Yellow Smoke Park Lake:Â Brittle naiad, an invasive plant species, is present and boaters and anglers should make sure their equipment and boats are clean and free of vegetation before leaving the lake.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake): Channel Catfish — Fair: Channel catfish can be caught with night crawlers. Fish are 2 to 3 pounds. White Bass — Slow: Anglers should try fishing top waters in the evening when the water is calm. Look for schools of white bass breaking the surface and cast into them. Walleye — Slow: Storm Lake is at full pool. Boaters should use caution on Storm Lake. The hydraulic dredge is in operation in the east basin of the lake. There is a pipeline running from the dredge to the shoreline and may rise to the surface at times. Anglers are allowed 3 walleye per day, all fish between 17 and 22 inches must be released, and only one fish over 22 inches may be kept.
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Beeds Lake: Sucker — Good: There are lots of white suckers in Beed’s. A worm and sinker on the bottom should entice them to bite. Channel Catfish — Fair: Cats should be close to spawning. Anglers might try near rocks. Largemouth Bass — Good: Crappie — Fair: Try for crappies around the jetties with minnows.
Upper Pine Lake: Good numbers of bluegills and crappie from both lakes with grub-type baits. Largemouth bass from Upper Lake with spinner baits. Bluegill — Good: Bluegills are spawning in 4 to 5 feet of water. A bobber and small jig with a piece of worm should work. Small grub-style baits are also working. Largemouth Bass — Good: Bass are biting on spinnerbaits. Crappie — Fair: Some crappies are being caught near structure.
Lake Smith: Channel Catfish — Good: Try cutbait, worms, or stinkbait. Fish are probably biting best the last hour of sunlight to an hour after sunset. Bluegill — Fair: Some bluegills are still on beds. Largemouth Bass — Good: Try spinnerbaits.
Lake Catherine: Channel Catfish — Good: Cats are biting on minnows or chicken liver. Try early morning or right at dark. They are decent size with some running 7 to 9 pounds. Largemouth Bass — Good: Largemouth bass are biting on spinners.
Clear Lake: Channel Catfish — Good: Catfish are staging up for spawning. Look around the rock reefs, or island. The jetties by Ventura or the mouth of the Harborage are also worth a shot. If you find the fish, action is fast and aggressive. Try cutbait, worms or small live bait. Bluegill — Fair: Bluegill numbers are low, but some fish may be caught below docks or on the edge of bulrush. Largemouth Bass — Slow: Some largemouth have been caught near the reeds with live bait. Crappie — Good: Some crappies are still in or near the Venetian Village and the Harborage. Some of the larger crappies, though, have been hitting near the edge of the bulrush at dusk. Yellow Perch — Slow: Anglers might catch a few perch when fishing near the reed edges. Size is mostly small along with a few up to 10 inches. Walleye — Fair: A few bigger fish have been caught but most anglers are catching a mix of sublegals and small legal walleyes. Some are catching walleyes drifting or trolling. Most of the action is either in deeper water on the various rock reefs using a small lead head with a quarter piece of nightcrawler. Shore fishing can still be OK on the windward shorelines. Yellow Bass — Fair: Numbers of smaller fish can still be caught on some of the reefs (Billy’s). Some anglers are picking up a few larger ones near the bulrush edges. Water temperature is around 75 degrees.
Lake Cornelia: Channel Catfish — Good: Cats should be biting on cutbait or stinkbait. Fish from the last hour of sunlight to an hour after sunset. Or try during the day on a windward side of the lake. Bluegill — Good: Bluegills are keeper size. Largemouth Bass — Fair: Largemouth bass are near the rocks by the harbor and other rocky shorelines. Crappie — Fair: Crappies are around 8 inches. Yellow Bass — Good: Yellow bass are 7-7.25 inches
Little Wall Lake: Channel Catfish — Good: Channel cats are spawning on the rocks. Try with a bobber and minnow, small live bait or chicken liver. If you’re after flatheads use a live fish for bait and fish after dark. Largemouth Bass — Fair: Crappie — Slow: Little Wall is full and the water temperature is around 73 degrees.
Crystal Lake: Water temperature is around 77 degrees. The curlyleaf has died back and the algae has bloomed tinting the water green. Try fishing deeper water for most species or near some of the sources of inflow on the lake. Northern Pike — Fair: The pike are attracted to some of the sources of cooler water. Channel Catfish — Slow: Bluegill — Fair: Great population of 7 to 8 inch bluegills. Bluegills are finished spawning but you can still find some close to shore. Largemouth Bass — Slow: Anglers have reported catching lots of largemouth. Fish on the outside edges with a bobber and live bait or try a weedless spoon. Walleye — Slow: Walleyes are around 16 to 20 inches.
Bluebill Lake: Channel Catfish — Good: Look for cats near rocks. Bluegill — Good: Largemouth Bass — Good: Largemouth bass are biting well along shorelines at Bluebill. Remember the 15-inch minimum length limit on bass. Crappie — Fair: Crappies are biting on minnows under a bobber.
Fin and Feather Lake: There has been some activity for panfish. There was a partial fish kill this winter but there is still some bluegills and largemouth left to provide some action. Bluegill — Fair: Largemouth Bass — Fair: Largemouth are near shore. Remember the 15-inch minimum length limit.
Interstate Park Lake: There was a partial fish kill this winter on this lake but anglers have been reporting catching a variety of fish this past week. Bluegill — Fair: Largemouth Bass — Fair: Crappie — Fair: Crappies are a nice sized and should be biting off the boat ramp point or off the east rock side.
Winnebago River: Water level is still high. Try fishing any slower water areas or backwater areas you can find. Channel Catfish — Slow: Anglers should try below the dams or in backwater areas using cutbait, stinkbait, or minnows.
East Fork Des Moines (Algona to Humboldt): The East Fork is running high right now. Fishing is marginal. Channel Catfish — No Report: Catfish bite is probably a little slow but should pick up in a few weeks.
Big Spirit Lake: Smallmouth Bass — Fair: Look for smallies on the rock piles try throwing crankbaits, jerk baits, and plastics. Largemouth Bass — Fair: Look for largemouth around the weeds try top water early and late in the day along with crankbaits, jigs and plastic worms. Walleye — Slow: Fishing has been best early and late in the day with leeches being the live bait of choice. Trolling, drifting, and slip bobbers have all been proven fish catchers. Some are trolling crankbaits as well.
West Okoboji Lake: Bluegill — Slow: Fishing in the backs of the bays around the weeds can be good at times; look deeper for the biggest fish. Smallmouth Bass — Slow: Look toward the rock piles for smallmouth action. Largemouth Bass — Fair: Try fishing around the weeds in the bays top water and soft plastics should produce.
Lost Island Lake: Walleye — Fair: Drifting live bait with Lindy rigs and bottom bouncers has been producing a few fish some days are better than others.
Little Sioux River (state line to Linn Grove):Â The water has come down but is still a bit muddy. Try current seams and brush piles for catfish and walleye.
Volga Lake: Fishing has picked up with warmer water temperatures. Channel Catfish — Excellent: With warmer water, the cats are moving. Try a hooked baited with a worm and let it set near the bottom. Bluegill — Slow: Try angling for bluegills in the shallow flats. Use a small jig tipped with a worm under a bobber. Largemouth Bass — Good: Largemouth bass are hitting a jig tipped with a twistertail or worm. Crappie — Slow: Fish are suspended in the middle of the lake. Fish around submersed brush piles. Try a jig tipped with imitation minnows. Yellow Perch — Slow:
Lake Hendricks: Channel Catfish — Good: Catfish are biting on night crawlers or dead chubs fished under a bobber along the rockier shoreline. Bluegill — Slow: Bluegills are biting on hook tipped with a small chunk of worm fished under a bobber. Largemouth Bass — Excellent: Anglers have been catching largemouth bass using a jig and soft plastics. Top water lures are working well in the evening. Crappie — Slow: Anglers have been catching a lot of 5 to 6-inch crappies on jigs tipped with a rubber skirt or minnow of the jetties.
Lake Meyer: Water clarity continues to improve. Northern Pike — No Report: Channel Catfish — Excellent: Try for catfish along rocky shorelines as they are beginning to spawn. Use a worm on the bottom under a bobber. Bluegill — Slow: Anglers are picking up a lot of small bluegills along the weed beds using yellow or green jigs and soft plastics. Largemouth Bass — Excellent: Anglers are catching bass from shore by tossing a hooked tipped with a big chunk of nightcrawler and reeled in. Crappie — Slow: Anglers continue to pick up a few suspended in deeper water.
Plainfield: There have been good reports of bass fishing on Plainfield Lake. Largemouth Bass — Good: Try casting spinner baits, crankbaits or plastic worms for good action. Top water baits work well fished on calm surfaces during early morning or late evening hours.
Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City): The Cedar River is providing some great angling for walleye, smallmouth bass and channel catfish. Use caution when navigating due to the lower water levels, particularly in Bremer County. Channel Catfish — Excellent: Stink bait and dead chubs fished on the bottom has been really hot. Smallmouth Bass — Excellent: Look for rock shorelines or rip-rap along banks casting artificial or live baits. Walleye — Good: A jig tipped with half of a crawler is deadly this time of year.
Cedar River (above Nashua): Water levels continue to stabilize with improved clarity. Channel Catfish — Excellent: Catfish have been taking chicken livers and dead chubs. Smallmouth Bass — Excellent: Anglers are using a jig tipped with a twistertail. Smallies 14 inches plus are common. Crappie — No Report: Walleye — Slow: A few walleye are being caught while fishing for smallmouth.
Upper Iowa River (above Decorah): Flows are still high and clarity has improved. Fish activity is picking up. Sucker — Fair: Anglers are catching suckers on a hook tipped with a worm and fished along the bottom. Walleye — Fair: Anglers are having luck using dark colored jigs or a hook tipped with a worm.
Upper Iowa River (below Decorah): Flows are up and clarity has improved. Sucker — Fair: Suckers are taking worms fished along the bottom. Smallmouth Bass — Good: Anglers using worms are doing the best. Walleye — Good: Anglers are having some success using a jig tipped with a twistertail but better luck using worms.
Yellow River:Â Fishing out of a canoe or kayak is allowed without landowner permission. Wading or fishing from the bank requires landowner permission.
Turkey River (above Clermont): Water levels have stabilized and clarity has improved. Smallmouth Bass — No Report:
Decorah District Streams:Â Better northeast Iowa streams have receded and cleared since the June floods, but additional rains may still hamper stream clarity. Invertebrate populations were definitely affected by the flooding and mayfly/caddisfly hatches might be sparse for awhile. Hoppers, crickets, ants and beetles will be effective terrestrial patterns for the balance of the season, as well as sub-surface nymphs, wet flies and streamers. Good fish are being caught.
Most of the rivers have stabilized and are clearing. For more on water levels, visit http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ia/nwis/rt. Trout continue to be stocked where access is available. For trout stocking information, call 563-927-5736. Another nice weekend is shaping up with highs in the low 80s and low humidity. For more information, call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.
Silver Lake (Delaware): Anglers have been doing well catching bluegill, largemouth bass, crappie and northern pike. Vegetation has really come on making angling a bit more difficult. Northern Pike — Fair: Weedless spoons work really well for pike near vegetation beds. Bluegill — Good: Fishing a piece of nightcrawler under a bobber or smaller jigs retrieved over spawning beds is always productive. Largemouth Bass — Good: Lots of 7 to 10-inch bass are being caught. Cast spinner baits or weedless baits around vegetation beds. Crappie — Fair: Casting small jigs next to weed beds has been productive.
Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake): Channel catfish, largemouth bass and bluegill fishing has been good. Clarity still remains good but vegetation is beginning to encompass the shoreline. Channel Catfish — Good: Channel catfish have been smacking cutbaits, stinkbaits, shrimp and leopard frogs fished on the bottom. Bluegill — Good: Small piece of worm under bobber fished off of jetties or around structure in 3-6 feet of water has been excellent. Largemouth Bass — Good: Anglers have been doing fair on largemouth bass fishing near structure using crankbaits or spinnerbaits.
George Wyth Lake:Â Anglers have been catching bluegill but they tend to run small.
South Prairie Lake: Anglers are catching largemouth bass and crappie. Recent fisheries survey revealed good numbers of bass. Crappie are very abundant but run small in size. Great angling opportunities for the kids. Largemouth Bass — Good: Try casting spinner baits, crankbaits or plastic worms for good action. Top water baits work well fished on calm surfaces during early morning or late evening hours. Crappie — Good: Try casting small tube jigs or drifting a crappie minnow under a slip bobber.
Plainfield: There have been good reports of bass fishing on Plainfield Lake. Largemouth Bass — Good: Try casting spinner baits, crankbaits or plastic worms for good action. Top water baits work well fished on calm surfaces during early morning or late evening hours.
Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City): The Cedar River is providing some great angling for walleye, smallmouth bass and channel catfish. Use caution when navigating due to the lower water levels, particularly in Bremer County. Channel Catfish — Excellent: Stink bait and dead chubs fished on the bottom has been really hot. Smallmouth Bass — Excellent: Look for rock shorelines or rip-rap along banks casting artificial or live baits. Walleye — Good: A jig tipped with half of a crawler is deadly this time of year.
Cedar River (above Nashua): Water levels continue to stabilize with improved clarity. Channel Catfish — Excellent: Catfish have been taking chicken livers and dead chubs. Smallmouth Bass — Excellent: Anglers are using a jig tipped with a twistertail. Smallies 14 inches plus are common. Crappie — No Report: Walleye — Slow: A few walleye are being caught while fishing for smallmouth.