NORTHWEST
Arrowhead Lake
As of Jan. 11, ice was about 7-8 inches thick. Drill test holes often. Black Crappie – Fair: Use minnows or waxworms on a jig in areas with structure anywhere from 10-15 feet deep. Bluegill – Fair: Catch keeper size bluegills with a teardrop jig tipped with a waxworm fished near structure.
Bacon Creek Lake
Rainbow trout will be stocked in Bacon Creek Lake on Jan. 27th at 2:00 p.m.
Black Hawk Lake
As of Jan. 11, ice thickness near Ice House boat ramp was 8-10 inches. Bluegill – Good: Catch good numbers of bluegill with a teardrop jig and waxworm fished off the bottom around 6 feet of water in the channel between Ice House boat ramp and Gunshot Hill, the rock pile off of Gunshot Hill, rock pile off Cottonwood Point, and the dredge cuts near Denison Beach and Lakewood Point. Some sorting is needed. Yellow Perch – Fair: A few larger fish are being picked up while targeting bluegill. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers are picking up crappie while targeting bluegill. Walleye – Fair: Use a spoon and minnow fished on the dredge cuts near Denison Beach and Lake wood point, and near the rock pile off of Cottonwood Point.
Black Hawk Pits
Ice is around 7-8 inches thick. Check ice often, as conditions are still variable. Bluegill – Fair: Try a small jig tipped with waxworms.
Brushy Creek Lake
Most of the lake has 6-8 inches of ice. Conditions are still variable, so drill test holes often and expect less ice near inflows, in the main channel, and near trees. Walleye – Slow: A few walleye are being picked up with jigging spoons and a minnow head. Low numbers, but most are bigger fish with some over 25 inches. Bluegill – Fair: Decent numbers of bluegill catches reported with waxworms on a teardrop jig. Some sorting is needed.
Moorland Pond
Rainbow trout will be stocked into Moorland Pond on Jan. 20th at 9:30 a.m.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Most ice is around 10-13 inches, but variable conditions still exist. Walleye – Good: Use rattle spoons and jigging spoons with a minnow head in 8 feet of water on the edges of the old dredged area in the west end. Some anglers are catching limits of fish. Most fish are less than 14 inches, but some over 23 are being picked up too. Most of the action is at the west end of the lake off Casino Beach, Frank Starr, and College Island. Yellow Perch – Fair: Some perch have been picked up while targeting walleye. Black Crappie – Fair: A few crappies are being picked up while fishing for walleye.
Most lakes in western Iowa have 8-13 inches of ice.For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Bluebill Lake
Ice thickness is 13 to 15 inches. Bluegill – Slow: Best bite is in the early morning.
Blue Pit
The DNR will stock trout here this Saturday, Jan. 13th. A kids fishing event will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00p.m.
Clear Lake
Avoid areas near the aerators. The current ice thickness varies from 12 to 15 inches. Yellow Bass – Slow: Yellows have been hard to find and are really finicky. Use light tackle and be mobile to stay on fish. The best bite is still at dawn. Walleye – Slow: Dead stick a minnow while you are jigging with another rod. The best bite is at dawn and dusk. Yellow Perch – Fair: Lots of small perch are being caught. Black Crappie – Slow: Fish the dredge cuts in the little lake. Best bite is at first light.
Crystal Lake
Avoid areas near the aerator. Ice thickness is 11 to 14 inches. Black Crappie – Good: Use a small jig tipped with spikes near the edge of the dredge cut. Walleye – Slow: Best bite is early morning fishing with a minnow. Bluegill – Fair: Lots of smaller fish are being caught.
Little Wall Lake
Ice thickness is 8 to 10 inches.
Rice Lake
Ice thickness is 12 to 14 inches. Walleye – Slow: The best bite is at dawn and dusk fishing with minnows.
Silver Lake (Worth)
Avoid areas near the aerator. Ice thickness is 11 to 14 inches. Yellow Perch – Fair: Use a small jig tipped with a waxworm or spike at the edge of vegetation. Bluegill – Slow: Try a small jig tipped with a waxworm or spike at the edge of vegetation.
For information on the lakes and rivers in the north central area, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
East Okoboji Lake
Walleye – Fair: Anglers report walleye action south of Stony Point. Yellow Bass – Fair: Some fish are being caught off the traditional sites.
Five Island Lake
Channel Catfish – Fair: Good ice fishing action reported. Walleye – Fair: Ice anglers have had good pole bending activity with numbers of fish harvested. Yellow Bass – Good: Good numbers of fish have been harvested; fish the dredge cuts for the best action.
Ingham Lake
Use caution; thin ice conditions around the aeration system. Walleye – Fair: Good bite reported during the early evening hours.
Lost Island Lake
Yellow Bass – Good: Good numbers of fish are being caught; fish the Stoney Point area for the best action. Walleye – Fair: Numbers of fish are reported from Lost Island Lake. Yellow Perch – Fair: Some yellow perch and black crappie are being caught by anglers fishing for yellow bass.
Scharnberg Pond
Trout will be stocked this Saturday, Jan. 13th at 1:30 pm.
Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Use caution; thin ice conditions around the aeration system.
Silver Lake (Palo Alto)
Walleye – Fair: Ice anglers report harvesting walleye. Yellow Perch – Fair: Fishing action has been very variable; ice anglers are catching nice size perch.
Spirit Lake
Yellow Perch – Fair: Numbers of fish are being caught; sorting is needed as numbers of small fish are being reported. Walleye – Good: Use spoons tipped with a minnow head on rock piles or existing weed lines. Best action is early evening at prime time; fish a half hour before sunset to half hour after sunset. Bluegill – Fair: Try Anglers Bay and Hales Slough for the best action.
Trumbull Lake
Yellow Perch – Fair: Persistent and patient anglers will be rewarded with good numbers of giant yellow perch in the creel.
West Okoboji Lake
Bluegill – Good: Look for open spots in the weed lines for the best action; a camera is needed to find fish as site fishing is limited. Walleye – Good: Fish evening hours for the best action.
For more information throughout the week, contact the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
NORTHEAST
Cedar River (above Nashua)
Ice conditions continue to improve. Use caution in areas with current. Check ice depths often. Backwaters have about 14 inches. Bluegill – Good: Use small jigs tipped with a waxworm or spikes in 10 feet of water. Black Crappie – Good: Try bright colored jigs or small spoons tipped with minnow heads in backwaters. Walleye – Fair: Use small spoons tipped with a minnow head in deeper holes just out of current.
Decorah District Streams
Winter stocking on urban ponds and lakes begins this weekend. Check our website for a location near you. IADNR parking lots are not plowed at this time of year. Streams with good flow and water quality won’t freeze. Deeper pools will freeze. Brook Trout – Good: Use a dry fly for insects hatching off the water surface. Use a nymph or scud dropper for subsurface critters. Brown Trout – Good: Use patterns imitating small fish, eggs, and scuds. Light hatches still occur on warmer afternoons. Rainbow Trout – Good: Rainbow Trout will be spawning soon. Drift a feathered spinner or a hook tipped with worm along an undercut bank.
Lake Hendricks
No motorized vehicles are allowed on the ice. The lake has about 15 inches of ice with a light snow cover. Open water around the aerator. Black Crappie – Good: Water is stained. Move around to find fish. Use small jig tipped with a minnow head. Bluegill – Good: Anglers are fishing near the point in the deeper channel. Use small jigs tipped with waxworms or spikes.
Lake Meyer
Lake Meyer has about 15 inches of ice with 2 inches of snow on top. Use caution around the dam. Fish are more active in the morning and evening. Bluegill – Good: Use small bright colored jigs tipped with waxworms around brush piles. A slow jig works best. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers need to work for the fish and may have to move once the easy ones are caught.
Volga Lake
The lake has about 15 inches of ice covered with an inch of snow. Fish around the brush piles for best luck. Black Crappie – Good: Drop your lure about 3 feet above structure and watch them swim up to the bait. Use small jigs tipped with spikes or waxworms.
Blustery with temperatures near zero through the weekend and a chance for snow Sunday evening. Ice conditions continue to improve on area lakes and rivers.For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Mississippi River Pool 9
Current level is 7.9 feet at Lansing. Water temperature is near 32 degrees. Subzero temperatures have ice building; continue to use caution accessing the ice as shorelines and sloughs may be unsafe due to snow cover. Black Crappie – Fair: Use small jigs with waxworms or crappie minnows. Yellow Perch – Fair: Some reports of yellow perch being caught on minnows or small jigging spoons through the ice. Sauger – Slow: Use jig and minnows fished off the bottom in the tailwater areas and deeper side channels. Bluegill – Good: Ice anglers are catching bluegill. Use small teardrop jigs tipped with waxies in 4-5 feet of water with no current. Northern Pike – Good: Use tip-ups baited with shiners along the edges of deeper cuts with vegetation.
Mississippi River Pool 10
Water level is 15.1 feet at Lynxville. The Slough at Sny Magill ramp has ice, but it is variable with the recent snow cover. Norwegian Lake area has been productive. Bluegill and perch are still biting on upper end of Bussey Lake in the cut. Avoid the lower end of lake as ice is not stable. Park along the south side of causeway road and walk down from the upper end of Bussey. Yellow Perch – Fair: Some reports of yellow perch being caught on minnows or small jigging spoons through the ice. Bluegill – Good: Ice anglers are catching bluegill. Use small teardrop jigs tipped with waxies in 4-5 feet of water with no current. Northern Pike – Good: Use tip-ups baited with shiners along the edges of deeper cuts with vegetation. Black Crappie – Fair: Try small jigs with waxworms or crappie minnows. Largemouth Bass – Good: Tip up anglers are catching nice size bass through the ice using minnows or shiners.
Mississippi River Pool 11
Water level at Guttenberg tail-water is 6.7 feet. Water temperature is 32 degrees. Backwaters are building ice this week, but it is variable in areas of snow cover. Anglers are picking up panfish through the ice at Bertom and at Zollicoffers in Mud Lake. Avoid walking near the creek area at Zollicoffer. Black Crappie – Slow: Use small jigs with waxworms or crappie minnows. Yellow Perch – Fair: Some reports of yellow perch being caught on minnows or small jigging spoons through the ice. Bluegill – Good: Ice anglers are catching bluegill. Use small teardrop jigs tipped with waxies in 4-5 feet of water with no current. Northern Pike – Fair: Use tip-ups baited with shiners along the edges of deeper cuts with vegetation. Largemouth Bass – Good: Tip up anglers have been catching a few bass using minnows or shiners.
Upper Mississippi River levels are stable and boat ramps are now iced in. Look for panfish to be in the deeper warmer backwaters with no current. Water temperature is 32 degrees. Backwater ice averages around 15 inches. Conditions can be variable with the recent thaw and snow cover. Use caution near flowing sloughs, creek inlets or spring areas.
Mississippi River Pool 12
Water levels are stable at 6.2 feet at the Dubuque Lock and Dam and 8.8 feet at the RR bridge. Expect water levels to start to recede slightly this week. Heavy ice flows and frozen ice prevents any launching in the tailwater. Ice fishing is going on in almost all the typical backwaters and marina’s in Pool 12. Yellow Perch – Good: Yellow perch are being caught in a variety of backwaters. Most anglers are using waxworms and are catching them while targeting bluegills. Black Crappie – Fair: Up and down reports on crappies all fall and into the winter. Northern Pike – Fair: Reports of northern pike being taken on tip ups and large shiners. Bluegill – Good: Lots of moving and lots of sorting, but bluegill fishing has been decent in most of the Marinas and usual backwater lakes.
Mississippi River Pool 13
Water levels rose slightly and are 6.8 feet at the Bellevue Lock and Dam. Expect water levels to start to recede slightly this week. Heavy ice flows and frozen ice prevents launching in the tailwater as of Thursday. Ice fishing is going on in nearly all the normal backwaters on Pool 13. Yellow Perch – Good: Yellow perch fishing continues to be good in a variety of locations; some are being seen in the lower pool areas such as Mickelsons while others are being taken near Sabula and Savanna. Reports vary from real hot to ice cold which is typical of ice fishing. Bluegill – Good: Lots of sorting going on, but several reports of catching numerous bluegills in the Pool using waxworms.
Mississippi River Pool 14
Water levels rose slightly and are 5.9 feet at Fulton, 10 feet at Camanche and 4.6 feet at LeClaire. Expect water levels to start to recede this week.Heavy ice flows and frozen up ramps have prevented anglers from launching in the tailwater. Ice fishing is taking place in Rock Creek and Cattail Slough. Bluegill – Good: Some good reports of bluegill out of the Rock Creek area. Black Crappie – Good: Crappie anglers are hitting the Rock Creek and Cattail slough.
Mississippi River Pool 15
Water levels is 6.1 feet at Rock Island and may recede throughout the week. Bluegill – No Report: Some anglers have been targeting bluegills just above the dam at the LeClaire channel before the major cold snap, but no word on how good the angling is.
Water levels stabilized in Pools 12 through 15 this week and ice fishing is in full swing. Boating into the tailwaters has been difficult due to the icing in of the ramps. In general, water levels are much lower than experienced the previous two winters. If you have any angling questions, please contact the Bellevue Fisheries Station 563-872-4976.
Mississippi River Pool 16
Tailwater stage is 5.88 feet at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad Cities and has fallen close to a foot the past couple days. The Marquette St. boat ramp is frozen in. With recent warm temperatures, there is a lot of water on the ice; ice conditions are unsafe especially along shorelines.
Mississippi River Pool 17
Tailwater stage is 5.21 feet at Lock and Dam 16 in Muscatine and has risen slightly the past few days. The boat ramp in Muscatine is frozen in. With the recent warm temperatures, ice conditions are unsafe in Big Timber.
Mississippi River Pool 18
Tailwater stage is 5.96 feet at Lock and Dam 17 at New Boston and has risen slightly the past few days. The Toolsboro ramp is frozen in. We have not received any ice conditions reports for this pool this week.
Mississippi River Pool 19
Tailwater stage is 3.14 feet at Lock and Dam 18 above Burlington and has been fbeen rising the past few days. We have not received any ice condition reports for this pool this week.
The main channel is frozen up and boat ramps are inaccessible. With the recent warm temperatures, there are unsafe ice conditions especially along shorelines. If you have questions on fishing Pools 16-19, contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.
SOUTHEAST
Central Park Lake
The lake is drained for the renovation project that is going on now.
Coralville Reservoir
The lake is holding at winter pool of 683.4 feet. Ice is 4-8 inches depending on where you are. There has been little to no fishing activity on the lake. Use caution and check ice frequently if venturing out.
Diamond Lake
The lake is reported as having 5-8 inches of ice. Bluegill – Good: Catch 6-8 inch fish off brush piles on jigs/waxies. Black Crappie – Good: Use jigs/waxies around brush. Most fish are about 8 inches.
Iowa Lake (Iowa Co.)
The ice thickness is reported as being 7-8 inches. Bluegill – Fair. Black Crappie – Fair.
Kent Park Lake
The lake is drained for the renovation project that will take place next winter. The ponds in Kent Park are reported as having about 6 inches of ice.
