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Iowa Fishing Report
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Reports from Iowa Anglers
Here is a list of Iowa Counties
March 18, 2010
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issues a weekly fishing report on Thursdays in an effort to provide the latest information heading into the weekend. The weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys, and county and state parks staff. For current information, contact the district fisheries office at the phone number listed at the end of each district report.
NORTHWEST
Crawford Creek Impoundment
The access to the boat ramp has been closed until conditions improve. Anglers may still access the lake by taking the lower campground road and parking in the lot near the dam. Ice conditions are deteriorating so use caution. Bluegill - Good: Fish right at sunrise with an orange tear drop and a wax worm or a wiggler. Fish are averaging 8 inches. The bite is usually over by 8:30 a.m. Crappie - Good: Same techniques as bluegill.
Bacon Creek Lake
Trout will be stocked on April 17.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake )
Ice around the edges of Storm Lake is getting slushy. Ice depth is reported to be 14 to 16 inches. Walleye - Good: Anglers who have been out fishing have been catching some walleye. Try using a minnow under a bobber in 6 to 9 feet of water. Anglers report periods of no fish biting followed by fairly fast action.
Ice conditions are deteriorating on all the lakes and rivers. Ice is retreating from shore making it difficult to get on to the lakes. For more information about these lakes and rivers call Don Herrig (712-657-2638) at the Black Hawk District Office in Lake View .
Lower Pine Lake
Ice conditions are deteriorating rapidly.
Upper Pine Lake
Ice conditions are deteriorating rapidly.
Lake Smith
Ice conditions are unsafe.
Clear Lake
Yellow bass fishing has been excellent in the morning. Fish the Little Lake out from the McIntosh boat ramp in 8 to 10 feet of water. Small jigs with wax worms or cut bait have been working well.
Little Wall Lake
Ice conditions are deteriorating rapidly.
Ice conditions are deteriorating. Use caution when getting on or leaving the ice near the shoreline. For more information on the Clear Lake area call 641-357-3517.
Lake Pahoja
Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs tipped with live bait. Crappie - Fair: Use small ice jigs tipped with live bait. Yellow Perch - Fair: Use small ice jigs tipped with live bait or a slip bobber and minnow.
Mill Creek ( Lake )
If you are looking for a place to take children ice fishing for steady action, then go to Mill Creek Lake in O'Brian County east of Paullina. Bluegill - Good: Use small ice jigs tipped with a wax worm.
Big Spirit Lake
Ice thickness: Pumphouse 32 inches of ice, Marble Beach boat ramp 21 inches of ice, The Grade 20 inches of ice although the ice is starting to honeycomb at the Grade, north side of Angler's Bay 23 inches of ice but the ice is starting to honeycomb. Bluegill - Fair: Use small ice jigs tipped with wax worms or wigglers at the Grade or north end of Angler's Bay. Crappie - Fair: Use small ice jigs (pink or white) tipped with wax worms or plastics at the Grade or north end of Angler's Bay. Yellow Perch - Good: Use small ice jigs tipped with a wax worm or wiggler in 20 to 23 feet of water in the mornings and evenings. A few fish are also being caught with a slip bobber and minnow.
Minnewashta Lake
Ice thickness at the south boat ramp was 18 inches. White Bass - Fair: Use small jigging spoons tipped with a minnow head at sunset. Bluegill - Good: Use small ice jigs tipped with live bait or plastics. Crappie - Good: Anglers are catching black and white crappies using small jigs tipped with live bait. Yellow Perch - Fair: Use small ice jigs tipped with live bait. Yellow Bass - Fair: Use small jigging spoons tipped with a minnow head at sunset.
Silver Lake ( Dickinson )
Yellow Perch - Slow: A few fish are being caught while fishing for walleye. Walleye - Fair: Use jigging lures tipped with a minnow or slip bobber and minnow at sunset.
West Okoboji Lake
Ice thickness: Emerson Bay boat ramp 24 inches of ice and Miller's Bay 24 inches of ice. Northern Pike - Fair: A few fish are being caught with tip-ups and live bait near weed beds. Bluegill - Good: Look for standing weed clumps to fish by. Use small ice jigs tipped with wax worms, wigglers or plastics. Yellow Perch - Good: Use small ice jigs tipped with wigglers or wax worms in the bays.
Five Island Lake
Crappie - Fair: Use a small jig tipped with live bait in the mornings and evenings. Walleye - Fair: Use jigging lures tipped with a minnow head or a slip bobber and minnow along the edge of drop offs or flats.
Lost Island Lake
Walleye - Fair: Fish around the rock bars on the northwest side of the lake with jigging lures tipped with a minnow head at sunset.
Silver Lake ( Palo Alto )
Yellow Perch - Fair: Use a slip bobber and small minnow.
Virgin Lake
Yellow Perch - Fair: Use a slip bobber and small minnow or ice jig tipped with a wax worm.
The ice thickness report should be used as a general reference and is not the ice depth for the entire lake. Caution should be taken at the shoreline when getting onto the ice and leaving because of melting. Walleye season is closed on Big Spirit, East Okoboji, and West Okoboji lakes. With the recent warm weather fishing has picked up. For more information on the Spirit Lake area call 712-336-1840.
NORTHEAST
Volga Lake
Ice conditions are poor. There is open water by the boat ramp. Bluegill - No Report: Largemouth Bass - No Report: Crappie - No Report:
Lake Hendricks
Folks are still out on the ice but it is difficult to get on. Beware as ice conditions will change quickly. Bluegill - Fair: Wax worms are the bait of choice. Crappie - Slow: Yellow Perch - Slow:
Lake Meyer
Ice conditions are poor. Northern Pike - No Report: Bluegill - No Report: Crappie - No Report: Yellow Perch - No Report:
Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
The river is high but falling. Water clarity is much better this week. Look for pockets of slower moving water to fish. Smallmouth Bass - No Report: Walleye - No Report:
Cedar River (above Nashua )
The river is falling and fishable. Cedar View Lake is open above Nashua and the catfish are biting. Channel Catfish - Good: Try using chubs. Smallmouth Bass - No Report: Walleye - No Report:
Decorah District Streams
Trout streams are in excellent condition and the fish are hungry. Try using flies resembling small dark midges and mayflies. Baring any unusual weather or water conditions, catchable trout stocking will begin on April 1.
Ice conditions are deteriorating quickly with warmer temperatures. Make sure someone knows your plans for the day if you go out. Most area rivers are high but levels are dropping and water clarity is improving. For more information about a specific stream, call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.
Maquoketa River (above Monticello )
On March 18, the Maquoketa River in Manchester is 6.27 feet and steadily falling. Anglers should be able to catch some walleyes with the pre-spawn coming in April. Walleye - Fair: Try using jigs tipped with a minnow and twister tail along drop-offs and current breaks or slowly retrieving crankbaits as well.
Manchester District Streams
Streams are in excellent condition. With recent warm weather there have been a lot of insect hatches coming off recently.
Ice conditions are deteriorating quickly and Ice fishing is not advised. Most interior rivers still remain high but levels are falling. George Wyth State Park will remain closed through the March 20-21 weekend. Trout angling conditions are excellent. For more information call the district office in Manchester at 563-927-3276.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Mississippi River Pool 9
Water levels at Lansing are 10.37 and expected to rise over the next week. Ice is rapidly leaving the backwaters. Northern Pike - Fair: A few pike have been caught around the lat ice but pike will be spawning soon and this bite may end. Walleye - Fair: A few walleye being caught in Minnesota Slough.
Mississippi River Pool 10
Water levels at Lynxville are at 19.8 and expected to rise over the next week. Channel Catfish - Fair: A few channel catfish being caught by the dam using cut bait. Sauger - Fair: Some good catches of sauger have been reported but high water levels and turbidity are making for difficult fishing. Walleye - Fair: A few nice walleyes being caught in the tail waters and down by the S curves.
Mississippi River Pool 11
Water levels at Guttenberg are 10.9 and expected to rise over the next week. Water temperature is 39 degrees. Sauger - Fair: A few nice catches of sauger but high water elves are making for difficult fishing. Walleye - Fair: Some nice walleyes being caught on the Wisconsin side.
Ice is rapidly leaving the backwaters and river levels continue to rise. Water levels are: Lansing 10.37, Lynxville 19.8, Guttenberg 10.98. Water levels are expected to rise over the course of the next week which could make fishing difficult. Water temperature at Guttenberg is 39 degrees.
SOUTHEAST
Lake Geode
The lake is open water and there have been a few boats out.
Lake Belva Deer
Most of the lake is ice free. There still remains a little ice around the south (campground) ramp, which should be gone soon.
Pollmiller Park Lake
The lake is ice free. There have been a few anglers out enjoying the nice weather.
Lake of the Hills
The lake is ice free. Come out March 20 to the trout fishing derby. The DNR will release 1,800 trout into the lake at 11 a.m., including a chance to win prizes if one of the 200 tagged trout is caught. Fishing seminars begin at 9:30 a.m.
For more information on the above lakes call the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at 319-694-2430
Hannen Lake
Part of the lake is open and part has dark ice on it.
Rodgers Park Lake
We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week.
Iowa Lake
Part of the lake still has dark ice on it.
Kent Park Lake
Much of the lake is open, but there is still some dark ice on part of the lake.
Lake Macbride
The west end of the lake still has some dark ice on it. The lake should be close to ice free by the weekend. The lake level is less than a foot low.
Pleasant Creek Lake
Most of the lake still has dark ice, but it should melt off within the next week.
Diamond Lake
The upper end of the lake is open, while the dam end still has some dark ice.
Otter Creek Lake
We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week.
Union Grove Lake
We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week.
Coralville Reservoir
The reservoir is ice free with the exception of some coves/pockets. The lake level is 696 feet and rising. It is projected to crest at 704 feet. Channel Catfish - Fair: Some anglers are catching limits of catfish in the upper end of the reservoir. Dead shad and shad guts are producing best.
Iowa River ( Coralville Lake to River Junction)
As of March 18, the flows are 10,000 cubic feet per second coming out of the "tube." On March 19, the flows will be cut to 4,000 CFS and will stay there through March 21. On March 22, the flows will be bumped back up to 10,000 CFS. Walleye - Slow: An occasional walleye has been picked up below the dams. With the flows being cut down this weekend, the action may pick up.
For more information contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.
Lake Wapello
The lake was drained in the summer of 2009 but has since refilled.
Red Haw Lake
Unsafe conditions for ice fishing.
Lake Keomah
Unsafe ice conditions.
Lake Miami
Unsafe ice conditions.
Lake Sugema
Unsafe ice conditions.
Rathbun Reservoir
Unsafe ice conditions for ice fishing. The lake is about 70 percent ice covered. The current lake level is 911.05 feet with normal pool being 904 feet. Channel Catfish - Fair: The ice out period can be very good for channel catfish. Fish along wind blown shorelines and use baits like cut up shad or dead chubs.
For additional fishing information in south central Iowa , call the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406.
SOUTHWEST
Lake Petoka
1,500 rainbow trout will be stocked on April 8.
Banner Lake (south)
A kids' fishing event will be held on April 3. 1,500 Rainbow trout will be stocked around noon.
Due to central Iowa ponds and lakes being close to ice out and all rivers above flood stage, little fishing is occurring. Fishing reports will be updated when conditions improve. Contact Ben Dodd or Andy Otting at 515-432-2823 for information on the above area lakes and rivers.
Fogle Lake S.W.A.
The edges are starting to open in most places.
Green Valley Lake
The lake level has been lowered to allow for sediment removal from the upper end. The fish have been restocked and some should be catchable by spring.
Summit Lake
The lake has been lowered for shoreline stabilization.
Three Mile Lake
Ice is weakening in the middle and small areas of open water occur near shore.
Twelve Mile Creek Lake
The ice in the middle is weakening daily and the edges can be open in small areas.
Ice cover is shrinking quickly. Many ponds are open. Most small lakes have open water around the edges. Mid-sized and large lakes have areas of open water around the edges or ice is weakening. The forecast is for more days of warmer temps and possibly some rain. Ice condition will likely deteriorate further. Ice angling activity is starting to end for the season. Some anglers are starting to pursue channel catfish on shad bait.
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