NORTHWEST

Arrowhead Lake
Water clarity is good. Bluegill – Fair: Cast a small jig fished under a bobber near submerged structure along shore in 5-10 feet of water. Try small popping plugs on a fly rod on calm evenings. Cast plugs around downed trees along the shoreline. Try drifting down the middle of the lake with a 1/16 ounce leadhead to find suspended fish. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Cast traditional bass lures near submerged woody structure throughout the lake and along weed lines in the southern part of the lake.

Black Hawk Lake
Surface water temperatures are in the mid 70’s. Water level is a few inches below crest. Yellow Perch – Slow. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Cast traditional bass lures and plastics along shore and near docks. You can catch fish anywhere around the lake, but some of the best areas are Ice House point shoreline, inlet bay and bridge area near the outlet, and along Gunshot Hill. Walleye – Slow. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use natural baits like nightcrawlers, crawdads or shrimp fished around deeper rock piles. Try drifting at night to cover a lot of water. Target catfish around the inlet bridge, especially if there is some flow following a rain event. Bluegill – Fair. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers are picking up crappie around and inside the fish house. Many of the crappie are 8 to 9-inches, but a few bigger ones are mixed in. Use a small white jig or a small live minnow under a bobber.

Browns Lake
Channel Catfish – Fair: Look for channel catfish along the outside bend of the lake in deeper water. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Look for largemouth bass along the edges of the lotus patches and the deadfalls along the outside bend of the lake.

Brushy Creek Lake
Brushy Creek is currently being drawn-down four feet for a construction project. Launch boats at the north ramp or the west ramp; docks have been adjusted at the west ramp to make them easier to use. Black Crappie – Fair: Use a small piece of crawler or minnow on a jig either drifting or fished under a bobber near submerged woody structure. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Throw traditional bass lures, plastics or weedless lures near submerged structure and along weed lines. Yellow Perch – Slow. Walleye – Slow. Bluegill – Fair.  Channel Catfish – Fair: Brushy Creek Lake has a low-density population of larger channel catfish. Target these larger fish near rocky areas and submerged woody structure using a variety of cut baits and crankbaits.

North Twin Lake
Surface water temperature is around 75 degrees. Water clarity is around 16 inches. Water levels are several inches below crest. Yellow Bass – Fair: Use a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler or waxworm fished under a small bobber. Yellow bass are 6-10 inches long. A lot of yellow bass are hanging out around the dead falls and woody structure in Muddy Bay and along the wooded shoreline just south of Muddy Bay. Channel Catfish – Fair: Channel catfish are numerous in North Twin Lake. Use natural baits like nightcrawlers, crawdads, or shrimp fished near shore. If fishing from a boat, try drifting at night over deeper water. Bluegill – Slow: Try small jigs tipped with a crawler fished under a bobber along shore near vegetation edges. Walleye – Slow: Try trolling walleye in the middle of the basin using crankbaits or crawler harnesses. Recent surveys show a lot of big walleye along the wooded shoreline just south of Muddy Bay.

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: Drift with leeches or crawlers along the dredge cuts and troll crankbaits in the main lake. White Bass – Fair: Pick up white bass from shore and in the main like while trolling. Use twisters, crawlers or crankbaits in the marina, near the inlet and north and east shores in the main lake. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try a variety of dip baits, cut baits and crankbaits fished near shore and anywhere with rocky structure or rock piles. Bluegill – Slow: Find panfish around patches of vegetation. Yellow Perch – Slow: Look for panfish around patches of vegetation. Black Crappie – Slow: Find panfish around patches of vegetation.

Water temperatures are in the mid-70’s in the Black Hawk District. River levels are low and most lake levels are below crest.For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.

Beeds Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Use a small piece of crawler under a bobber near the shore. Black Crappie – Good: Drift fish a minnow or small tube jig. Yellow Bass – Fair.

Clear Lake
The water temperature is in the mid-70’s. Walleye – Fair: Anglers are catching walleyes drift fishing a jig and crawler near vegetation. Try slip bobber fishing or jigging a leech on the rock reefs. Best bite is early morning and late evening. Yellow Bass – Fair: Drift a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler until you find fish. Channel Catfish – Good: Try cut bait or crawler fished on the bottom from the windswept shore. Evening bite is best.

Crystal Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift fish a minnow or small jig near the dredge cut. Largemouth Bass – Fair.

Lower Pine Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Best bite is in the evening. Bluegill – Good: Lots of 3 to 6-inch fish.

Upper Pine Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Best bite is in the evening. Bluegill – Good: lots of 3 to 6-inch fish.

For information on the lakes and rivers in north central Iowa, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.

East Okoboji Lake
The walleye season is open. The water temperature is 76 degrees. Bluegill – Good: Find schools in deeper water. Black Crappie – Fair. Yellow Perch – Good. Yellow Bass – Good.

Lake Pahoja
Bluegill – Good: Use small jigs tipped with waxworms. Black Crappie – Good: Try small jigs tipped with waxworms. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use rubber worms or other slow-moving jigs.

Lost Island Lake
Yellow Perch – Fair. Walleye – Fair.

Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Walleye – Good.

Spirit Lake
The walleye season is open. A great walleye bite was seen in June, but has slowed due to warm water conditions. A great yellow perch bite has slowed down, with many yellows over 10 inches caught. As temperatures continue to drop, bites should pick up again. The water temperature is 75 degrees. Bluegill – Good: Schools are starting to move deeper off shore post-spawn. Walleye – Fair: A fairly good bite lately can also be seen from shore. Try bottom bouncers or crankbaits to cover more water. Black Bullhead – Fair: Anglers have been successful at the north grade. Yellow Perch – Fair: The bite has really picked up; fish are a little deeper than what can be easily fished from shore. Try small humps in the main basin or weed edges.

West Okoboji Lake
The walleye season is open. The water temperature is 76 degrees. The panfish bite has been great.The ability to anchor or use Spot Lock is very useful to stay on fish. Bluegill – Excellent: Schools are deeper off shore. Try fishing in about 16 feet of water in the weeds or weed lines. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Find smallmouth bass on rock piles or on the points.. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Find largemouth bass on the weed lines. Yellow Perch – Fair: Schools have started to move deeper off shore. Yellow Bass – Excellent: Easily find yellow bass while fishing for bluegill.

Iowa Great Lake water temperatures have cooled down a bit and are around 75 degrees. This week’s extended forecast calls for temperatures ranging from the upper 70’s to lower 80’s. The area walleye bite has slowed considerably due to very warm water conditions. The panfish bite has been excellent in deeper water, especially on West Okoboji. The overall bite should pick up as temperatures go down. For current conditions, call the Spirit Lake District Office at 712-336-1840.

NORTHEAST

Big Woods Lake
A few reports of anglers catching crappie in Big Woods Lake. Black Crappie – Fair: Try vertical jigging or casting colored tube jigs around structure or drifting a minnow under a slip bobber.

Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)
Largemouth Bass – Good: Cast crankbaits and topwater artificial baits. Bluegill – Excellent: Try a piece of nightcrawler under a bobber. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Try stinkbaits or leopard frogs fished on the bottom of the lake.

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
Reports for walleye has been good in Bremer County. Channel Catfish – Good: Try stinkbaits or fresh chicken livers fished above fallen tree snags. Walleye – Good: Cast crankbaits or a jig tipped with a nightcrawler.

Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
Walleye – No Report: Cast crankbaits or a jig tipped with a nightcrawler. Smallmouth Bass – No Report: Cast crankbaits or a jig tipped with a nightcrawler.

Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
Reports of channel catfish being caught on the Wapsipinicon River. Channel Catfish – Good: Try stinkbaits or fresh chicken livers fished above fallen tree snags.

Interior rivers continue to drop and are providing excellent angling opportunities. Lakes in and around Cedar Falls/Waterloo area have been good for largemouth bass. Trout streams are in excellent condition. All three trout hatcheries remain closed. Call the Manchester Hatchery at 563-927-3276 for more information.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER

Mississippi River Pool 9
Pool level is 8.3 feet at Lansing. Water temperature is 76 degrees. Walleye – Good: Walleyes are feeding on the wing dams; drift crawlers or crankbaits. Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth are hanging out along weed beds and along channel borders. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Try crankbaits fished on rock tips of islands in the main channel. Flathead Catfish – Good: Smaller flatheads are biting on worms fished in the deeper tailwaters of dams. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Try prepared stinkbait and worms fished in current along rock shorelines. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Drum are biting on worms sunk to the bottom in areas of current.

Mississippi River Pool 10
Pool 10 at Lynxville is stable near 615 feet. Water clarity is good. Water temperature is near 78 degrees. Walleye – Good: Walleye are feeding on the wing dams; drift crawlers or crankbaits. Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth are hanging out along weed beds and along channel borders.  Flathead Catfish – Good: Smaller flatheads are biting on worms fished in the deeper tailwaters of dams. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Try prepared stinkbait and worms fished in current along rock shorelines. Smallmouth Buffalo – Excellent: Use crankbaits fished on rock tips of islands in the main channel. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Drum are biting on worms sunk to the bottom in areas of current.

Mississippi River Pool 11
Pool 11 remains stable at Guttenberg near 6.6 feet. Water temperature is in the mid-70’s. Water clarity is good. Walleye – Good: Walleyes are feeding on the wing dams; drift crawlers or crankbaits. Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth are hanging out along weed beds and along channel borders. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Try crankbaits fished on rock tips of islands in the main channel. Flathead Catfish – Good: Smaller flatheads are biting on worms fished in the deeper tailwaters of dams. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Try prepared stinkbait and worms fished in current along rock shorelines. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Drum are biting on worms sunk to the bottom in areas of current.

Upper Mississippi River levels remain stable. Water clarity is good. It’s a good time to get out fishing. Walleye slot length limits now apply on the entire Mississippi River. All walleyes less than 15 inches long and between 20-27 inches long must be released immediately. Only one walleye greater than 27 inches can be kept. Combined walleye/sauger daily harvest limit of 6 and possession of 12.

Mississippi River Pool 12
Water levels are expected to remain steady this week. The water level have dropped to 6.1 feet at the Lock and Dam and 8.6 feet at the RR bridge. The water temperature is around 79 degrees. The water clarity is good. Northern Pike – Good: Flashy spinners in eddy areas or along weed lines will take this toothy predator. Bluegill – Fair: A few bluegills reported in shallow backwater areas near brush piles. Expect them to move along the channel edges in low water. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Lots of channels are being caught on prepared stink baits. Try floating worms along rock lines.  Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum are easy to catch on an egg sinker and worm rig. Fish in moderate current. Largemouth Bass – Excellent: Bass are being taken off lily pad areas on spinnerbaits or frog imitation lures. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Find smallmouth bass along rock piles; use flashy spoons or crankbaits. Walleye – Slow: Floating grass is hampering walleye fishing; wing dam fishing could be good in the next few weeks if the water remains low. White Bass – Good: Many white bass are being caught in the Dubuque tailwater on white jigs. Look for feeding schools elsewhere. Black Crappie – Good: Crappie are being taken out of brush piles and marina areas on small jigs and minnows. Flathead Catfish – Good: Smaller flatheads are being taken on worms in deeper holes and in the tailwater.

Mississippi River Pool 13
The water level has dropped to 6.7 feet at the Bellevue Lock and Dam. The water temperature is 79 degrees. The water clarity is fair. The Maquoketa River is turbid after recent rains; avoid downstream of the confluence.  Channel Catfish – Excellent: Catfish are along rock lines and brush piles in moderate current. Most anglers are using prepared stinkbaits. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum are easy to catch on a sinker and worm rig. Fish in moderate current. Northern Pike – Good: Try flashy spinners fished along old weed edges and rock shorelines. Largemouth Bass – Excellent: Bass are being taken off lily pad areas on spinnerbaits or frog imitation lures. Some are also being caught off the rocks in the tailwater. Bluegill – Fair: Try fishing around brush piles in larger sloughs with reduced current. Flathead Catfish – Good: Use live fish for bait. Lots of trot lines are being set; make sure you follow trot lines rules, especially having a tag with your name and address attached to the lines. Smaller flatheads are being taken in deep holes or in the tailwater on worms. White Bass – Good: White bass are being reported in the tailwater; use flashy small spinners. Walleye – Slow: Floating grass is hampering walleye fishing; wing dam fishing could be good in the next few weeks if the water remains low.

Mississippi River Pool 14
The water level has dropped to 6.2 feet at the Fulton Lock and Dam, Camanche is near 10.1 feet and LeClaire is at 5.2 feet. Water temperature is 79 degrees. Water clarity is fair. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Anglers are using prepared stinkbaits along rock lines. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum are easy to catch on a worm sinker and worm rig. Fish in moderate current. Largemouth Bass – Good: Bass are being taken off lily pad areas on spinnerbaits or frog imitation lures. Some are being taken off of exposed rock piles. Northern Pike – Good: Use flashy spinners along backwater shorelines or in the tailwaters for this aggressive fish. Flathead Catfish – Excellent: Try live fish for bait. Lots of trot lines are being set; make sure you follow trot lines rules, especially having a tag with your name and address attached to the lines. Bluegill – Fair: Find bluegills near the mouths of large backwater areas, usually around brush piles. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Try spinners or crankbaits along rip-rap areas. White Bass – No Report: Expect white bass to be hitting in the tailwaters and elsewhere. Look for feeding schools of fish; use flashy small spinners. Walleye – Fair: Floating grass is hampering walleye fishing; wing dam fishing could be good in the next few weeks if the water remains low.

Mississippi River Pool 15
Water level is around 6.8 feet at Rock Island and is receding. The water temperature is 79 degrees; water clarity is fair. Water should clear up this week after recent rains. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Freshwater drum are easy to catch on a worm sinker and worm rig. Fish in moderate current. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Channel cats are readily biting on cut bait and prepared baits. Flathead Catfish – Excellent: Try live bait around brush piles or in the tailwater area. Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Fish the rocky habitats along the channel edge.

Water level is expected to hold somewhat steady. Water temperature is near 79 degrees. If you have any fishing questions, please contact the Bellevue Fisheries Station 563-880-8781.

Mississippi River Pool 16
Tailwater stage is 6.77 feet at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad Cities and has been falling. Channel Catfish – Good: Use chicken livers or dip baits around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. White Crappie – No Report: Look for crappies in the backwaters. Try jigs and plastics or minnows fished in Sunset Marina or Andalusia Island Complex. Bluegill – No Report: Try pieces of worm under a bobber in Sunset Marina or Andalusia Island Complex. Walleye – Fair: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Try trolling crankbaits or three-way rigs with pieces of crawler.

Mississippi River Pool 17
Tailwater stage is 5.41 feet at Lock and Dam 16 in Muscatine and has been falling. Channel Catfish – No Report: Use chicken livers or dip baits around brush piles and snags in the main channel and side channels. White Bass -No Report: Look for white bass by the dam or by GPC. Cast jigs and twister tails or crankbaits. Also look for white bass on the wing dams. Bluegill – No Report: Look for bluegills in the backwaters. Try pieces of worm under a bobber fished around brush piles in Big Timber or Cleveland Slough. Walleye – No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Try trolling crankbaits or pulling three-way rigs with crawlers.

Mississippi River Pool 18
Tailwater stage is 6.38 feet at Lock and Dam 17 at New Boston and has been falling. Channel Catfish – No Report: Use or chicken livers or dip baits around brush piles and snags in the main channel and side channels. Walleye – No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing dams; use crankbaits or three-way rigs with crawlers. White Crappie – No Report: Look for crappies in the backwaters around brush piles; try minnows under a bobber or jigs and plastics. White Bass – No Report: Look for white bass at the outlet of Odessa up by the dam or on the wing dams. Cast jigs and twister tails or crankbaits.

Mississippi River Pool 19
Tailwater stage is 3.50 feet at Lock and Dam 18 has been been falling. River stage is 9.38 feet at Burlington.  River stage is 525.91 feet at Ft. Madison. We have not received any fishing report information for this pool this week. Channel Catfish – No Report: Look for channel catfish around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. Use dip baits, shad or nightcrawlers. White Crappie – No Report: Look for crappies in the backwaters. Try minnows under a bobber or jigs and plastics fished around brush piles. Walleye – No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Use crankbaits or three-way rigs with crawlers.

Tailwater stages have fallen close to 2 feet since the weekend. Main channel water temperature is around 79 degrees. Water clarity is fair. If you have questions on fishing Pools 16-19 contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.

SOUTHEAST

Big Hollow Lake
Water temperature is back into the low 80’s. Water is still dirty, but is improving. Bluegill – Fair: Most bluegills moved back into the deeper 6 to 8 feet deep structure. Might still be able to pick up a few in the shallows in the shady bays. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Toss soft plastics rigged weedless into the flooded timber. See just how far back into the trees you can get your boat. Channel Catfish – Fair: The face of the dam is always good. Also try in the main two bays at the very upper end of the lake around the brush piles and downed trees.

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River
The Iowa River dropped a little, but will get a little (a few inches) bump from the rains earlier in the week up river from here. Channel Catfish – Fair: A little bump in the water level might make the catfish a little more aggressive with all the “food” that was blown into the water from strong winds on Monday.

Lake Belva Deer
Water temperature is back up into the low 80’s. Water clarity is slowly improving, but isn’t back to normal. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try early morning in the flooded timber and around and over top of the mounds at the upper end. Bluegill – Good: Bluegills will not move off the top of those mounds until it starts to cool down and the weather settles down. Black Crappie – Fair: Crappie fishing has picked up some this week. Try slow trolling at at the usual spots down at the lower end of the lake. Channel Catfish – Good: Catfishing has picked up over the last several days. Try along the face of the dam and around the rocks on the jetties.

Lake Darling
Water temperature back up into the low 80’s. The winds on Monday didn’t help the water clarity; probably a couple of feet. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Nights are getting warmer again. Mostly remains an early morning bite. Use a lure that makes some noise to catch their attention with the poor water clarity. Bluegill – Fair: Try a jig tipped with live bait fished in the rock piles out in 6-8 feet of water. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use chicken liver; work the culvert piles at the base of the rip-rap around the point and back around to the jetty by the beach.

Lost Grove Lake
Water temperature is around 80 degrees. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Expect the water to start cooling off in a couple of days; this should extend the morning bite in shallower water. Until then, work soft plastics in the deeper flooded timber. Bluegill – Fair: Work small jigs tipped with a trailer or live bait in 12 -16 feet of water. Don’t expect them to move in shallow much until the weather settles down next week.

Skunk River (Rose Hill to Coppock)
The Skunk River water level dropped a little bit more this week. Water levels are low enough that anything bigger than a canoe will have problems getting around. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try stinkbaits and cut baits; the slower currents transmit their scents much better than fresh baits.

For more information on the above lakes, call the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at 319-694-2430.

Hawthorn Lake
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use spinnerbaits or crankbaits along rock piles and rip-rapped shores. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try liver or stinkbait in 4-8 feet of water.

Lake Miami
Bluegill – Fair: Try small jigs tipped with a chunk of nightcrawler around the fishing jetties. Boat anglers should try drifting with a minnow or small jig. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use topwater lures early and late in the day. Try crankbaits around the cedar trees and along the rip-rapped shorelines. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use nightcrawlers or liver in 4-8 feet of water.

Lake Sugema
Black Crappie – Slow: Drift jigs tipped with a minnow in 6-10 feet of water for suspended crappies. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use topwater lures along the shorelines; fish deeper with crankbaits or rubber worms.

Lake Wapello
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try topwater lures early and late in the day; target cedar tree piles. As the day warms up, try plastics fished deeper around tree piles. Bluegill – Slow: Drift nightcrawlers on small jigs for suspended bluegills. Target areas in 6-8 feet of water. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use nightcrawlers or stinkbait. Don’t fish too deep; lakes will stratify this time of year. Black Crappie – Slow: Drift jigs tipped with minnows for suspended crappie.

Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 904.17 msl. Normal operating elevation is 904.0 msl. Lake Rathbun has zebra mussels, so make sure to properly drain, clean, and dry equipment before transporting to another waterbody. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Try trolling crankbaits around schools of shad. Look for the shad to break the surface as they are being chased from below by the hybrids. Walleye – Fair: Troll gizzard shad imitating crankbaits around rock piles submerged points and areas with depth changes. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try nightcrawlers or chicken liver in 6-8 feet of water.

Red Haw Lake
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try topwater lures early and late in the day. Use spinnerbaits and crankbaits during the hotter parts of the day. Target submerged structure and rocky shorelines. Bluegill – Slow: Try drifting with nightcrawlers in the main part of the lake. Channel Catfish – Slow: Use chicken liver or stinkbait in 4-8 feet of water.

The district includes Appanoose, Davis, Lucas, Mahaska, Monroe, Wapello, Wayne and Van Buren counties. Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions about fishing in south central Iowa.

SOUTHWEST

Big Creek Lake
Walleye – Slow: Troll live bait rigs or crankbaits at depths of 15 feet or less in the upper half of the lake. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Slow: Cast or troll shad imitating spoons, crankbaits or plastics. Look for schools of young shad breaking the surface of the water to find feeding wipers.

Des Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock)
Channel Catfish – Fair: Channel catfish and flathead catfish are being caught. Try live bait, stinkbait and crawlers.

Don Williams Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift or troll panfish jigs in the middle half of the lake. Start just out from the docks in the boat ramp area. Most crappies are 8.5 to 10 inches.

Red Rock Reservoir
White Bass – Fair: Troll or cast shad imitating spoons and shallow diving crankbaits. Look for schools of small shad busting on the surface to find feeding fish.

Roberts Creek Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift or troll jigs with twister or paddle tails in the lower half of the lake.

Rock Creek Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: The crappie bite has been slow to fair. Drift or troll jigs tipped with minnows. Crappies larger than 9 inches are uncommon. Channel Catfish – Fair: Catch catfish from shore with stinkbaits and cut bait.

Saylorville Reservoir
Channel Catfish – Good: Drift or slowly troll cut bait in the upper end of the reservoir. White Bass – Fair: Troll or cast shad imitating spoons and crankbaits. Start from the Sandpiper boat ramp to the marina cove and along the Oak Grove Beach area.

For more information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers, call Ben Dodd at 641-891-3795 or Andy Otting at 515-204-5885.

Lake Anita
Bluegill – Slow: Drift or troll small jigs tipped with berkly or nightcrawlers in 6 to 8 feet of water. Black Crappie – Fair: Best bite is early morning around tree piles and along the two road beds in the lake. Largemouth Bass – Slow: Anita has a good bass population. Find fish along vegetation edges and around tree piles. Channel Catfish – Fair: Catfish are being caught on top of the two roadbeds in the lake.

Lake Manawa
Zebra mussels were found in Lake Manawa; clean, drain and dry your boat when leaving the lake. Channel Catfish – Fair: Channel catfish are close to shore. Fish are all sizes in the lake. White Crappie – Fair: A few large white crappies are being caught on the west shore. Walleye – Fair: A few anglers are having good success trolling crankbaits using planner boards. Don’t overlook running a crawler through the dredge cuts. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Catch wipers where water is entering the lake.

Littlefield Lake
Littlefield has a good ring of aquatic vegetation. Bluegill – Fair: Bluegills have moved around the cedar tree piles in the lake. Largemouth Bass – Good: There is a large number of 12 to 14-inch fish in the lake. Channel Catfish – Good: Cast cut or stinkbait along the dam to catch 2-4 pound channel catfish.

Meadow Lake
Water clarity is fair. Bluegill – Fair: Anglers report catching bluegills slow trolling and drifting. Fish average 8 inches. Largemouth Bass – No Report: There is a good population of largemouth bass up to 18 inches in the lake.

Prairie Rose Lake
Water temperature is 80 degrees. Bluegill – Fair: Anglers report good bluegill fishing in the mornings trolling or drifting small jigs. Black Crappie – Slow: There is a small population of large black crappies in the lake. Channel Catfish – Fair: Channel catfish are being caught around the jetties and underwater reefs. Fish average 2 to 4 pounds. Largemouth Bass – Good: A large population of 12 to 14-inch bass offer fun catch and release fishing. 

Viking Lake
Viking Lake is six feet low. Black Crappie – Fair: Slowly troll jigs over humps and drop-offs in the lake. Fish average 9 inches. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Anglers are catching bass in tree piles using plastics. Channel Catfish – Fair: Cast stinkbait around tree piles to catch fish up to 6 pounds.

For more information on lakes in the Southwest District call the Cold Springs office at 712-769-2587.