NORTHWEST

Arrowhead Lake
As of Jan. 18, ice was about 9-11 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. This is a great time to catch trout through the ice using small tube jigs tipped with bait or live minnows under a bobber.

Black Hawk Lake
The winter aeration system is in operation in Town Bay. Expect areas of thin ice and open water in Town Bay. As of Jan. 18, ice thickness near Ice House boat ramp was 11-12 inches. Bluegill – Fair: Use a teardrop jig and waxworm fished off the bottom 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. 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 8-10 inches thick. Bluegill – Fair: Try a small jig tipped with waxworms fished near the bottom.

Brushy Creek Lake
Most of the lake has 8-10 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. This is a great time to catch trout through the ice using small tube jigs tipped with bait or live minnows under a bobber.

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Most ice is around 12-14 inches, but variable conditions still exist. Be aware of potential open water near ice heaves. 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 8-15 inches of ice.For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.

Beeds Lake
Ice thickness is 13 to 15 inches. Bluegill – Slow.

Bluebill Lake
Ice thickness is 13 to 15 inches. Bluegill – Slow: Best bite is in the early morning. 

Blue Pit
The DNR stocked 2500 rainbow trout on Jan. 13th.

Clear Lake
Avoid areas near the aerators. The current ice thickness varies from 14 to 16 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 14 to 15 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 – Good: Lots of smaller fish are being caught.

Little Wall Lake
Ice thickness is 8 to 10 inches.

Rice Lake
Ice thickness is 13 to 15 inches. Walleye – Slow: The best bite is at dawn and dusk fishing with minnows. Yellow Perch – Slow.

Silver Lake (Worth)
Avoid areas near the aerator. Ice thickness is 13 to 15 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: Action has picked up, 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; change tactics with the changing weather conditions. Yellow Perch – Fair: Some yellow perch and black crappie are being caught by anglers fishing for yellow bass.

Scharnberg Pond
Good numbers of trout were caught over the weekend.

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 – Good: Persistent and patient anglers will be rewarded with good numbers of yellow perch 12 inches and larger  in the creel. Northern Pike – Fair: Anglers have been harvesting some northern pike.

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 12-18 inches of ice. Bluegill – Good: Lots of small gills caught. Use small jigs tipped with a waxworm or spikes. Black Crappie – Good: Try bright colored jigs or small spoons tipped with minnow heads in backwaters around brush piles.

Decorah District Streams
Find out what urban pond or lake is being stocked this weekend. Iowa DNR parking lots are not plowed this time of year. Streams with good flow and water quality won’t freeze. Deeper pools will freeze. Brook Trout – Good: Midges hatch all season. Try wholly buggers for a hungry brookie. Brown Trout – Good: Use patterns imitating small fish, eggs, and scuds. Light midge 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 16-18 inches of ice with 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 16-18 inches of ice with a dusting of snow and about 6 feet clarity. . Use care 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 with a light covering 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.

Temperatures reaching 40 through the weekend, bringing a chance for rain late Saturday through Monday. The bite may turn on as runoff from rain enters rivers and lakes. For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.

Alice Wyth Lake
Good angling reports for bluegill and crappie; some sorting of fish may be needed. Electronics may be helpful to find various depths and fish. Bluegill – Good: Use a teardrop jig tipped with a waxworm in deeper areas of the lake. Black Crappie – Good: Try jigging one rod with a teardrop jig & waxworm and a dead stick rod with a bobber, split shot and jig tipped with a crappie minnow.

Big Woods Lake
Crappie fishing has been good; concentrate efforts on the south end of the lake where past habitat structure has been placed. Black Crappie – Good: Try jigging one rod with a teardrop jig & waxworm and a dead stick rod with a bobber, split shot and jig tipped with a crappie minnow.

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
Reports of anglers having some success on bluegill and walleye on some backwater areas of the Cedar River in Bremer County. Use extreme caution when venturing onto river ice. Bluegill – Fair: Find bluegill off of the bottom using a teardrop jig tipped with a waxworm. Walleye – Fair: Try jigging a teardrop jig tipped with a minnow or just the head of a minnow. Or fish a minnow under a bobber.

George Wyth Lake
Some fair reports of anglers catching perch. Most perch are averaging around 6 inches with some 8-10 inches. Yellow Perch – Fair: Use a teardrop jig tipped with a waxworm or spike fished off of the bottom near the edges of weed beds or near structure.

Green Belt Lake
Bluegill and crappie fishing has been fair; some sorting of fish may be needed.  Bluegill – Fair: Use Look a teardrop jig tipped with a waxworm in deeper areas of the lake. Black Crappie – Fair: Try jigging one rod with a teardrop jig & waxworm and a dead stick rod with a bobber, split shot and jig tipped with a crappie minnow.

Lake Delhi
Anglers are catching bluegill and crappie; some sorting of fish may be needed. Bluegill – Fair: Find bluegill off of the bottom using a teardrop jig tipped with a waxworm. Black Crappie – Fair: Tip a teardrop jig tipped with a waxworm; look for crappie off of the bottom and suspended.

Martens Lake
Anglers are catching bluegill and crappie with some fish being of quality size. Most anglers access the lake from the north side by crossing over the reservoir. Sight fishing is popular here as most of the marsh is shallow in depth. Bluegill – Fair: Use a teardrop jig tipped with a waxworm. Black Crappie – Fair: Try a teardrop jig tipped with a waxworm.

North Prairie Lake
Reports this past week of anglers catching trout. Rainbow Trout – Good: Try jigging teardrop jigs tipped with a waxworm or vertically jigging flashy tinsel jigs.

Plainfield
Reports have been hit and miss for bluegill. Bluegill – Fair: Find bluegill off of the bottom using a teardrop jig tipped with a waxworm.

South Prairie Lake
We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week. Bluegill – Fair: Find bluegill off of the bottom using a teardrop jig tipped with a waxworm.

Ice conditions remain good on most lakes in and around Black Hawk County, averaging 8-10 inches. Reports are hit & miss on many lakes, but with the extended forecast the bite should pick up. Northeast Iowa 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
Lansing water level has risen slightly this week to 8.7 feet. Avoid areas where ice is heaved and use caution accessing the ice as shorelines and sloughs may be unsafe due to snow cover and thawing with rising temperatures. Black Crappie – Fair: Occasional crappie being caught along with bluegills on bloodworm colored plastic or chartreuse jigs and waxworms. Yellow Perch – Good: Yellow perch bite has been good off and on. Try slow falling presentation with plastic jigs or waxworms a few feet from the bottom. Sauger – No Report: 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 at Lynxville is steady at 14.7 feet. The Slough at Sny Magill ramp has ice, but it is variable with the recent snow cover.Greymore Lake at Prairie du Chien has been consistent for panfish as well as Norwegian Lake at Sny Magill area. Fish tend to be lower down the cut at Bussey this week with a lot of sorting. Avoid the boat ramp area and ice heaves as ice is not stable. Park along the south side of causeway road and walk down from the upper end of Bussey. Yellow Perch – Good: Yellow perch bite has been good off and on. Try slow falling presentation with plastic jigs or waxworms a few feet from the bottom. 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: Occasional crappie being caught along with bluegills on bloodworm colored plastic or chartreuse jigs and waxworms. 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 6.1 feet. Backwaters have good ice thickness, but it is variable in areas of snow cover. Bertom & Mc Cartney and Zollicoffers are still producing bluegills and perch with some crappie mixed in. Be mobile to find active schools of fish. Black Crappie – Fair: Occasional crappie being caught along with bluegills on bloodworm colored plastic or chartreuse jigs and wax-worms. Yellow Perch – Good: Yellow perch bite has been good off and on. Try slow falling presentation with plastic jigs or waxworms a few feet from the bottom. 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 are catching a few bass using minnows or shiners.

Upper Mississippi River ice fishing is going strong, but the key is to be mobile to find active feeding fish this time of year. Look for panfish to be in the deeper warmer backwaters or marina areas with no current. Ice conditions may change with this weekend’s warm-up in temperatures. Conditions can be variable with snow cover with ice thickness reports of 12-16 inches. Use caution near heaved ice, flowing sloughs, creek inlets or spring areas. 

Mississippi River Pool 12
Water levels are stable at 6.1 feet at the Dubuque Lock and Dam and 8.7 feet at the RR bridge. 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. Reports range from awesome to poor.

Mississippi River Pool 13
Water levels receded slightly and are 6.4 feet at the Bellevue Lock and Dam. Expect water levels to hold somewhat steady. 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;  reports vary from poor to great fishing. Keep moving to find locations where they are hitting.
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 receded slightly and are 5.5 feet at Fulton, 9.7 feet at Camanche and 5 feet at LeClaire. Expect water levels to continue 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 7.2  feet at Rock Island and should hold steady. 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.