goofy
03-26-2008, 08:26 AM
Iowa Fishing Report
www.iowadnr.gov (http://www.iowadnr.gov/)
March 25, 2008
Ice conditions are deteriorating rapidly across the state, with many lakes and ponds in central and southern Iowa either ice free or with extremely poor quality ice. Conditions on north Iowa lakes are also deteriorating. Anglers should use extreme caution before heading out on any ice.
For current information, contact the district fisheries office. Phone numbers are listed with each district report.
Southwest
Ice conditions have been reported as unsafe and smaller and medium-sized water bodies across the southwest district are ice free.
Three Mile Lake ( Union ): Ice conditions are unsafe. There is approximately 40 feet of open water around the edge of the lake.
Contact: Gary Sobotka (641)464-3108 for information on the above area lakes.
For more information on general fishing in southwest Iowa , call the regional office in Lewis at 712-769-2587.
Northwest
Most lakes from Hwy. 20 and south are not safe for ice fishing but are still frozen over.
Spirit Lake ( Dickinson ): Bluegills are fair on the Grade, Trickles Slough and Anglers Bay . Anglers are catching 9 to 10-inch yellow perch and a few crappies in Trickles Slough.
West Okoboji Lake ( Dickinson ):Fishing is improving for crappie, yellow perch and bluegills. A word of caution: the ice around the points is beginning to thin, but the main bays still have nearly 30 inches of ice.
Storm Lake ( Buena Vista ): Anglers continue to catch some walleyes, mainly on a bobber and live minnow.
Clear Lake ( Cerro Gordo ): Ice conditions are starting to deteriorate, especially at the access points. Anglers are still traveling out on foot to the Island and Billy’s reef areas. Walleye and yellow bass are hitting in the early morning and evening time periods. Minnows below a bobber and smaller jigging spoons are the best techniques.
For more information on fishing in northwest Iowa , call the regional office in Spirit Lake at 712-336-1840.
Northeast
Lake Meyer (Winneshiek): Fishing has slowed, but anglers are still picking up fish suspended around brush piles. Some 7 to 9-inch crappies are being caught using a chartreuse teardrop or small jig. Small bluegills and bass are also being caught around the brush piles.
Hendricks Lake (Howard): Anglers are catching a few nice-sized bluegills and crappies. The best fishing seems to be early morning or late evening. Fishing for largemouth bass with some as large as 18 inches is fair on minnows.
Volga Lake (Fayette): Fishing has been slow. Try fishing for crappies just under the ice.
Turkey River (Clayton and Fayette): With improving water levels walleye fishing should improve. Try using jigs tipped with live bait fished in deeper holes.
Upper Iowa River (Winneshiek and Allamakee): With improving water levels walleye fishing should improve. Try using jigs tipped with live bait fished in deeper holes.
Trout streams are running a little high but clear. Brown trout seem to be really aggressive when the melt water starts to enter the stream and the water gets cloudy.
For information on fishing in northeast Iowa , call the regional office in Manchester at 563-927-3276.
Southeast
Mississippi River Pools 16 to 20: In Pool 16, tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 15 is 10.88 feet and is expected to rise slightly. Anglers are still catching some walleyes and saugers below the dam at Davenport and up in Sylvan Slough on jigs and minnows. In Pool 17, tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 16 is 10.54 feet and is forecasted to rise slightly then begin falling by late Tuesday or Wednesday. Walleye and sauger fishing has slowed with the rising water but some fish are still being caught below the dam on jigs and minnows. Channel catfish are being caught on shad guts around the Big Timber backwater complex. Big Timber has also been producing some crappies on minnows and wax worms. As of last week, with the higher water, the ramp at Big Timber was underwater so access may be limited.
In Pool 18, tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 17 is 13.3 feet and is forecasted to crest at 13.7 feet, and is expected to start falling on Tuesday. The Toolesboro landing is under water and the road has been closed. Anglers will have to access the tailwaters at New Boston on the Illinois side of the river. In Pool 19, tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 18 is forecasted to reach 9.4 feet on Monday. No fishing report due to high water. In Pool 20, tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 19 is 12.2 feet and is forecasted to start falling by Wednesday. No fishing report.
Lake Darling ( Washington ): Ice conditions are unsafe and expect the ice to be gone by the end of the week.
Lake Belva Deer (Keokuk): Ice conditions are unsafe and expect the ice to be gone by the end of the week.
Lake Geode(Henry): Anglers have had their boats out for the last week
Lake Rathbun(Appanoose): Channel catfish have been biting on shad guts. Look for areas where there is water flowing into the lake. There is still ice on some areas. The water temperature is 37 degrees.
Lake Sugema(Van Buren): Channel catfish have been biting on shad guts and night crawlers. Bluegills have been hitting on small jigs tipped with a wax worm. The ice is completely off the lake.
Lake Wapello ( Davis ): Channel catfish have been biting on shad guts. The ice is completely off the lake.
Lake Macbride(Johnson): Not recommended for ice fishing.
Diamond Lake(Poweshiek): Not recommended for ice fishing.
Pleasant Creek (Linn): Not recommended for ice fishing.
Kent Park Lake(Johnson): Not recommended for ice fishing.
Union Grove Lake(Tama): Not recommended for ice fishing.
Des Moines River(Van Buren, near Keosauqua): Channel catfish have been biting on shad guts and night crawlers.
For more information on fishing in southeast Iowa , call the regional office in Brighton at 319-694-2430.
www.iowadnr.gov (http://www.iowadnr.gov/)
March 25, 2008
Ice conditions are deteriorating rapidly across the state, with many lakes and ponds in central and southern Iowa either ice free or with extremely poor quality ice. Conditions on north Iowa lakes are also deteriorating. Anglers should use extreme caution before heading out on any ice.
For current information, contact the district fisheries office. Phone numbers are listed with each district report.
Southwest
Ice conditions have been reported as unsafe and smaller and medium-sized water bodies across the southwest district are ice free.
Three Mile Lake ( Union ): Ice conditions are unsafe. There is approximately 40 feet of open water around the edge of the lake.
Contact: Gary Sobotka (641)464-3108 for information on the above area lakes.
For more information on general fishing in southwest Iowa , call the regional office in Lewis at 712-769-2587.
Northwest
Most lakes from Hwy. 20 and south are not safe for ice fishing but are still frozen over.
Spirit Lake ( Dickinson ): Bluegills are fair on the Grade, Trickles Slough and Anglers Bay . Anglers are catching 9 to 10-inch yellow perch and a few crappies in Trickles Slough.
West Okoboji Lake ( Dickinson ):Fishing is improving for crappie, yellow perch and bluegills. A word of caution: the ice around the points is beginning to thin, but the main bays still have nearly 30 inches of ice.
Storm Lake ( Buena Vista ): Anglers continue to catch some walleyes, mainly on a bobber and live minnow.
Clear Lake ( Cerro Gordo ): Ice conditions are starting to deteriorate, especially at the access points. Anglers are still traveling out on foot to the Island and Billy’s reef areas. Walleye and yellow bass are hitting in the early morning and evening time periods. Minnows below a bobber and smaller jigging spoons are the best techniques.
For more information on fishing in northwest Iowa , call the regional office in Spirit Lake at 712-336-1840.
Northeast
Lake Meyer (Winneshiek): Fishing has slowed, but anglers are still picking up fish suspended around brush piles. Some 7 to 9-inch crappies are being caught using a chartreuse teardrop or small jig. Small bluegills and bass are also being caught around the brush piles.
Hendricks Lake (Howard): Anglers are catching a few nice-sized bluegills and crappies. The best fishing seems to be early morning or late evening. Fishing for largemouth bass with some as large as 18 inches is fair on minnows.
Volga Lake (Fayette): Fishing has been slow. Try fishing for crappies just under the ice.
Turkey River (Clayton and Fayette): With improving water levels walleye fishing should improve. Try using jigs tipped with live bait fished in deeper holes.
Upper Iowa River (Winneshiek and Allamakee): With improving water levels walleye fishing should improve. Try using jigs tipped with live bait fished in deeper holes.
Trout streams are running a little high but clear. Brown trout seem to be really aggressive when the melt water starts to enter the stream and the water gets cloudy.
For information on fishing in northeast Iowa , call the regional office in Manchester at 563-927-3276.
Southeast
Mississippi River Pools 16 to 20: In Pool 16, tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 15 is 10.88 feet and is expected to rise slightly. Anglers are still catching some walleyes and saugers below the dam at Davenport and up in Sylvan Slough on jigs and minnows. In Pool 17, tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 16 is 10.54 feet and is forecasted to rise slightly then begin falling by late Tuesday or Wednesday. Walleye and sauger fishing has slowed with the rising water but some fish are still being caught below the dam on jigs and minnows. Channel catfish are being caught on shad guts around the Big Timber backwater complex. Big Timber has also been producing some crappies on minnows and wax worms. As of last week, with the higher water, the ramp at Big Timber was underwater so access may be limited.
In Pool 18, tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 17 is 13.3 feet and is forecasted to crest at 13.7 feet, and is expected to start falling on Tuesday. The Toolesboro landing is under water and the road has been closed. Anglers will have to access the tailwaters at New Boston on the Illinois side of the river. In Pool 19, tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 18 is forecasted to reach 9.4 feet on Monday. No fishing report due to high water. In Pool 20, tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 19 is 12.2 feet and is forecasted to start falling by Wednesday. No fishing report.
Lake Darling ( Washington ): Ice conditions are unsafe and expect the ice to be gone by the end of the week.
Lake Belva Deer (Keokuk): Ice conditions are unsafe and expect the ice to be gone by the end of the week.
Lake Geode(Henry): Anglers have had their boats out for the last week
Lake Rathbun(Appanoose): Channel catfish have been biting on shad guts. Look for areas where there is water flowing into the lake. There is still ice on some areas. The water temperature is 37 degrees.
Lake Sugema(Van Buren): Channel catfish have been biting on shad guts and night crawlers. Bluegills have been hitting on small jigs tipped with a wax worm. The ice is completely off the lake.
Lake Wapello ( Davis ): Channel catfish have been biting on shad guts. The ice is completely off the lake.
Lake Macbride(Johnson): Not recommended for ice fishing.
Diamond Lake(Poweshiek): Not recommended for ice fishing.
Pleasant Creek (Linn): Not recommended for ice fishing.
Kent Park Lake(Johnson): Not recommended for ice fishing.
Union Grove Lake(Tama): Not recommended for ice fishing.
Des Moines River(Van Buren, near Keosauqua): Channel catfish have been biting on shad guts and night crawlers.
For more information on fishing in southeast Iowa , call the regional office in Brighton at 319-694-2430.