NORTHWEST
Black Hawk Lake
The lake is ice free. Bluegill – Fair: Use waxworms and crawlers fished under a bobber from the floating dock and along Ice House Point shoreline. Black Crappie – Fair: Catch crappie from the floating dock in Town Bay and along Ice House Point shoreline using minnows and crawlers suspended below a bobber.
Brushy Creek Lake
The lake is ice free. More reports will be available as we receive them.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Immediately after ice out is a good time to target channel catfish along shore using cut bait. Walleye – Fair: Use twisters, minnows or leeches from shore. Expect walleye shore angling action to pick within the next week with increasing water temperatures.
Look for shore fishing action to pick up as water temperatures slowly warm. More reports will be available as more anglers get out on open water. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Clear Lake
Ice fishing is not recommended.
Shell Rock River (above Greene)
Water levels are rising slowly. Walleye and northern pike are starting to bite.
Winnebago River
Northern pike and walleyes are starting to bite. Try fishing the slack water below a dam or where a creek dumps in to the river. Use live chubs or crank baits.
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
Bluegill – Fair: Bluegill action is reported off the south ramp (Hwy 71) in 8 feet of water. Sorting is needed. Best action is early evening hours. Yellow baas, perch and crappie are also mixed in the catch.
Spirit Lake
Yellow Perch – Fair: Reports of yellow perch action on the south end of the lake. Best action is early morning and evening with a jig tipped with a minnow head. Black Crappie – Fair: Report of crappie and bluegill from the Templar Park area.
West Okoboji Lake
Limited fishing activity; the majority of the anglers are focusing on the north end of the lake. Foot traffic only on the Iowa Great Lakes. Access areas are soft with “rubber or water proof boots” needed to get through the slush.
For more information throughout the week, contact the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
NORTHEAST
Cedar River (above Nashua)
Open water fishing is around the corner. Large chunks of free-floating ice are causing hazardous boating conditions. Walleye – Good: Use a worm hooked in a worm harness or a jig tipped with twister tail fished below the dams. Channel Catfish – Fair: Anglers fishing below dams are catching catfish using a big hook loaded with nightcrawlers.
Decorah District Streams
Catchable trout stocking starts April 2 – check out this year’s trout stream stocking calendar. Plan a trip to your favorite trout stream. Most of snow is gone. Gravel roads and parking areas are rough and mushy as the frost comes out. Brook Trout – Good: Early morning is a good time to catch a brookie. Use a streamer to mimic minnows or subsurface flies like scuds or pheasant tail nymphs. Brown Trout – Good: Melt water and run-off inputs drive Brown Trout into a feeding frenzy. Use small midge, caddis, or flashy streamer patterns. Rainbow Trout – Good: Catch a post-spawn Rainbow Trout below a riffle. Float a feathered spinner or crankbait past a hungry mouth and hang on.
Lake Hendricks
Ice fishing not recommended.
Lake Meyer
Ice fishing not recommended. Anglers have not been out.
Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Upper Iowa is mostly ice-free. Anglers are finding fish below the dams and in deeper holes. Walleye – Good: Use jigs with twister tails and crankbaits. White Sucker – Fair: Anglers report suckers are starting to hit.
Volga Lake
Ice fishing not recommended. Open water around edges.
Rain Friday night, turning to snow Saturday. Temperatures in the upper 30s for highs, but dipping below freezing at night. Rivers and streams are fishable. Ice covers most lakes, but it is not safe to walk on. For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.
Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
Reports of a few walleye being caught on the Cedar River in Black Hawk and Bremer Counties. Anglers have also been successful on northern pike in Black Hawk County. Walleye – Fair: Cast and retrieve a jig and plastic tipped with a minnow; concentrate on areas of deeper open water. Northern Pike – Fair: Float a live chub or shiner under a bobber in slack water areas off of the main current break.
Manchester District Streams
Trout Streams are in excellent condition. Use streamers, jigs, and crankbaits. With spring like temperatures, there have been good afternoon hatches. Brown Trout – Good: Browns can be easier to catch on days where the water color is stained. Rainbow Trout – Slow. Brook Trout – Slow.
Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
There have been a few reports of anglers catching walleye on the Maquoketa River; river levels remain good for walleye angling opportunities. Walleye – Fair: Cast and retrieve a jig and plastic tipped with a minnow; concentrate on areas of deeper open water.
Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
There have been a few reports of anglers catching walleye on the Shell Rock River; river levels remain good for walleye angling opportunities. Walleye – Fair: Cast and retrieve a jig and plastic tipped with a minnow; concentrate on areas of deeper open water.
Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
There have been reports of anglers catching walleye on the Wapsipinicon River in Buchanan County. Walleye – Fair: Cast and retrieve a jig and plastic tipped with a minnow; concentrate on areas of deeper open water.
Eastern Iowa rivers are open; open water angling opportunities are available on the Cedar, Shell Rock, Wapsipinicon and Maquoketa. Area trout streams are in excellent condition. Anglers are beginning to catch walleye as the spring walleye spawn approaches. Call the N.E. Iowa district office at 563-927-3276 for more information.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Mississippi River Pool 9
River level at Lansing is 8.21 feet and is expected to rise slowly over the next week.Many overwintering fish are still in backwaters, but starting to move out as temperatures warm. Walleye – Good: Walleye are a couple of weeks away from spawning and should be actively feeding. Troll three way rigs with crankbaits. Yellow Perch – Good: Perch bite is getting better; many 10+ inch fish are being reported. Sauger – Good: Sauger bite is picking up as fish are in pre-spawn feeding mode. Northern Pike – Fair: Pike should be spawning soon, but some nice pike have been caught on live bait.
Mississippi River Pool 10
River level at Lynxville has risen about a foot at 16.2 feet and is expected to rise slowly and level off over the next week. Many overwintering fish are still in backwaters, but starting to move out as temperatures warm. Tailwaters are concentrating a lot of active fish right now. Walleye– Good: Walleye are a couple of weeks away from spawning and the bite is picking up in the tailwaters. Troll three way rigs with crankbaits. Yellow Perch – Good: Perch bite is getting better along the shorelines in the tailwaters; many 10+ inch fish are being reported. Sauger – Good: Sauger bite is picking up in the tailwaters as fish are in pre-spawn feeding mode. Northern Pike – Fair: Pike should be spawning soon, but some nice pike have been caught on live bait.
Mississippi River Pool 11
River level at Guttenberg has risen about a foot at 7.7 feet is expected to rise slowly over the next week. Many overwintering fish are still in backwaters, but starting to move out as temperatures warm. Tailwaters are concentrating a lot of active fish right now. Walleye – Fair: Walleye are a couple of weeks away from spawning and the bite is picking up in the tailwaters. Troll three way rigs with crankbaits. Yellow Perch – Good: Perch bite is getting better along the shorelines in the tailwaters; many 10+ inch fish are being reported. Sauger – Good: Sauger bite is picking up in the tailwaters as fish are in pre-spawn feeding mode. Northern Pike – Fair: Pike should be spawning soon, but some nice pike have been caught on live bait.
Upper Mississippi River levels are slowly starting to rise as the spring thaw continues. Most backwater areas are now free of ice with water temperatures slowly climbing into the lower 40’s. Spring fishing is starting to get better as water temperatures warm up.
Mississippi River Pool 12
Water levels are rising and are 7.3 feet at the Dubuque Lock and the RR bridge is 9.7 feet. The water will continue to rise this upcoming week. The channel water temperature is around 40 degrees. Yellow Perch – Good: Several reports scattered around the pool, but mostly from the tailwater. Northern Pike – Fair: More reports of northern pike being picked up by tailwater anglers. Some of the melted backwaters also may see some pike angling. Walleye – Good: Some scattered reports of walleyes being taken in the tailwaters and more along wing dams. Some nice slot fish are being are being seen every week.
Mississippi River Pool 13
Water levels at Bellevue are 7.9 feet and are rising. Both Bellevue City ramp and the DNR ramp are open, but no courtesy dock available yet at the DNR ramp. Paddlefish season is now underway. Please review the Paddlefishing regulations. The channel water temperature is around 40 degrees. Yellow Perch – Good: Yellow perch of all sizes are being caught in the tailwaters. Paddlefish – Slow: Some paddlefish were caught early; now only an occasional fish is reported. Sauger – Good: Hit or miss. Some good reports of nice sauger. Most are being taken on minnow rigs. Walleye – Good: Nice slot fish still being reported. Minnow and jig or pulling crank baits are the most popular strategies. Northern Pike – Fair: Tailwater anglers report catching a few northern pike. They will be preparing to spawn soon. They are a little late in spawning this year and as of yet have not spent their eggs.
Mississippi River Pool 14
Water levels are rising and are 7.8 feet at Fulton, 10.8 feet at Camanche and 5.7 feet at LeClaire. This is up a bit from last week. The water temperature is around 42 degrees.
Paddlefish season season is underway; please review the Paddlefishing regulations. Ramps are open and ready for use. Paddlefish – Slow: Good fishing seen early in the season; it has slowed greatly. Sauger – Fair: Lots of good reports mixed with some anglers having troubles catching sauger. Most anglers are using minnow rigs. Walleye – Fair: Not many being caught, but reports of some very nice sized fish.
Mississippi River Pool 15
Water levels are falling and are 8.8 feet at Rock Island. This is up from last week; conditions should remain favorable for angling this week.
River levels are rising slowly throughout the district. Water levels are still very conducive to angling! Some ice is still reported in Pool 12 in a few backwaters. If you have any angling questions, please contact the Bellevue Fisheries Station 563-872-4976.
Mississippi River Pool 16
Tailwater stage is 8.05 feet at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad Cities and is rising. Tailwater fishing is being reported as slow. Sauger – Slow: A few saugers are being caught in Sylvan Slough. Try fishing with jigs and minnows or pulling three-way rigs with stick baits. Black Crappie – Slow: Fishing has been slow in Sunset Marina for crappies. Try fishing with minnows under a bobber.
Mississippi River Pool 17
Tailwater stage is 6.87 feet at Lock and Dam 16 in Muscatine and is rising. Tailwater fishing for walleyes and saugers is being reported as slow. Sauger – Slow: Try fishing with jigs and minnows or pulling three-way rigs and stick baits. White Crappie – Slow: A few crappies are being caught in Big Timber. Try fishing with minnows or plastics around brush piles.
Mississippi River Pool 18
Tailwater stage is 8.45 feet at Lock and Dam 17 at New Boston and is rising. We have not received any fishing information for this pool this week.
Mississippi River Pool 19
Tailwater stage is 5.17 feet at Lock and Dam 19 above Burlington and is rising. We have not received any fishing information for this pool this week.
River stages have been on the rise the past few days with the recent rains and snow melt. Main channel water temperature is around 42 degrees. Tailwater fishing has been reported as being slow. If you have questions on fishing Pools 16-19, contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.
SOUTHEAST
Big Hollow Lake
Not a lot of angler activity on the lake. Water temperature has gotten up to the low 40’s during some of the warmer days. Largemouth Bass – Slow: A few bass are starting to be picked up in the shallower water close to the deeper water. The bass are staying just at the edge of the deeper water most of the time.
Environmental Discovery Park North Pond
The trout stocked last Friday were a little slow to bite, but started to bite after about 1/2 hour. Still plenty of them left to be caught. Rainbow Trout – Excellent: This small pond with easy access makes it easy to move around and find the trout. Concentrate your efforts on the corners of the pond. Brook Trout – Excellent.
Lake Belva Deer
Water temperature is hovering around 40 degrees. The weather seems to be keeping all but the die-hard anglers off the water. Largemouth Bass – Slow: A few bass are being caught in deeper water out among the flooded trees.
Lake Darling
Very little angler activity. The docks at the boat ramps are in. Water temperature is up to 40 degrees in the afternoons, upper 30’s most of the rest of the time. Largemouth Bass – Slow: A few small bass are being caught. Black Crappie – Slow: Anglers are starting to catch a few crappies.
