IOWA FISHING REPORT
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Last Updated: May 6, 2003

For current information on fishing conditions for your lake or area, contact the office in that district. Phone numbers are listed with each district report.

Northeast

Mississippi River: Water level at Guttenberg is 610.9 and falling. In Pools 9-11 fishing has been excellent with a little bit of everything being caught. Pool 9, freshwater drum, bluegill and crappies are biting in Minnesota Slough and in front of Blackhawk Park in the flooded trees. Northern pike, walleye and sauger are biting on crankbaits or leeches fished along the bottom in the Minnesota Slough area. The area near the upper Lansing dike has been producing some nice smallmouth bass and a few largemouth bass. In Pool 10, smallmouth bass are biting along rocks in Stateline Slough and in the main channel areas. Rock bass and perch fishing have been excellent using jigs and minnows. Crappie fishing has picked up in flooded trees in the Sny Magill backwater area. Pool 11, freshwater drum fishing is good in main channel areas and smallmouth bass, rock bass and white bass are being caught in Twelve Mile Slough. Fishing is picking up for channel catfish using cut bait or night crawlers. Water levels in Pools 12-15 are slowly dropping and fishing is slow. A few crappies are being caught throughout the pools as well as freshwater drum and channel catfish. For best results on drum and catfish, fish the flooded grass and timberlines with a worm suspended under a bobber. Pool 13, in Brown's Lake, bluegill fishing is fair to good on worms or wax worms fished under a bobber and crappies are biting minnows fished under a bobber. Move to find fish. Channel catfish are biting at the mouth of the Maquoketa River. In Middle Sabula Lake, largemouth bass ranging from 10 to 12 inches with a few up to 14 inches are being caught on spinner baits. A few 6 to 12-inch crappies are also being caught on minnows, tube jigs and twister tails fished in the brushy areas in Middle Sabula Lake.

Cedar (Bremer and Black Hawk), Wapsipinicon (Buchanan) and Maquoketa rivers (Delaware): These rivers are rising and channel catfish are biting frogs, night crawlers and dead minnows fished close to the bank and at the mouths of backwater areas.

Volga River (Fayette): Smallmouth bass are biting on crankbaits.

Turkey River (Fayette and Clayton): Channel catfishing is excellent on night crawlers floated under a bobber. Some walleye and smallmouth bass are also being caught.

Lake Delhi (Delaware): Crappie fishing is good using a minnow fished under a slip bobber around structure in 3 to 4 feet of water.

South Prairie Lake and East Lake (Black Hawk): Crappie fishing is good using wax worm or minnows fished under a slip bobber around brush piles.

George Wyth Lake (Black Hawk): Largemouth bass can be found hanging tight to the woody structure.

Casey Lake (Tama): This lake is good for bluegill and crappies using jigs tipped with wax worms fished near woody structure. Largemouth bass fishing is fair with highest success occurring during the afternoon and early evenings on warmer days fishing close to the woody structure.

Volga Lake (Fayette): Crappie and perch fishing are good on minnows floated under a bobber. Some bluegills are being caught on worms fished off the brush piles.

Lake Meyer (Winneshiek) and Lake Hendricks (Howard): Crappie fishing is good on jigs tipped with a minnow.

Trout fishing is excellent. For current trout stocking information, contact the Big Spring Hatchery at 563-245-1699, Decorah Hatchery at 563-382-3315 or Manchester Hatchery at 563-927-5736. You can also view the trout stocking calendar on-line by going to www.iowadnr.com,  clicking on Fish and Fishing and then choosing Favorite Pages.

For information on fishing in northeast Iowa, call the regional office in Manchester at 563-927-3276.

Northwest

Spirit Lake (Dickinson): The Grade and Templar areas have been producing many crappie and a few bluegills. Sorting is required to keep a mess of eaters. Small jigs tipped with a wax worm suspended below a bobber works well. Bullhead activity has begun with large fish being caught from the Grade. This will improve as the water temperature warms. Smallmouth bass fishing is excellent. Fish the rocky areas. The best fishing is on calm, sunny days. Walleye weekend was a success. Fish are being caught on the east side. Most are being caught during the night or just before daylight. Leeches, night crawlers and minnows are the bait of choice. Remember - check the regulations on walleye.

West Okoboji (Dickinson): Anglers are catching crappie at the trestle, Triboji, at the harbor and in the canals. Best baits are a slip bobber and a small crappie jig tipped with wigglers. Bluegills are biting at the trestle on a small jig tipped with a wiggler floated under a bobber. Some largemouth bass are being caught along the shallows of the lake and canals using rattle traps and spinner baits. Anglers are catching walleye with crankbaits in 8 to 10 feet of water. Walleyes are definitely on the night bite. Remember to check the regulations on walleye.

East Okoboji (Dickinson): Anglers are catching bullheads at the north end. Walleye fishing is fair to good trolling crankbaits. Some sorting is required for keeper sized walleye.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): The lake has good numbers of 14 to 17-inch fish. Shore anglers fishing after dark have had the best results using a lighted bobber and leeches.

Lost Island Lake (Clay and Palo Alto): Bullhead fishing will improve as the weather warms.

Five Island Lake (Palo Alto): Walleye anglers will find their catch comprised of 16 to 19-inch fish. Public access is available on the south side of the lake, however, ample opportunities exist north of the bridge.

Little Sioux River (Buena Vista and Clay): Good numbers of walleyes in all sizes are available from the Linn Grove Dam to below the town of Peterson. Use 1-16th or 1-8th ounce jig heads with twister tail in white or chartreuse or jig with a minnow or night crawler is producing the most fish. The river stretch from Spencer to Sioux Rapids is also reported as good for walleye in the 15 to 20-inch range. Use the same baits and techniques listed above.

Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo): Walleye fishing has slowed. Some walleyes are being caught while yellow bass fishing. Walleye anglers are trolling crankbaits at slow speeds and slow drifting or trolling live bait rigs. Yellow bass fishing is excellent on nicer days. The best action occurs when there is a slight chop on the water. Small jigs, minnows or cut bait are all catching yellow bass in the 8 to 11-inch range. Bullhead fishing is excellent. Fish nearing a pound are common.

Lower and Upper Pine Lakes (Hardin): Crappie fishing along the outside edges of downed trees is good. Use small jigs and minnows around the brush for best results.

Rice Lake (Winnebago): Fishing is excellent for 7 to 10-inch bullheads.

Silver Lake (Worth): Bullhead fishing is good using night crawlers off the fishing jetty.

Morse Lake (Wright): Yellow perch are hitting on minnows and small jigs. Fish in the 8 to 10-inch range are available.

Black Hawk Lake (Sac): Bullhead fishing is good for nice sized fish all over the lake. Walleyes are good to excellent using leeches. Catfish fishing is good using shad entrails.

Storm Lake (Buena Vista): Walleye fishing is good for wade in and boat anglers. White twisters and drifting live bait rigs have been good.

North Twin (Calhoun): Walleye and crappie fishing is fair. The best time to fish is in the early morning hours.

For more information on fishing in northwest Iowa, call the regional office in Spirit Lake at 712-336-1840.

Southwest

Green Valley (Union): Anglers are catching big crappies in the rocks and near shore cover.

Fogle Lake (Ringgold): Crappies are being caught on the dam. Bluegills are being caught in flooded trees near the mouths of coves.

Binder Lake (Adams): Anglers are catching 8 to 11-inch crappies and yellow bass along the dam.

Loch Ayr (Ringgold): Anglers are catching 7 to 11-inch crappies along the dam.

Three Mile (Union): Anglers are catching walleyes and some muskies off the face of dam. Channel catfish are being caught at north end. Fishing is good for crappies in deeper water over rock areas and trees around the creek channel. Largemouth bass fishing is also good.

Twelve Mile (Union): Channel catfish is good at north end. Walleye fishing is good along the face of the dam. Crappies are moving into rocks and trees adjacent to creek channels. Anglers are catching lots of yellow bass. Largemouth bass fishing is good.

Viking (Montgomery): Crappies are being caught around structure on tube jigs.

Cold Springs (Cass): Anglers are beginning to catch crappies and channel catfish.

Manawa (Pottawattamie): Crappie and bluegill fishing is good along the shallows and lagoons on jig and minnows. Anglers are picking up a few bullheads and channel catfish.

Orient (Adair): Fishing is excellent for 7-inch crappies on jigs and minnows along the dam.

Nodaway (Adair): Crappies are biting on jigs/minnows along the face of the dam.

Mormon Trail (Adair): Fishing is fair for large crappies.

Prairie Rose (Shelby): Fishing is good for 7-inch crappies on jigs/minnows around rocks and woody structure. Channel catfish are being caught on livers.

Willow (Harrison): Crappie fishing is good using jigs and minnows.

Big Creek Lake (Polk): Walleye fishing has been good to excellent using lead-headed jigs and minnows. Best times are early and late. Most fish are below the 15-inch legal size limit. Crappie fishing has been good using jigs. Fish are moving into shallower water, with the better fishing in water 10 to 15-feet deep. Bluegill fishing has also picked up; try around rocky areas and near woody structure. Channel catfish fishing has been good, with 2 to 3-pound fish taken.

Don Williams (Boone): Crappie fishing is good in 15 to 18 feet of water. Largemouth bass fishing is good using top-water lures around shoreline structure.

Lake Ahquabi (Warren): Bluegill and redear fishing has been good using night crawlers or wax worms. Crappies are being caught using crappie jigs and/or wax worms or worms. Largemouth bass - primarily sub-legalized fish - are being caught on crankbaits.

Hooper Lake (Warren): Bluegill and redear have been caught using traditional baits and lures. Some largemouth bass are being caught on crankbaits, although as in Lake Ahquabi, most fish are sub-legal.

Rock Creek (Jasper): Crappie fishing has been excellent from shore and boat using jigs and minnows. The crappies are 9 to 10 inches. Largemouth bass fishing has been good using top-water lures.

Easter Lake (Polk): Crappie fishing has picked up using jigs or wax worms. Largemouth bass have been taken along the face of the dam. Walleyes are being caught off the dam and around the island.

Saylorville Lake (Polk): Crappie fishing has picked up in the marina area of the lake. Most reports indicate anglers are using micro-jigs and wax worms, or bobbers and minnow combinations.

Lake Red Rock (Marion): Crappie and white bass/wiper fishing has been good in the tailwater from Lake Red Rock using jigs and/or minnows. Crappie fishing has been slow to fair near the Highway 14 Bridge.

Des Moines River (Polk): White bass/wiper fishing has been excellent below Scott Street Dam in Des Moines, with fish in the 12 to 15 inch size range. Anglers are reporting catching walleyes at various points on the river, with the best successes in and below pools and dams. However, the heavy rains over the weekend undoubtedly slow fish activity until rivers return to more normal conditions.

For more information on fishing in southwest Iowa, call the regional office in Lewis at 712-769-2587.

Southeast

Lake Darling (Washington): The recent rain has not muddied up the water too badly. Lots of nice bass and channel catfish are in the shallow water feeding on the immature crappies that come in before the spawn. The warmer weather forecasted should start the bigger crappies coming in to spawn. The Lake Darling beach has a swimming advisory posted, but the fish are still safe to eat.

Lake Geode (Henry): A few bluegills and crappies are being caught in the tree falls along shore. Twister tails tipped with minnows seem to be working best for the crappies.

Lake Rathbun (Appanoose): Crappies have been biting on tube jigs and minnows. Most fish were being caught in about 2 feet of water. Channel catfish have been hitting on night crawlers.

Lake Miami (Monroe): Largemouth bass have been hitting artificial presentations such as spinner baits. Crappies have been biting along the dam on small jigs and minnows.

Lake Sugema (Van Buren): Bluegills and crappies have been hitting on jigs tipped with wax worms and minnows. Largemouth bass and walleyes have been hitting on crankbaits and other artificial presentations.

Coralville Reservoir (Johnson): Crappie fishing has been slow with water temperatures fluctuating and poor water quality conditions. Anglers are still catching fish below the Macbride Dam and below the outflow of Coralville Dam on jigs and minnows. Catfishing has been fair throughout the reservoir.

Lake Macbride (Johnson): Crappie fishing has been fair near brush piles on jigs and minnows. Crappies are around 8 to 9 inches. An occasional walleye is also being caught.

Diamond Lake (Poweshiek): Crappie and bluegills are being caught throughout the lake and an occasional redear sunfish is also being caught. Worms have been good for bluegills and redear. Jigs are working well for crappies. Anglers are reminded that minnows are prohibited in Diamond Lake.

Lake Iowa (Iowa): Anglers are catching crappie and bluegill near brush piles piles. Occasionally a bass will also be caught.

Hannen Lake (Benton): Crappie and bluegill fishing has been fair among brush piles and near shore. Anglers are reminded that minnows are prohibited in Hannen Lake.

Iowa River (Louisa): The river is high and muddy.

Skunk River (Washington and Henry): Last week's storms have brought the river up to about three-quarters bank full. Conditions will worsen if the forecasted rain materializes.

Farm Ponds: Bluegill fishing has been good in shallow areas of farm ponds. Anglers are catching bass on artificial baits.

For more information on fishing in southeast Iowa, call the regional office in Brighton at 319-694-2430.

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