NORTHWEST
Arrowhead Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Catch 8- to 9-inch bluegills near structure in 5- to 10-feet of water. For deeper fish, drift a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler. Use a bobber if fishing closer to shore.
Black Hawk Lake
Surface water temperature is around 70 degrees. Water levels are near the crest of the spillway. Bluegill – Good: Pick up bluegill just about anywhere along the shoreline in 2- to 5-feet of water. Use a small jig tipped with live bait or a small piece of crawler fished below a bobber off the floating fishing pier, the west stone pier, and the inlet bridge. Black Crappie – Fair: Use a jig with a minnow in 2- to 6-feet of water along Ice House Point, the floating dock and the stone piers in Town Bay. Walleye – Fair: Use live bait fished along the Ice House Point shoreline and the rock piles near Cottonwood Point and in the east basin. Expect walleye fishing to pick up near shore in the next couple of weeks as water temperatures cool. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use nightcrawlers and cut bait fished on the bottom near the floating dock, Ice House Point, and the rock piles near Cottonwood Point and the east basin. ,
Largemouth Bass – Good: Catch largemouth bass just about anywhere along the shoreline with topwater lures, twisters or live bait.
Brushy Creek Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Use a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler in 5- to 15-feet of water. Drift near deep structure, drop-offs and weed lines. Black Crappie – Fair: Try a small piece of crawler or minnow on a jig in 10- to 15-feet of water. Largemouth Bass – Good: Throw topwater lures, weedless baits, spinners and plastic worms along weed lines, near cover and wood structure. Fish deeper for larger fish. Pick up small fish in the shallows.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Surface water temperatures are around 70 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. Walleye – Fair: Troll shad raps or drift crawlers on the edges of the dredge cuts around the lake. Look for walleye activity to pick up as water temperatures begin to cool over the next few weeks. White Bass – Fair: Use crankbaits; most action has been from boat while fishing dredge cuts.
Swan Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Try areas with rocky structure and along weed lines in 2- to 6-feet of water near the jetties, the fish house and the dam. Use a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler or minnow under a bobber. Expect 6- to 9-inch fish.
Yellow Smoke Park Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Bluegills can reach 9 inches or more. Look for bluegills in 5- to 10-feet of water near the arm north of the swim beach, the flooded timber near the southwest shoreline, and the coves on the south shore.
Surface water temperature in area lakes is around 70 degrees. Panfishing has been fair to good in most lakes. The channel catfish bite in rivers and lakes is fair. Expect walleye fishing to pick up as water temperatures cool. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Clear Lake
The water temperature is 65 degrees. Yellow Bass – Good: Drift a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler or cut bait in 8- to 10-feet of water until you find fish. Try also near the rock reefs. Walleye – Fair: Use a slip bobber and leech or minnow near the rock reefs. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use cut bait or crawlers on the windward side of the lake. Muskellunge – Fair: Try near edge of vegetation and shady areas under docks.
Crystal Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Use a small piece of crawler under a slip bobber near the dredge cut. Black Crappie – Fair: Try a slip bobber and small minnow in the deeper water in the dredge cut. Look for suspended fish on your electronics.
Rice Lake
Walleye – Fair: Use a jig and minnow in the deeper parts of the lake in the late evening.
Silver Lake (Worth)
Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth bass are biting on a variety of baits.
For information in the north central area, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
East Okoboji Lake
Lots of keeper fish are being caught on East Okoboji, with yellow bass being the majority of kept fish. Yellow Bass – Excellent: Good sized yellow bass are still being caught shallow near docks; jig with pilkies and wigglers. Yellow Perch – Good: Jig with tube jigs and pilkies around docks and weed lines.
Five Island Lake
Recent surveys show good numbers of angler acceptable channel catfish.
Little Sioux River (state line to Linn Grove)
Walleye – Fair: Walleye activity is starting to pick up as the water starts to cool down.
Lost Island Lake
Yellow Bass – Good: Yellow bass activity is reported to have improved with the cooler water temperatures.
Mill Creek (Lake)
Black Crappie – Good: Good numbers of angler acceptable crappie are being caught.
Spirit Lake
Walleye – Fair: Walleye are most active along the weed lines in Anglers Bay. Yellow Perch – Good: The yellow perch bite picked up over the past week; use tube jigs and pilkies.
West Okoboji Lake
Bluegill – Good: Nice sized bluegill are coming off the lake. Try in shallow areas around weed lines. Black Crappie – Good: Crappie are very active; cast tube jigs along weed lines.
The walleye fishing will pick up as the water temperature continues to cool. For more information throughout the week, contact the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
NORTHEAST
Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water levels are low. Use caution when backing boats down boat ramps. Trailers going off the ends of the ramps have been reported. Walleye – Slow: Trol
Decorah District Streams
Hunting season has started. Many streams run through wildlife management areas where hunting is allowed. Wear bright clothing when not stalking a trout. Trout streams are in good condition. Call 563-927-5736 for current catchable trout stocking locations. Brook Trout – Good: A variety of small mayflies are hatching mid-afternoon. Use a dry fly for insects hatching off the water surface. Use a nymph or scud dropper for subsurface critters. Brown Trout – Good: Use a hopper pattern in pastured or open areas. In wooded areas in the morning, use #22-24 trico patterns. In the evening, use #18-20 blue wing olive patterns. Rainbow Trout – Good: Freshly stocked trout are hitting a variety of lures and baits. Drift a feathered spinner along an undercut bank.
Lake Hendricks
Lake Hendricks is an electric motor only lake. Fishing is great, but catching has been slow. Black Crappie – Slow: Troll over rock mounds with a jig tipped with minnow or spinnerbait. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Try topwater lures along the edge of a vegetation for a hiding bass. Channel Catfish – Slow: Use a hook tipped with a worm or chicken liver. Bluegill – Slow: Use small hook tipped with small piece of worm in deeper water.
Lake Meyer
Lake Meyer is an electric motor only lake. Few people have visited the lake this week. Bluegill – Slow: Use a small hook tipped with a piece of worm under a bobber near jetties in the evening. Black Crappie – Slow: Find crappie suspended near submersed structure. Use a spinner or jig with bright colored twister tail. Largemouth Bass – Slow: 10- to 12-inch bass are hitting crankbaits.
Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
The Upper Iowa is stable but low. Be prepared to walk through riffles. Fly fishers, watch for evening hatches of white and grey mayflies. Flying ants are hatching mid-day. Fall is a good time to use streamers or minnow patterns for bass, trout, and walleye. Walleye – Slow: Drift through a deeper hole or along a current break. Use a jig tipped with a twister tail or worm. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Try jigs tipped with worms or crankbaits imitating crawdads in deeper holes and along rocky shorelines. Rock Bass – Fair: Use jigs tipped with worms along rocky shorelines.
Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
Water temperatures are in the low 70’s. Northern Pike – Slow: Use a steel leader tipped with 1/4 oz. jig tipped with natural colored plastic to a 3 inch jerk bait fished around tributaries or brush piles. Smallmouth Bass – Slow: Use jigs tipped with plastic tails in the current breaks or near rock ledges. Walleye – Slow: Drift a jig tipped with a twister tail or worm through a deeper hole or along a current break. Channel Catfish – Slow: Catch a catfish from shore with a hook tipped with a crawler. Evening is best.
Volga Lake
Warmer water temperatures are sparking green algae blooms on the lake. Panfishing has been hit or miss for the last week. Black Crappie – Fair: Troll the deeper areas for suspended crappie; use small jig tipped with a minnow. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Bass are hitting jigs tipped with a nightcrawler or twister tail. Try a topwater lure in the evening as fish come in shallow to feed. Bluegill – Fair: Use a small hook tipped with a piece of worm under a bobber along rocky shorelines. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use chicken liver and stink baits. Catfish are more active in the evening.
It’s going to be a hot, humid fall weekend with temperature highs in the low 90’s and 60’s for lows in the forecast. Area streams and rivers are low due to lack of rain.For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.
Big Woods Lake
Reports of anglers catching some crappie. Black Crappie – Fair: Float a crappie minnow, red worm or waxie under a slip bobber in 4- to 8-feet of water.
Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
Walleye – Fair: Use a jig and plastic tail tipped with half a nightcrawler on the downstream sandbar drop-offs or woody structure as the river is low Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Cast spinnerbaits or crankbaits along rip-rap shorelines and woody structure.
Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
There have been few reports on the Maquoketa River this past week. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Cast spinnerbaits or crankbaits along rip-rap shorelines and woody structure. Walleye – Fair: Try a jig and plastic tail tipped with half a nightcrawler on the downstream sandbar drop-offs or woody structure as the river is low.
Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
There have been few reports on the Shell Rock River this past week. Walleye – Fair: Use a jig and plastic tail tipped with half a nightcrawler on the downstream sandbar drop-offs or woody structure as the river is low. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Cast spinnerbaits or crankbaits along rip-rap shorelines and woody structure.
Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
There have been few reports on the Wapsipinicon River this past week; anglers have had best success fishing for northern pike. Northern Pike – Good: Cast and retrieve large bucktail spinner baits near structure or float a live chub or shiner under a bobber in the deeper pools. Walleye – Fair: Try a jig and plastic tail tipped with half a nightcrawler on the downstream sandbar dropoffs or woody structure as the river is low. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Cast spinnerbaits or crankbaits along rip-rap shorelines and woody structure.
Fishing reports are those of the typical late summer lulls, but anglers are catching some fish on the interior rivers. There are reports of anglers catching smallmouth bass, walleye and northern pike. Best reports have been northern pike on the Wapsipinicon River.Trout streams remain in excellent condition. Call the N.E. Iowa district office at 563-927-3276 for more information.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Mississippi River Pool 9
River level at Lansing has fallen about a foot to 8 feet and is predicted to remain stable. Water temperature has reached back to 71 degrees with the hot weather this week. Bluegill – Excellent:
Mississippi River Pool 10
Lynxville water level has fallen to 14.2 feet and is predicted to drop slightly then remain stable. Water temperature is 71 degrees at the lock and dam. Bluegill – Excellent: Som
Mississippi River Pool 11
Mississippi River at Guttenberg has fallen to 5.7 feet and is predicted to drop slightly this week. Water temperature is 66 degrees at the Lock and Dam. Bluegill – Excellent:
Upper Mississippi water levels are low and near the expected normal for this time of year. Boaters should use caution to not back off the ends of ramps during low water conditions. Water clarity continues to be good with lots of vegetation present. Many backwater species have moved to main channel borders and side sloughs. Water temperature has been in the upper 60’s to 70° this week.
Mississippi River Pool 12
Use caution when backing up on any ramp; river levels are getting low and it is easy to back off the ends of ramps. River levels receded this week. Water levels are around 5 feet at the Dubuque Lock and Dam and 8 feet at the RR bridge. Water clarity is good. Water temperature is in the upper 60’s. Try to remove any vegetation off your trailers. Channel Catfish – Good: Use worms and stink bait; move often if you do not find biting fish. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: A simple egg sinker and worm rig works best. White Crappie – Good: Fall is the best time of the year to catch crappies on the Mississippi River. Look for them along log jams in backwater sloughs. Walleye – Fair: The wing dam fishing is well underway on the Mississippi River. Some anglers are using worm rigs while others are throwing crankbaits on the dams. Floating weeds are being a real hindrance at times. Bluegill – Good:Find bluegills at the mouths of large backwater areas and along the channel border rock. Flathead Catfish – Excellent: Pull worm rigs near rocky habitats. Lots of flatheads have been caught this year. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent:Throw spinners or small crankbaits around rocky areas with strong current in the evenings. Largemouth Bass – Excellent: Largemouths have pulled out of the shallow backwater areas and are on trees and sandy shoals often chasing minnows. The scum frog bite has been very good in the weed pads. Yellow Perch – Fair: Yellow perch are being caught in backwater areas on minnows by anglers fishing for bluegills or crappies.
Mississippi River Pool 13
Use caution when backing up on any ramp; river levels are getting low and it is easy to back off the ends of ramps. Water level is near 5.5 feet at the Bellevue Lock and Dam. Water clarity has been improving. Water temperature is in upper 60’s and lower 70’s in the main channel. Try to remove any vegetation off your trailers. Northern Pike – Good: Use flashy white lures. Channel Catfish – Good: Use worm rigs and stink bait above log jams and rock piles; let the smell of the bait flow into the log piles. Move often if you don’t find fish. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Use egg sinker and worm rigs. Drum bite in all types of river conditions. Walleye – Fair: Mixed reports on walleye the past couple of weeks. Some anglers think it is great fishing while others are doing poorly. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Throw crank baits or spinners near rock piles with strong current. Bluegill – Good: Use worm rigs in log piles in larger backwater and sloughs. Flathead Catfish – Excellent: Small flathead catfish are hitting on worms; mostly by people fishing for channel cats. Try large live bait fished in the evening hours for bigger flatheads. Largemouth Bass – Excellent: Some fish are on weed edges while others are in logs in deeper sloughs. Use scum frogs and other frog imitations. Black Crappie – Good: Fall is a great time to fish for crappies. Use small minnows in the woody snags in backwater sloughs.
Mississippi River Pool 14
Use caution when backing up on any ramp; river levels are getting low and it is easy to back off the ends of ramps. Water levels are near 5.5 feet at Fulton, 10 feet at Camanche and 5 feet at LeClaire. Water clarity has improved. Water temperature is around 70 degrees in the main channel. Largemouth Bass – Good: Bass had moved out of the large shallow areas into deeper slough habitats. Use spinnerbaits along the channel weed lines. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum are biting on worm rigs. Catch drum in nearly all moderate current areas. Channel Catfish – Good: Use worm rigs and prepared stink baits fished close to shoreline snags or along rock lines. Walleye – Good: Try Twister tails on the wing dams. Flathead Catfish – Excellent: Some anglers are trot lining flathead catfish using large bullheads as bait. Flathead are most active during the night and evening hours. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Try along rock piles with current. Bluegill – Good: Use worms and bobbers along vegetation lines.
Mississippi River Pool 15
Use caution when backing up on any ramp; river levels are getting low and it is easy to back off the ends of ramps. Levels are around 6 feet at Rock Island. Water clarity has improved. Water temperature is near 70 degrees in the main channel. Channel Catfish – Good: Try stink bait along the rock piles near Campbells and Arsenal Island. Move often if fish are not hitting. Freshwater Drum – Good: Freshwater drum bite well this time of year. Put them on ice immediately if you are going to clean them. Flathead Catfish – Good: Use large live bait fished near shore during the night and evening hours. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Find smallmouths along rock lines with strong current. White Bass – Fair: A few white bass were reported in the tailwater area and south of the I-74 bridge along the rock lines.
Use caution when using any ramp, as you can back off the ends in low water levels. The channel temperature has been in the low 70’s. Fishing conditions are good throughout the district. Aquatic vegetation is floating in the River, so do your best to clean your boats and trailers and not transport vegetation to other bodies of water. If you have any angling questions, please contact the Bellevue Fisheries Station 563-872-4976.
Mississippi River Pool 16
River stage at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad Cities is 6.03 feet and has risen about a half a foot due to the recent heavy rains. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try worms, stink bait or cut shad in brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. White Crappie – No Report: Look for crappies in the backwaters and flowing side channels. Use jigs and minnows/plastics or minnows under a bobber around brush piles. Walleye – No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Cast crankbaits over the wing dams or troll three-way rigs with nightcrawlers in front of the wing dams. Fishing may be tough with the recent heavy rains.
Mississippi River Pool 17
Tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 16 in Muscatine is 5.24 feet and has risen close to a foot in the past 24 hours due to recent heavy rains. Channel Catfish – No Report: Try worms, cut shad, or dip baits in brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. White Crappie – Fair: Try jigs and minnows/plastics or minnows under a bobber around brush piles in Big Timber and Cleveland Slough. Walleye – No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Cast crankbaits or pull three-way rigs with crawlers. Bluegill – Fair: Look for bluegills in the backwaters. Use pieces of worm under a bobber around brush piles.
Mississippi River Pool 18
Tailwater stage is 4.92 feet at Lock and Dam 17 above New Boston and is starting to rise from the recent rains. Channel Catfish – Good: Try dip baits, nightcrawlers or cut shad in snags and brush piles along the main channel and side channels. White Crappie – No Report: Use jigs/minnows or minnows under a bobber in the backwaters and flowing side channels around brush piles. Walleye – No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Cast crankbaits to the wingdams or pull three-way rigs with crawlers. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Some largemouth bass were being caught along riprap shorelines with current before the recent heavy rains.
Mississippi River Pool 19
Tailwater stage is 2.49 feet at Lock and Dam 18 above Burlington. We have not received any fishing reports for this pool this week. Channel Catfish – No Report: Try dip baits, nightcrawlers, or cut shad in brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. White Crappie – No Report: Use jigs and minnows/plastics or minnows under a bobber crappies in brush piles in the backwaters and flowing side channels.
River stages have risen some in the past 24 hours due to recent heavy rains. The river has muddied up some. Main channel water temperature is around 74 degrees. If you have questions on fishing Pools 16-19, contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.
