat ramp at Bellevue and the south ramp at Sabula. Yellow Perch – No Report: Yellow perch were being found near shore, but few reports in this high water. Northern Pike – Fair: Use flashy white lures. Some pike were reported being caught in the Green Island Wildlife Area. Channel Catfish – Good: Channel catfish are hitting on worms rigs. Flooding water puts catfish on the feed. Freshwater Drum – Good: Drum are being caught on egg sinker rigs with worms. Largemouth Bass – Good: Find bass in large backwater areas such as Spring Lake. Many anglers are slow rolling spinnerbaits. Walleye – Fair: Find walleye in eddy currents. High water makes this a challenge, but the fish are on the bite so keep pitching jigs till you find them. Common Carp – Good: The warm days have seen the carp spawning in shallow water in big backwater complexes. Bowfishing season is prime right now. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Some smallmouth are being caught on flooded rocky areas by people pitching jigs or on worms.
Mississippi River Pool 14
River level is 16.57 feet at Fulton, 18.31 feet at Camanche and 11.6 feet at Le Claire. This is up from last week and levels will fall all week. Some boat ramps will have water and debris on them due to the high water levels. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Nice catches of largemouth bass were reported. Find bass in the backwater complexes such as cattail and rock creek. Freshwater Drum – Good: Freshwater drum are biting on simple egg sinker rigs with worms for bait. Channel Catfish – Good: Several catfish were reported this week mostly by anglers using a sinker and worm rig. Walleye – Slow: Some walleyes were being caught in eddy areas by people pitching jigs. Use bright colors in flooded water. This fishing will get more difficult as more timber gets flooded.
Mississippi River Pool 15
River level is 16.99 feet at Rock Island. This is up from last week and levels will begin to fall this week. Flood levels have moved back into minor flooding levels. Little fishing was reported to us on Pool 15.
The main channel water temperature is 66 degrees, which is up 6 degrees from last week. Water levels are high but starting to fall. Many of the smaller boat ramps in the district are under water or will have debris on them. If you have any angling questions, please contact the Bellevue Fisheries Station 563-872-4976.
Mississippi River Pool 16
Tailwater stage is 16.97 feet at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad Cities and is forecast to reach 17.2 feet by Thursday (6/1). ). Flood stage is 15 feet. River stage at Fairport is 17.34 feet and flood stage is 14 feet. The Marquette St landing in Davenport is being reported as closed due to the high water. The boat ramp at Clark’s Ferry is closed due to high water. The ramps at the Fairport Recreational area are underwater as well. Fishing has been slow with the high and muddy water conditions.
Mississippi River Pool 17
Tailwater stage is 16.60 feet at Lock and Dam 16 in Muscatine and forecast to reach 17.0 feet by Thursday (6/1). Flood stage at Lock and Dam 16 is 15 feet. River stage at Muscatine is 18.00 feet and forecast to reach 18.5 feet by Thursday. Flood stage at Muscatine is 16 feet. As of Wedne
