Iowa Fishing Report March 25th

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, use caution

Bacon Creek Lake

Trout will be stocked on April 17.

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)

Most of the ice has retreated from the shoreline around most of the lake. Ice depth is reported to be 14 to 16 inches. Anglers have to walk long distances to get out to fish. Walleye - Fair: 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. Ice is retreating from shore making it difficult to get onto 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.

Clear Lake

Ice has melted away from the shoreline and conditions are deteriorating quickly. Yellow Bass - Fair:

For more information on fishing in the area lakes and rivers, call the Clear Lake Fisheries Office at 641-357-3517.

Mill Creek (Lake)

If you are looking for a place to take children ice fishing, go to Mill Creek Lake in O'Brian County, east of Paullina. Bluegill - Good: Use small ice jigs tipped with a wax worm.

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.

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 an ice jig tipped with a wax worm.

Big Spirit Lake

Yellow Perch - Good: Use small ice jigs tipped with a wax worm or wiggler in 20 feet of water in the mornings and evenings at Marble Beach and the pump house.

Silver Lake (Dickinson)

Northern Pike - Fair: A few fish are being caught while casting jigs at the Trapper's Bay Bridge.

West Okoboji Lake

Northern Pike - Good: Use large baitfish on a tip-up around standing weed beds. Bluegill - Good: Look for standing weed beds. Use small ice jigs tipped with a wax worm or wiggler in the evenings. Yellow Perch - Good: Use small ice jigs tipped with a wax worm or wiggler in Emerson and Smith's Bay.

Tuttle Lake

Northern Pike - Fair: Fish are being caught using a jig below the spillway.

Ice conditions are deteriorating with the warmer weather but anglers are still going out to ice fish. Shorelines are opening up and extreme caution should be used if going out on the ice. For more information on the Spirit Lake area call 712-336-1840.

NORTHEAST

Volga Lake

Ice conditions are poor. Bluegill - No Report: Largemouth Bass - No Report: Crappie - No Report:

Lake Hendricks

Ice conditions are poor. Bluegill - No Report: Crappie - No Report: Yellow Perch - No Report:

Lake Meyer

Ice conditions are poor and not accessible. Northern Pike - No Report: Bluegill - Slow: Crappie - No Report: Yellow Perch - No Report:

Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)

River water levels continue to fall. Water clarity is excellent this week. Find pockets of slower moving water and fish those. Sucker - Fair: Anglers are starting to pick up suckers at lower end of the river. Try using a worm fished off the bottom. Smallmouth Bass - No Report: Walleye - No Report:

Turkey River (below Clermont)

Water levels are falling and clearing. The new Turkey River angling access east of Millville is the place to be this week for exciting sucker fishing. Sucker - Excellent: Anglers are tossing out worms and the fish are aggressively taking the bait.

Cedar River (above Nashua)

The river is falling and water clarity is excellent. A wide variety of fish are starting to bite as the water warms up. Northern Pike - Slow: Channel Catfish - Excellent: Try using chubs and cut bait. Also a few anglers are using chicken liver with luck. Smallmouth Bass - Slow: A few smallmouth are caught while angling for walleye. Walleye - Slow: Walleye are biting on artificial lures or a minnow and jig.

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. April's stocking schedule is available online at http://www.iowadnr.gov/fish/news/stockrep/trout.html. Schedules will be available monthly this year.

Lakes are mostly open and loosing ice very quickly. River water levels are high but falling and water clarity is very good. For more information about a specific stream, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.

Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)

We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week.

North Prairie Lake

We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week.

Heritage Pond

Heritage Pond will be stocked with trout this coming Saturday, March 27.

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)

The Cedar River has been falling steadily and reports are that anglers are having some success on walleye, northern pike and a few channel catfish. Both Bremer and Black Hawk counties have had decent reports. Northern Pike - Fair: Try fishing chubs under a bobber in deeper pools off of current breaks, or try larger artificial spoon baits. Walleye - Fair: Try casting jigs tipped with a minnow as the walleye spawn quickly approaches.

Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)

We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week.

Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)

The Wapsi continues to fall and fishing pressure has picked up in southern Buchanan and northern Linn counties. Channel Catfish - Fair: Reports are anglers having success using cut baits fished off of the bottom. Walleye - Fair: Try casting jigs tipped with a minnow near low head dams, drop-off areas and current breaks.

Maquoketa River (above Monticello)

The Maquoketa River remains in excellent condition for walleye angling as the spawn rapidly approaches. Walleye - Fair: Try casting jigs tipped with a minnow in and around drop-off areas.

Manchester District Streams

Manchester area trout streams remain in excellent condition with good flows and insect hatches coming off early afternoons. Brown Trout - Good:

The ice-fishing season is nearly over as most lakes have been reported as having open water. Interior river levels continue to fall and are clearing up with some reports of angling success. Heritage Pond will be stocked with trout this coming Saturday, March 27, during the morning hours and North Prairie Lake on April 10. For more information contact the Northeast District Office at 563-927-3276.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER

Mississippi River Pool 9

Water levels at Lansing are 12.0 feet and expected to rise over the next week. The road to the ramp and New Albin is flooded. Walleye - Fair: A few walleye being caught in Minnesota Slough.

Mississippi River Pool 10

Water levels at Lynxville are at 21.7 feet and expected to rise over the next week. Anglers can still access the river at the Harpers Ferry high water ramp. The road to the ramp at Sny Magill is closed. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Some bass being caught below the emergency spillway on worms. Yellow Perch - Fair: Some nice perch being caught along the Wisconsin shoreline below the lock and dam. 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 by the fishing float.

Mississippi River Pool 11

Water levels at Guttenberg are 12.5 feet and expected to rise over the next week. Water temperature is 42 degrees. As water levels rise access at the city ramp in Guttenberg may become more difficult. Boats can still put in at the DNR ramp but parking is limited. Sauger - Fair: Sauger still being caught by the lock chamber and by the fishing float, but high water levels are making for difficult fishing. A few sauger being caught from shore by the DNR ramp and near the inlet to the marina. Walleye - Fair: Some nice walleyes being caught along the Wisconsin shoreline.

Water levels on the river are very high and expected to rise over the next week which may make accessing the river more difficult. During high water boaters should use caution for floating logs and debris. Water levels are: Lansing 12.0, Lynxville 21.7, Guttenberg 12.0. Water temperature at Guttenberg is 42 degrees. Anglers can call the Guttenberg Fisheries station at 563-252-1156 for current river levels and boat ramp access.

Mississippi River Pool 16

River stage at Lock and Dam 15 is 13.89 feet. Flood stage is 15 feet. Tail water fishing has been tough due to high and muddy water. Channel Catfish - Fair: Some channel catfish are being caught on night crawlers fished on the bottom in Sunset Marina and the Credit Island Harbor. Crappie - Fair: Some crappies are being caught in Sunset Marina and the Credit Island Harbor on minnows floating under a bobber. Sauger - Slow: Sauger fishing has been slow in the tail waters and in Sylvan Slough. There are reports of some saugers being caught in Sunset Marina and the Credit Island Harbor on shallow running crankbaits and jigs/minnows. Walleye - Slow: Walleye fishing has been slow up at the dam and in Sylvan Slough. There are reports of some walleyes being caught on shallow running crankbaits and jigs/minnows in Sunset Marina and Credit Island Harbor.

Mississippi River Pool 17

River stage at Lock and Dam 16 is 13.89 feet. Flood stage is 15 feet. Tail water fishing has been tough due to high water. Crappie - Slow: Crappie fishing has been slow but some fish are being picked up in the backwaters floating minnows under a bobber or using jigs and minnows. Sauger - Slow: Tail water fishing has been slow due to high and muddy water. Walleye - Slow: Tail water fishing has been slow due to high and muddy water.

Mississippi River Pool 18

River stage at Lock and Dam 17 is 16.28 feet. Flood stage is 15 feet. Fishing has been slow due to high and muddy water. Crappie - Slow: Crappie fishing has been slow but some fish are being picked up floating minnows under a bobber or on jigs and minnows. Sauger - No Report: Walleye - No Report:

Mississippi River Pool 19

River stage at Lock and Dam 18 is 12.04 feet. Flood stage is 10 feet. Fishing has been slow due to high and muddy water. Channel Catfish - No Report: Crappie - No Report: Sauger - No Report: Walleye - No Report:

Mississippi River Pools 16-20: River levels are high throughout Pools 16-20. Main channel water temperature is around 46 degrees and water clarity is poor. There is debris coming down the river so take caution when boating. Fishing has been slow throughout the pools due to high water. For more fishing information on Pools 16-20 contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.

SOUTHEAST

Lake Geode

The lake is now ice free. There have been a few anglers out but not much is biting.

Lake Belva Deer

The lake is ice free. Not much angler activity.

Pollmiller Park Lake

The lake is open. There have been a few anglers out enjoying the nice weather. But they are not catching much.

Lake of the Hills

Last Saturday's bad weather didn't stop the trout stocking or the trout anglers. Anglers can still redeem tagged fish for prizes at the Scott County Conservation Board office until the end of April. Rainbow Trout - Good: Still plenty of trout to be caught. Powerbait and worms seem to be working the best. Look for the trout to be around the habitat in about 4 feet of water. Don't forget to look for tags.

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

Hannen Lake

The lake is ice free. There has been a little fishing activity but no reports available.

Iowa Lake

The lake is ice free and there has been some fishing activity. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Anglers are reporting picking up bass on plastic worms along warming shorelines.

Lake Macbride

The lake is ice free. There has been some fishing activity but not much for catch reports. The surface temperature varies from 40 to 48 degrees depending on weather, location, and time of day. The lake is inches of being full now.

Central Park Lake

The lake is ice free but there has been little fishing activity.

Pleasant Creek Lake

The lake is ice free. There has been a little fishing activity but no reports available.

Diamond Lake

The lake is ice free but there has been little fishing activity.

Otter Creek Lake

The lake is ice free but there has been little fishing activity.

Dike Lake

There is still some ice on the lake. It is not safe to ice fish and there has been no open water fishing observed yet.

Maquoketa (Hopkinton to Canton)

The river is reported to be dropping and clearing up.

Rodgers Park Lake

We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week.

Kent Park Lake

Much of the lake is open, but there is still some dark ice on part of the lake.

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 shaded coves/pockets. The lake level is 698 feet and rising. It is projected to crest at 705.6 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)

We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week.

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

The lake is free of ice. Use small jigs around shoreline structures for bluegills and crappies.

Lake Keomah

The lake is free of ice. Try using small jigs fished slowly around shoreline structures.

Lake Miami

The lake is free of ice. Usually fish start moving into areas around the dam first. Try small jigs fished along the shoreline.

Lake Sugema

The lake is free of ice. Use jigs around rocky shorelines for walleyes as the water temperature continues to increase.

Rathbun Reservoir

The lake is free of ice. The current lake level is 910.35 feet with normal pool being 904 feet. The water temperature is ranging in the mid to upper 30s. 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

Big Creek Lake

As of March 25 Big Creek still had some ice remaining, but should be out by the weekend. Channel Catfish - Good: Fishing for channel catfish during and shortly after ice out can be very good. Use dead shad or dead creek chubs and fish on the wind blown side of the lake.

Lake Petoka

The DNR will stock 1,500 rainbow trout on April 8.

Banner Lake (south)

A kids fishing event will be held on April 3. The DNR will stock 1,500 rainbow trout around noon.

Boone District Farm Ponds

Farm ponds can provide some good early spring fishing as they warm quicker. Catfish will be feeding heavily on dead baits. Bluegills and crappies can be caught sticking with lighter ice fishing tackle tipped with waxworks, spikes, or very small pieces of crawler.

Most central Iowa ponds and lakes are ice free or nearly ice free. Fishing reports will be updated as open water fishing picks up. Contact Ben Dodd or Andy Otting at 515-432-2823 for information on the above area lakes and rivers.

Lake Manawa

Anglers are having success in the canals which are ice free. Crappie - Good: Anglers are catching crappies in the canals casting small jigs. Sorting is necessary for 9 to 10-inch fish. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair: Wipers are also being caught in the canals on the small crappie jigs.

Most lakes and ponds are ice free which means open water fishing is just around the corner. For more information contact Bryan Hayes or Mark Boucher at the Cold Springs District Office at 712-769-2587.

Lake Icaria

Some ice remains. The perimeter is open and open areas should expand over the next few days.

Fogle Lake S.W.A.

Ice is gone and the lake is open.

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

The lake is over half open. the remaining ice should be mostly gone by the weekend.

Twelve Mile Creek Lake

A small area of ice remains in the lower portion of the lake. The remaining ice should disappear by the weekend.

Ice cover is shrinking quickly. Many ponds are open and the catfish are starting to bite. 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 temperatures and the possibility of 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.