02-04-2004, 10:34 PM
Southeast
Mississippi River Pools 16 to 19: Ice thickness varies from 5 to 6 inches on most backwater areas. Anglers are reporting fair to good fishing for bluegills and slow to fair fishing for crappies in Big Timber and Bell's Pocket.
Lake Odessa (Louisa): Bluegill fishing has slowed. Anglers are still catching some nice fish in Sand Run.
Lake Geode (Henry): Anglers are catching a few nice bluegills, but the action is not fast and furious. Late afternoon seems to be the best time. If the fish aren't biting there are still about 2,000 geese to watch.
Lake Darling (Washington): Not much fishing activity last week due to the sub-zero temperatures.
Lake Belva Deer (Keokuk): The ice by the dam is still not safe and the ice thickness is highly variable in the rest of the lake. Use extreme caution. A few bluegills are being caught in 15 to 20 feet of water on small jigs fished over habitat.
Lake Rathbun (Appanoose): Crappies have been biting on minnows and jigging lures. Fishing has picked up in the Atwell's and South Fork areas of the lake. Crappie fishing continues to be good at Honey Creek boat ramp and Buck Creek.
Lake Wapello (Davis): Ice conditions remain extremely variable with some open water areas. Use caution if venturing onto the ice and test for thickness regularly.
Lake Miami (Monroe): Bluegills have been biting on jigs tipped with a wax worm. Early mornings and late evenings remain the most productive times.
Lake Sugema (Van Buren): Bluegills have been biting on teardrop jigs tipped with a wax worm. An occasional crappie has been caught using minnows.
Coralville Reservoir (Johnson): Fishing has been slow for crappies. Crappies have been caught throughout the reservoir around the rock walls and brush piles.
Lake Macbride (Johnson): Anglers should be aware of poor ice conditions near the dam and Causeway Bridge area on the south arm. Fishing has been slow to fair with the best fishing in the early morning and just before and after dark for crappies around brush piles. Some decent bluegills have been caught, although sorting is required for sizeable fish.
Hannen Lake (Benton): Bluegill fishing has been fair using jigs tipped with wax worms. Some sorting is required for sizeable fish with best fishing in the morning and evening hours. Anglers are reminded that minnow usage is prohibited.
Lake Iowa (Iowa): Fishing has been fair for bluegills and crappies around brush piles in the late afternoon and evening using jigs tipped with wax worms.
Diamond Lake (Poweshiek): Fishing has been fair for crappie and bluegill using jigs tipped with wax worms around brush piles. Anglers are reminded that minnow usage is prohibited.
Pleasant Creek (Linn): Fishing has been fair for perch around the dam. Anglers have caught a few bluegill and crappie.
Farm ponds: Fishing has been fair for bluegills on jigs tipped with wax worms.
For more information on fishing in southeast Iowa, call the regional office in Brighton at (319) 694-2430.
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Mississippi River Pools 16 to 19: Ice thickness varies from 5 to 6 inches on most backwater areas. Anglers are reporting fair to good fishing for bluegills and slow to fair fishing for crappies in Big Timber and Bell's Pocket.
Lake Odessa (Louisa): Bluegill fishing has slowed. Anglers are still catching some nice fish in Sand Run.
Lake Geode (Henry): Anglers are catching a few nice bluegills, but the action is not fast and furious. Late afternoon seems to be the best time. If the fish aren't biting there are still about 2,000 geese to watch.
Lake Darling (Washington): Not much fishing activity last week due to the sub-zero temperatures.
Lake Belva Deer (Keokuk): The ice by the dam is still not safe and the ice thickness is highly variable in the rest of the lake. Use extreme caution. A few bluegills are being caught in 15 to 20 feet of water on small jigs fished over habitat.
Lake Rathbun (Appanoose): Crappies have been biting on minnows and jigging lures. Fishing has picked up in the Atwell's and South Fork areas of the lake. Crappie fishing continues to be good at Honey Creek boat ramp and Buck Creek.
Lake Wapello (Davis): Ice conditions remain extremely variable with some open water areas. Use caution if venturing onto the ice and test for thickness regularly.
Lake Miami (Monroe): Bluegills have been biting on jigs tipped with a wax worm. Early mornings and late evenings remain the most productive times.
Lake Sugema (Van Buren): Bluegills have been biting on teardrop jigs tipped with a wax worm. An occasional crappie has been caught using minnows.
Coralville Reservoir (Johnson): Fishing has been slow for crappies. Crappies have been caught throughout the reservoir around the rock walls and brush piles.
Lake Macbride (Johnson): Anglers should be aware of poor ice conditions near the dam and Causeway Bridge area on the south arm. Fishing has been slow to fair with the best fishing in the early morning and just before and after dark for crappies around brush piles. Some decent bluegills have been caught, although sorting is required for sizeable fish.
Hannen Lake (Benton): Bluegill fishing has been fair using jigs tipped with wax worms. Some sorting is required for sizeable fish with best fishing in the morning and evening hours. Anglers are reminded that minnow usage is prohibited.
Lake Iowa (Iowa): Fishing has been fair for bluegills and crappies around brush piles in the late afternoon and evening using jigs tipped with wax worms.
Diamond Lake (Poweshiek): Fishing has been fair for crappie and bluegill using jigs tipped with wax worms around brush piles. Anglers are reminded that minnow usage is prohibited.
Pleasant Creek (Linn): Fishing has been fair for perch around the dam. Anglers have caught a few bluegill and crappie.
Farm ponds: Fishing has been fair for bluegills on jigs tipped with wax worms.
For more information on fishing in southeast Iowa, call the regional office in Brighton at (319) 694-2430.
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