Lower Pine Lake
Activity remains steady with seven-inch average crappie and six-inch plus average bluegills being caught.
Lake Smith
Ice thickness is 25-26 inches. In general, fishing is slow. A few crappies have been caught. Best bite is late afternoon and evening hours.
Clear Lake
Ice thickness is 28-29 inches. Anglers should avoid driving through the channel that runs from the little lake to the big lake as that area can be unsafe; take the highway around instead. Bluegill – Slow: A few bluegills and crappies have been caught on the edge of the reeds on the north shore of the main lake. Fish on the very edge but in the reeds. Crappie – Fair: Anglers are still getting some in the deeper areas of the little lake around dark. Look for them to be suspended a ways off bottom if you’re in the deeper water in the little lake. A few crappies also have been caught near Baptist Camp/Farmers Beach areas. Some have also been caught by the island in 14-16 feet of water. Most are 8-11 inches. Yellow Perch – Slow: Some small perch being caught; 10 inchers not very common. Walleye – Slow: A few being caught near the island and near the aerator on the west end at dark (14-inch minimum). Yellow Bass – Fair: Most of the yellow bass action seems to be coming from anglers on the main lake near the Baptist Camp and Farmers Beach. Yellows on the little lake seem to be around 12 feet of water. Most yellow bass being caught are around 7.5-8 inches with a few 9-9.5-inch.
Lake Cornelia
Ice thickness is 20 plus inches. Some reports have indicated the bite has slowed. Use a minnow head or piece of cut bait on a small jig. Some anglers have had luck using just the tail end on a light jig.
Little Wall Lake
Ice thickness is 22 inches. No fishing activity seen.
Crystal Lake
Ice thickness is 30 inches. Bluegill – Fair: Fishing seems to be fairly consistent. Bluegill fishing has been good using small jigs tipped with wax worms. Anglers are reporting better success in the shallower water 8 feet near the edge of the dredged basin. Crappie – Fair: Crappie fishing has been fair using minnows at dusk in the deeper water near or on the drop-off of the basin. Walleye – Slow: An occasional walleye may be taken in the deeper water using minnow.
Blue Pit
Additional rainbow trout were stocked Feb 7. Anglers should be able to catch them with a small ice fly and a wax worm or a small spoon. You should start shallow near shore.
Bluebill Lake
Ice thickness is 22 inches. No reports lately; earlier anglers were having some success catching perch, bluegill, and some largemouth bass on spikes and wax worms fished near sunken cedar tree clumps.
For lake updates and fishing information in the north central area contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
Big Spirit Lake
There is 28-30 inches of ice and walleye season is closed. Bluegill – Slow: Anglers Bay has put out a few bluegills all winter the numbers are not great but they are quality fish. Most activity is early and late in the day. Crappie – Slow: Like the bluegills crappie activity has been best early and late in the day in Anglers Bay.
East Okoboji Lake
Walleye season is closed
Silver Lake (Dickinson)
There is very little fishing pressure at this time.
West Okoboji Lake
There is 26-30 inches of ice and walleye season is closed. Bluegill – Slow: Most fishermen have been targeting Emerson and Millers Bay and weeds have been a key factor. The fishing has been hit or miss with some days being much better than others. Yellow Perch – Fair: Fish have been in 40 plus feet of water and lots of small fish have been caught. Keep in mind that fish coming out of deep water have a higher mortality rate.
Lost Island Lake
Walleye – No Report: There is very little fishing pressure at this time.
Scharnberg Pond
Rainbow Trout – Fair: Panfish tackle is all that is needed to fish for trout the key is not to fish to deep. The most active fish cruse just under the ice or are willing to come up to take a bait.
For more information contact the Spirit Lake Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
