NORTHWEST
Black Hawk Lake
Water temperatures are in the upper 60’s. Water levels are 7 inches over the crest of the spillway. Bluegill – Fair: Use a small jig with a small piece of crawler fished under a bobber in 3-6 feet of water in Town Bay from the stone piers along the north shoreline of Town Bay, along Ice House Point and near the inlet bridge. Walleye – Slow: Try cr
of the inlet bridge.
Brushy Creek Lake
There is a 15 inch minimum length limit on largemouth bass in Brushy Creek Lake, and a 40 inch minimum length limit for musky. Walleye – Fair: Drift or troll slowly crawler rigs, minnows or leaches in 15-20 feet of water. Yellow Perch – Fair: Find perch along the vegetation and deeper structure. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Catch bass along weed lines near shore just about anywhere with traditional bass lures. There is a 15 inch minimum length limit on largemouth bass in Brushy Creek Lake. Bluegill – Fair: Try tube jigs tipped with crawlers in 10-15 feet of water.
North Twin Lake
Water temperatures are in the mid 60’s. White Crappie – Slow: No Report – A recent survey showed most crappie are 6-10 inches with a few up to 14 inches. Walleye – Slow: Walleye up to 27 inches have been seen in recent netting surveys.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
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: Use crawler rigs and troll crankbaits along the edges of the dredge cuts around the lake in 6-10 feet of water. White Bass – Fair: Troll crankbaits or fish crawlers along the dredge cuts. Black Crappie – Fair: A recent survey showed crappie up to 10 inches can be found near shore; use a crawler or minnow fished on a small jig below a bobber.
Water temperatures in Black Hawk District lakes are in the upper 60’s. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Beeds Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift fish or troll with a tube jig or small minnow. Yellow Bass – Fair: Drift fish or troll with a small jig. Shore anglers should fish a small piece of crawler or cut bait off the bottom.
Clear Lake
Surface water temperature is 60 degrees. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use crawlers or cut bait in the areas where water is entering the lake. Yellow Bass – Fair: Drift or troll a small jig tipped with cut bait or a minnow over the reefs until you find fish. Muskellunge – Fair: Fish the edge of the vegetation and near docks.
Crystal Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift or troll small tube jigs or a minnow in the dredge cut or on the edge of vegetation. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use crankbaits.
Lake Smith
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift or troll a small jig or minnow in deeper near the outlet.
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
Yellow Bass – Good: Excellent bite continues with good numbers of fish being caught. Cast mini-jigs or hair-jigs or use small baits tipped with wigglers. Don’t overlook the evening bite from docks as these fish will move shallow at dusk. Walleye – Good: Numbers of fish are being caught with traditional baits; good numbers of yellow bass are mixed in with the catch. Northern Pike – Fair: Anglers report northern pike action on the lake; Best area where there is flow into the lake.
Five Island Lake
Channel Catfish – Good: Numbers of fish are being caught trolling. Don’t overlook public areas to fish using traditional “cat” baits which will provide excellent action.
Lake Pahoja
Bluegill – Good: Recent surveys show good numbers of large angler size fish in the lake.
Little Sioux River (state line to Linn Grove)
Channel Catfish – Good: Report of angles catching fish from the river.
Lost Island Lake
Yellow Bass – Good: Reports of yellow bass being caught with black crappie and yellow perch up to 10 inches mixed in the catch. Use small lures such as a twister tail or hair jigs. Bluegill – Good: Recent surveys show numbers of fish approaching 7 inches in the lake. Black Crappie – Good: Recent surveys show numbers of angler acceptable size fish up to 10 inches in the lake.
Ocheyedan Pit #1
Channel Catfish – Fair: Recent surveys show good numbers of 17 -23 inch channel catfish.
Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Walleye – Good: Expect the fall walleye bite to start soon. Troll crankbaits during the day; wader fishing is your best chance to catch trophy size fish.
Spirit Lake
Walleye – Good: The fall walleye bite has started with action improving. Yellow Perch – Good: Good numbers of angler acceptable size yellow perch continue to be caught in the outside line of the weed beds. Bonus bluegill will be mixed in the catch. Northern Pike – Good: Angler reports of northern pike action on the lake; best area where there is flow into the lake.
West Okoboji Lake
Bluegill – Good: Rock piles in deeper water with stands of aquatic growth will produce good numbers of angler acceptable sized fish.
For more information throughout the week, contact the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
NORTHEAST
Big Woods Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Anglers are catching some bluegill. Use a piece of night crawler under a slip bobber at various depths to find bluegill. Try fishing along and near any known structure.
Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)
Casey Lake is in good condition with clear water. Bluegill – Good: Try fishing various depths with a piece of crawler under a bobber near the edge of weeds or structure. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use topwater and plastic artificial baits. Black Crappie – Good: Try small pink and white tube jigs or a crappie minnow fished under a slip bobber by the jetties and dam areas in about 4 feet of water.
Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
Reports of anglers catching a few walleye on the Cedar River in Black Hawk County. Walleye – Fair: Use jig and plastics tipped with half a crawler or crankbaits below woody structure or off of current break areas and below riffles.
River angling reports are few as interior rivers remain higher than normal with the recent flooding. Extended forecast calls for showers over the next week. 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 risen to 10 feet and is expected to stay there through next week before tapering off. Water temperature is near 65 degrees. The Lansing Village Creek ramp is closed through October. For more updates, call the Guttenberg Fisheries Management office at 563-252-1156. Walleye – Good: Fishing wing dam areas will get easier with a drop in river levels. Use crankbaits or 3-way rigs tipped with crawlers in 8-12 feet of water. Yellow Perch – Excellent: Perch bite has picked up. Many 13 inch fish are being caught with a live minnow floated under a bobber. Northern Pike – Good: This time of year pike are attracted to cooler water coming in from springs and tributaries. Cast spoons along the edge of weed beds. Channel Catfish – Good: Try cut bait or stink bait in the main and side channel borders. Largemouth Bass – Good: Look for largemouth in the slack water areas off the main channel or running sloughs. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Smallmouth activity has picked up. Cast inline spinners or crankbaits along rock or tree habitat in faster current. White Bass – Fair: Cast flashy spinners or crankbaits along the rocks in main channel current for big white bass. Bluegill – Excellent: Find bluegills in clearer water with slow current in backwater areas away from main channel and sloughs. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum are actively biting in areas of current. Drop a heavily weighted worm rig into the current for some big fish action. Black Crappie – Fair: Expect the crappie bite to pick up this fall after the water clarity improves. Try tube jigs or minnow under a bobber in submersed trees in the backwater sloughs.
Mississippi River Pool 10
River level at Lynxville is up several feet at 18.5 feet and is expected to remain there next week. Water temperature is 66 degrees at the Lock and Dam 9. Walleye– Good: Fishing wing dam areas will get easier with a drop in river levels. Use crankbaits or 3-way rigs tipped with crawlers in 8-12 feet of water. Yellow Perch – Excellent: Perch bite has picked up. Many 13 inch fish are being caught with a live minnow floated under a bobber. Northern Pike -Good: This time of year pike are attracted to cooler water coming in from springs and tributaries. Cast spoons along the edge of weed beds. Channel Catfish – Good: Try cut bait or stink bait in the main and side channel borders. Bluegill – Excellent: Find bluegills in clearer water with slow current in backwater areas away from main channel and sloughs. Largemouth Bass – Good: Look for largemouth in the slack water areas off the main channel or running sloughs. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Smallmouth activity has picked up. Cast inline spinners or crankbaits along rock or tree habitat in faster current. White Bass – Fair: Cast flashy spinners or crankbaits along the rocks in the main channel current for big white bass. Bluegill – Fair: Find bluegills in clearer water with slow current in backwater areas away from main channel and sloughs. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum are actively biting in areas of current. Drop a heavily weighted worm rig into the current for big fish action. Black Crappie – Fair: Expect the crappie bite to pick up this fall after the water clarity improves. Try tube jigs or minnow under a bobber in submersed trees in the backwater sloughs.
Mississippi River Pool 11
River level at Guttenberg has risen to 10.2 feet and is expected to remain there this week before tapering off. Water temperature is 63 degrees at Lock and Dam 10. Walleye – Good: Fishing wing dam areas will get easier with a drop in river levels. Use crankbaits or 3-way rigs tipped with crawlers in 8-12 feet of water. Yellow Perch – Excellent: The perch bite has picked up. Many 13 inch fish are being caught with a live minnow floated under a bobber. Northern Pike – Good: This time of year, pike are attracted to cooler water coming in from springs and tributaries. Cast spoons along the edge of weed beds. Channel Catfish – Good: Try cut bait or stink bait in the main and side channel borders. Largemouth Bass – Good: Look for largemouth in the slack water areas off the main channel or running sloughs. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Smallmouth activity has picked up. Cast inline spinners or crankbaits along rock or tree habitat in faster current. White Bass – Fair: Cast flashy spinners or crankbaits along the rocks in main channel current for big white bass. Bluegill – Excellent: Find bluegills in clearer water with slow current in backwater areas away from main channel and sloughs. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum are actively biting in areas of current. Drop a heavily weighted worm rig into the current for some big fish action. Black Crappie – Fair: Expect the crappie bite to pick up this fall after the water clarity improves. Try tube jigs or minnow under a bobber in submersed trees in the backwater sloughs.
Upper Mississippi River levels have popped up after last week’s rain. Water clarity is better in backwaters and side sloughs. Look for fish to be more active as they start fall feeding activity. Water temperatures are falling into the mid 60’s this week.
Mississippi River Pool 12
Water levels will recede this week, starting at 10.6 feet at the Dubuque Lock and Dam and 12.6 feet at the RR bridge. Water clarity is fair. The water temperature is around 67 degrees. Channel Catfish – Good:Try stink bait or worms near shore. Channel cats feed heavily near shore during flooded conditions. Freshwater Drum – Good: Most anglers use a simple egg sinker and worm rig. Drum will be hanging out near shore in moderate current areas. Bluegill – Slow: Try finding clear water in the upper reaches of backwater areas; use worms and bobber. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Fish the upper ends of backwater areas in cleaner water. Black Crappie – Slow: Use small minnows in the clear upper reaches of backwater areas. Bowfin – Good: Bowfin are feeding in the leftover lotus patches. Spinners are working well, but some may also be taken on night crawlers.
Mississippi River Pool 13
Water level should recede this week, starting out at 11.5 feet at the Bellevue Lock and Dam. Water clarity is poor. Avoid large tributary streams as they are muddy. The water temperature is around 67 degrees. The north ramp at Sabula is not in use this year due to bridge construction. Channel Catfish – Good: Try stink bait or worms near shore. Move often if you are not finding catfish. Freshwater Drum – Good: The drum bite is on. Fish worms with an egg sinker in moderate current areas. Fish near the shorelines if possible. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Try frog imitation lures and spinner baits in the upper ends of backwater areas and deep in the vegetated areas. Bluegill – Slow: Find the clear water in the upper reaches of large backwater complexes; use a simple bobber and worm. Black Crappie – Fair: Use a small minnow and bobber in the upper reaches of backwaters in clear water. Bowfin – Good: Try a spinner in the dying lotus patches or a night crawler for this hard fighting fish. White Bass – No Report: Good numbers of nice sized white bass are in the system, but recent water clarity issues have hampered fishing for them.
Mississippi River Pool 14
Water levels will recede this week, starting at 11.1 feet at Fulton Lock and Dam, 13.7 feet at Camanche and 8 feet at the LeClaire. Water clarity is poor. The water temperature is around 67 degrees. Channel Catfish – Good: Try stink bait or worms near shore or along brush piles. Channel cats feed heavily in flooded waters. Freshwater Drum – Good: Use a simple egg sinker/worm rig in moderate current areas. Walleye – No Report: A few walleye were caught off the bank with jigs and minnows. Bluegill – Slow: Use a bobber and worm in the upper reaches of Rock Creek or Cattail Slough. The water needs to clear up for fishing will improve.
