04-21-2005, 03:05 PM
Northeast
Mississippi River Pools 9 to 15: Water levels are high, but slowly dropping and clarity is generally good. River stage at Guttenberg is 10.65 and is expected to fall steadily over the next week. Water temperature is in the middle 60s in Pools 9 to 11. High water over the past few weeks has slowed fishing in Pools 9 to 15, but many anglers are still catching fish. White bass and smallmouth bass are starting to bite on jigs and small spinner baits fished in the tailwater areas of Pools 9 to 11. In Pool 10, anglers are catching bluegills and yellow perch near the Harpers Ferry spillway and at the new DNR boat ramp in Guttenberg. Water level at Lock and Dam 12 is at 11.48 feet and dropping with a water temperature of 58 degrees. White bass are hitting twister tails, tube jigs, shad raps and night crawlers in the tailwaters of Lock and Dams 12 to 15 and at O'Leary's (Lock and Dam 11, Dubuque). Channel catfish are biting in Pools 12 to 15 on cut baits and night crawlers fished in flooded timber areas with current. Largemouth bass are being picked up in the flooded timber and off the rocks in the backwaters of Pools 12 to 15 using spinner baits and top-water lures. A few crappies are being taken off structure-mainly woody structure-in the backwaters of Pools 12 to 15. A few bluegills are also biting in the backwater areas of Pools 12 to 15.
Upper Iowa River (Howard, Winneshiek and Allamakee): The early sucker run is beginning and suckers are biting on the entire stretch of the river. Northern pike fishing is good below the lower dam in Winneshiek County.
West Fork Cedar, Cedar River and Beaver Creek (Black Hawk): Channel catfish are good on night crawlers or dead minnows with 1-1/2 to 3-pound fish common. The best catfishing often occurs the day after a spring shower hits the watershed. Northern pike are hitting live chubs floated under a bobber.
Shell Rock River (Bremer): Channel catfish are good on night crawlers and dead minnows fished off the bottom.
Lake Delhi (Delaware): Bluegill fishing is good on a piece of worm fished near the bottom in areas of the lake with 10 feet or more of water.
Lake Meyer (Winneshiek): Crappie fishing is excellent using small jigs fished near the dam.
Volga Lake (Fayette): Bluegill and crappie fishing is excellent off the rocks along the dam.
Brinker [East] Lake (Black Hawk): Yellow bass fishing is good using either a minnow or jig tipped with a wax worm.
Big Woods Lake (Black Hawk): Crappie fishing is good on small minnows fished next to structure.
South Prairie Lake (Black Hawk): Anglers are catching bluegills on small jigs or a piece of worm during the evening.
Alice Wyth and George Wyth lakes (Black Hawk): A few crappies are being caught with the best bite occurring on sunny afternoons using wax worms, hair jigs or minnows fished under a bobber in the warm, shallow water next to shore. Bluegill fishing is fair on wax worms or a piece of night crawler fished under a bobber.
Casey Lake (Tama): A few bluegills are being caught on a piece of worm fished during the evening hours.
Trout fishing is excellent and stream conditions are good to excellent. For current trout stocking information, contact the Iowa DNR at 563-927-5736 or go on-line at [url "http://www.iowadnr.com"]www.iowadnr.com[/url] and check the fisheries web pages to view the 2005 stocking calendar.
For information on fishing in northeast Iowa, call the regional office in Manchester at 563-927-3276.
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Northwest
Spirit Lake (Dickinson): Crappie fishing has been fair in Templar Park Lagoon. Try minnows or tube jigs under a bobber. Crappie fishing has picked up on the north side of the Grade. Most anglers are using minnows. Smallmouth bass fishing is excellent. Fish are moving to the mid depth structure. Slow jigging, small plastics and jerk baits are excellent this time of year. Largemouth bass are being caught at Buffalo Run, the Foot Bridge and around docks. Northern pike no longer has a closed season in the lakes area and there is an excellent population of smaller northerns.
West Lake Okoboji (Dickinson): Fishing is excellent for bluegills and crappies. Fish Emerson Bay canals, Miller's Bay canals and Lazy Lagoon. Use small earthworms or wax worms tipped on a small gold hook. Bass fishing is starting to pick up. The smaller fish are starting to move shallow. Use jigs and slow twitching crankbaits this time of year.
Center Lake (Dickinson): Anglers are catching 12 to 15-inch walleyes, with an occasional larger fish mixed in, on the south end of the lake. White bass are biting in the evening.
Minnewashta (Dickinson): Anglers are catching a few walleyes and white bass using twisters and crankbaits in the evening by the bridge.
Lower Gar (Dickinson): Anglers are catching a few white bass and walleye.
Silver Lake (Dickinson): Anglers are catching walleyes from shore and from boat. Most of the shore activity is after dark. Fish the windblown shores and rocky areas. Jigs and minnow style artificial lures as well as minnows are baits of choice. Anglers are also using leeches.
Lost Island (Clay and Palo Alto): Walleye fishing is good. Try the east shore in the park or the southwest bridge. Anglers are catching some 9 to 10-inch crappies towards evening.
Douma Pit (O'Brien): Anglers are catching some nice sized bluegills.
Big Sioux River (Lyon): Anglers are picking up a few walleyes below the Klondike Dam.
Storm Lake (Buena Vista): Walleye fishing is good trolling crankbaits and using twisters. Remember there is a 15-inch minimum length limit on walleyes at Storm Lake and only one fish longer than 22 inches may be kept per day.
Black Hawk Lake (Sac): A few walleyes are being caught, but most are too short to keep. Yellow bass fishing is excellent all over the lake, especially on the windy side. Use a tube jig under a bobber. Fishing is excellent for 7-1/2 to 8-1/2-inch bullheads.
Brushy Creek (Webster): Fishing is improving. Bass have started to move to shallow water. Lake water clarity has increase. Boat docks are in and ready for use.
Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo): Walleye fishing is good. Use jigs and minnows or slip bobbers and minnows and troll slowly. Fish the east shore, the Island, Billy's Reef, Dodge's Point or the Ventura Grade for the best action. Remember the 14-inch minimum length for walleyes at Clear Lake. Yellow bass are biting in the west end around the rushes, the north shore and the rock reefs on warm afternoons. Bullheads are fair using night crawlers in the west end.
Beeds Lake (Franklin): Largemouth bass are hitting on slow moving artificial baits. Anglers are catching fish up to 5 pounds.
Briggs Woods Lake (Hamilton): Bluegills and crappies are hitting small jigs near shore. Largemouth bass are fair using artificial baits fished slowly.
Little Wall Lake (Hamilton): Northern pike and largemouth bass are biting. Cast along the shoreline and habitat areas for the best success.
Indian Lake at Eldred Sherwood Park (Hancock): Bluegill fishing is fair using small jigs and night crawlers near shore.
Upper Pine Lake (Hardin): Crappie fishing is good using small jigs and minnows. The fish are in the shallow water near shore.
For more information on fishing in northwest Iowa, call the regional office in Spirit Lake at 712-336-1840.
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Southwest
Viking (Montgomery): Crappie and bluegills are being caught in the coves using tube jigs. Channel catfish are being caught on liver.
Cold Springs (Cass): Fishing is good for 6 to 8-inch crappies using jigs/minnows near shore around structure.
Manawa (Pottawattamie): Recent fish surveys found a good number of walleye along the beach area and north part of the lake near both boat amps. Walleyes can be caught wading in and casting smaller jigs with twister tails tipped with minnows in the shallow, sandy areas.
Orient (Adair): Fishing is fair for 7 to 8-inch crappies along the rocks in the evening.
Mormon Trail (Adair): A few crappies and catfish are being caught.
Prairie Rose (Shelby): Crappies are moving in to inlets and the warmer water. Catfish are being caught on dead minnows and cut bait.
Greenfield (Adair): A few crappies are being caught in the retention pond directly south of the main lake. Bass and a few bluegills are being caught on the main lake.
Willow Lake (Harrison): A few bluegills are being caught in brush piles.
Farm Ponds: Crappies, bass and bluegills are being caught in shallow bays that warm quickly.
Green Valley (Union): Some bluegills are being caught from the rocks along the jetties. Good numbers of large crappie are being caught over the deep rock structure. Some largemouth bass can be caught from the stake beds and tree piles. Big channel catfish can be caught using shad bait or liver in the shallow bays.
Three Mile (Union): Some walleye can be caught near the dam and over the rock piles. Crappies are starting to bite in deep wooded cover or over the deep brush piles. Bluegill can be caught near the brush piles. Yellow perch are being caught in the same areas as crappie. Channel catfish are being caught using blood bait or cut bait in the shallow bays and the upper end of the lake.
Twelve Mile (Union): Channel catfish can be caught on cut bait or blood baits at the upper end and in shallow bays. Some big walleye can be caught from deep rock areas near the dam. The lake is open to liberal fishing.
Walnut Creek Marsh (Union): Bluegill and crappie can be caught along the south dike using night crawlers and small jigs. Channel catfish are biting on shad bait and liver.
Fogle Lake (Ringgold): Channel catfish can be caught in shallow water. Crappie and largemouth bass can be caught from the rocks. Some bluegill can be caught from the rocks or flooded trees. The lake has refilled to within two and a half feet of full and the boat ramp is operational.
Little River (Decatur): Walleye are biting well with most of the activity across the face of the dam and around the big points. Some medium sized crappie can be caught over the deeper rocks and trees. Channel catfish can be caught from the upper end and shallow bays.
Don Williams (Story): Crappies are starting to hit well on minnows and jigs. Largemouth bass fishing has been good. Most of the fish are below the length limit, but a few are up to 19 inches. Bluegill fishing has been slow, with some caught on worms.
Hickory Grove (Story): Crappie fishing has been excellent using crappie jigs. The fish are suspended just a couple of feet below the surface. Bluegill fishing is starting to pick up using worms under bobbers. Largemouth bass fishing is still slow.
Rock Creek (Jasper): Bluegill fishing has been fair using jigs and wax worms. Crappie fishing has been fair to good using jigs and minnows. Anglers have been scattered across most of the lake.
Easter Lake (Polk): Crappie fishing has been good with jigs. Anglers are catching some walleye.
Below Saylorville Dam (Polk): Crappie fishing has been good to excellent in the tail waters of Saylorville and in the backwater ponds below Saylorville. Anglers are picking up some walleyes using various lures.
Red Rock (Marion): Crappie fishing is starting to pick up in the lake. Try to fish shallow areas of the lake that warm first.
Below Red Rock (Marion): Walleye fishing is slow to fair in the tail water area.
Lake Ahquabi (Warren): Fishing is beginning to pick up. Try around the fishing jetties and off the fish house on the south side of the lake for bluegill and crappie.
For more information on fishing in southwest Iowa, call the regional office in Lewis at 712-769-2587.
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Southeast
Mississippi River Pools 16 to 19: Fishing has been fair prior to high water conditions. Water levels on the Mississippi River are expected to drop and fishing conditions should improve. The lower pools will likely continue to have high water conditions. Fishing for channel catfish has been good prior to the rise in water levels. Channel catfish have been biting best on shad guts, shad, night crawlers and green worms, if available. Bluegill and crappie fishing has been fair in backwater areas on jigs tipped with minnows and worms or bobber rigs. Walleye and sauger fishing has been slow due to the recent high water conditions.
Lake Odessa (Louisa): Look for crappies in the shallow backwaters around trees as the water is warm enough but the days aren't long enough for them to start spawning.
Lake Darling (Washington): People are mostly getting their boats out for a ride. Anglers are catching a few catfish in the feeder streams after it rains; night crawlers and minnows are working the best.
Lake Geode (Henry): Anglers are catching a few bluegills and bass. Concentrate in the shallow bays adjacent to the deep drop-offs. Fish will be moving into the shallows to feed during warm afternoons.
Lake Belva Deer (Keokuk): The lake is officially full. Fishing is still slow but anglers are picking up a few bluegills and catfish.
Lake Rathbun (Appanoose): Crappie fishing remains slow. Some anglers are catching a few crappies on minnows. Fish the windswept points and shorelines for channel catfish using shad guts.
Lake Sugema (Van Buren): Bluegills have been biting on small jigs. Largemouth bass have been hitting on a variety of artificial lures. Walleyes have been hitting crankbaits fished around rocky shoreline areas.
Lake Hawthorn (Mahaska): Crappies have been hitting on tube jigs tipped with a minnow. Largemouth bass have been biting on spinner baits and plastic worms. Fish along the rocky shorelines and woody structure for best results.
Lake Macbride (Johnson): A few walleyes are still being caught along the rocky points and the dam. The popular technique is to use a white jig or a jig tipped with a minnow. Crappies are beginning to bite, but are still staging on the deeper brush piles.
Coralville Reservoir (Johnson): Channel catfish have been biting in shallow, warmer water for some anglers. Use dead shad on the bottom. A few crappies are being caught on small jigs and twisters.
Skunk River (Washington and Henry): Carp fishing is excellent below the dam at Oakland Mills. The water level is still high from recent rains.
Iowa River (Johnson): White bass are biting below the dams. Throw white spinners or twisters for the best results. Anglers are catching an occasional walleye.
Cedar River (Linn): Crappies are being caught in the backwater areas of the river. A jig and minnow or bobber and minnow combo works well.
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 9 to 15: Water levels are high, but slowly dropping and clarity is generally good. River stage at Guttenberg is 10.65 and is expected to fall steadily over the next week. Water temperature is in the middle 60s in Pools 9 to 11. High water over the past few weeks has slowed fishing in Pools 9 to 15, but many anglers are still catching fish. White bass and smallmouth bass are starting to bite on jigs and small spinner baits fished in the tailwater areas of Pools 9 to 11. In Pool 10, anglers are catching bluegills and yellow perch near the Harpers Ferry spillway and at the new DNR boat ramp in Guttenberg. Water level at Lock and Dam 12 is at 11.48 feet and dropping with a water temperature of 58 degrees. White bass are hitting twister tails, tube jigs, shad raps and night crawlers in the tailwaters of Lock and Dams 12 to 15 and at O'Leary's (Lock and Dam 11, Dubuque). Channel catfish are biting in Pools 12 to 15 on cut baits and night crawlers fished in flooded timber areas with current. Largemouth bass are being picked up in the flooded timber and off the rocks in the backwaters of Pools 12 to 15 using spinner baits and top-water lures. A few crappies are being taken off structure-mainly woody structure-in the backwaters of Pools 12 to 15. A few bluegills are also biting in the backwater areas of Pools 12 to 15.
Upper Iowa River (Howard, Winneshiek and Allamakee): The early sucker run is beginning and suckers are biting on the entire stretch of the river. Northern pike fishing is good below the lower dam in Winneshiek County.
West Fork Cedar, Cedar River and Beaver Creek (Black Hawk): Channel catfish are good on night crawlers or dead minnows with 1-1/2 to 3-pound fish common. The best catfishing often occurs the day after a spring shower hits the watershed. Northern pike are hitting live chubs floated under a bobber.
Shell Rock River (Bremer): Channel catfish are good on night crawlers and dead minnows fished off the bottom.
Lake Delhi (Delaware): Bluegill fishing is good on a piece of worm fished near the bottom in areas of the lake with 10 feet or more of water.
Lake Meyer (Winneshiek): Crappie fishing is excellent using small jigs fished near the dam.
Volga Lake (Fayette): Bluegill and crappie fishing is excellent off the rocks along the dam.
Brinker [East] Lake (Black Hawk): Yellow bass fishing is good using either a minnow or jig tipped with a wax worm.
Big Woods Lake (Black Hawk): Crappie fishing is good on small minnows fished next to structure.
South Prairie Lake (Black Hawk): Anglers are catching bluegills on small jigs or a piece of worm during the evening.
Alice Wyth and George Wyth lakes (Black Hawk): A few crappies are being caught with the best bite occurring on sunny afternoons using wax worms, hair jigs or minnows fished under a bobber in the warm, shallow water next to shore. Bluegill fishing is fair on wax worms or a piece of night crawler fished under a bobber.
Casey Lake (Tama): A few bluegills are being caught on a piece of worm fished during the evening hours.
Trout fishing is excellent and stream conditions are good to excellent. For current trout stocking information, contact the Iowa DNR at 563-927-5736 or go on-line at [url "http://www.iowadnr.com"]www.iowadnr.com[/url] and check the fisheries web pages to view the 2005 stocking calendar.
For information on fishing in northeast Iowa, call the regional office in Manchester at 563-927-3276.
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Northwest
Spirit Lake (Dickinson): Crappie fishing has been fair in Templar Park Lagoon. Try minnows or tube jigs under a bobber. Crappie fishing has picked up on the north side of the Grade. Most anglers are using minnows. Smallmouth bass fishing is excellent. Fish are moving to the mid depth structure. Slow jigging, small plastics and jerk baits are excellent this time of year. Largemouth bass are being caught at Buffalo Run, the Foot Bridge and around docks. Northern pike no longer has a closed season in the lakes area and there is an excellent population of smaller northerns.
West Lake Okoboji (Dickinson): Fishing is excellent for bluegills and crappies. Fish Emerson Bay canals, Miller's Bay canals and Lazy Lagoon. Use small earthworms or wax worms tipped on a small gold hook. Bass fishing is starting to pick up. The smaller fish are starting to move shallow. Use jigs and slow twitching crankbaits this time of year.
Center Lake (Dickinson): Anglers are catching 12 to 15-inch walleyes, with an occasional larger fish mixed in, on the south end of the lake. White bass are biting in the evening.
Minnewashta (Dickinson): Anglers are catching a few walleyes and white bass using twisters and crankbaits in the evening by the bridge.
Lower Gar (Dickinson): Anglers are catching a few white bass and walleye.
Silver Lake (Dickinson): Anglers are catching walleyes from shore and from boat. Most of the shore activity is after dark. Fish the windblown shores and rocky areas. Jigs and minnow style artificial lures as well as minnows are baits of choice. Anglers are also using leeches.
Lost Island (Clay and Palo Alto): Walleye fishing is good. Try the east shore in the park or the southwest bridge. Anglers are catching some 9 to 10-inch crappies towards evening.
Douma Pit (O'Brien): Anglers are catching some nice sized bluegills.
Big Sioux River (Lyon): Anglers are picking up a few walleyes below the Klondike Dam.
Storm Lake (Buena Vista): Walleye fishing is good trolling crankbaits and using twisters. Remember there is a 15-inch minimum length limit on walleyes at Storm Lake and only one fish longer than 22 inches may be kept per day.
Black Hawk Lake (Sac): A few walleyes are being caught, but most are too short to keep. Yellow bass fishing is excellent all over the lake, especially on the windy side. Use a tube jig under a bobber. Fishing is excellent for 7-1/2 to 8-1/2-inch bullheads.
Brushy Creek (Webster): Fishing is improving. Bass have started to move to shallow water. Lake water clarity has increase. Boat docks are in and ready for use.
Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo): Walleye fishing is good. Use jigs and minnows or slip bobbers and minnows and troll slowly. Fish the east shore, the Island, Billy's Reef, Dodge's Point or the Ventura Grade for the best action. Remember the 14-inch minimum length for walleyes at Clear Lake. Yellow bass are biting in the west end around the rushes, the north shore and the rock reefs on warm afternoons. Bullheads are fair using night crawlers in the west end.
Beeds Lake (Franklin): Largemouth bass are hitting on slow moving artificial baits. Anglers are catching fish up to 5 pounds.
Briggs Woods Lake (Hamilton): Bluegills and crappies are hitting small jigs near shore. Largemouth bass are fair using artificial baits fished slowly.
Little Wall Lake (Hamilton): Northern pike and largemouth bass are biting. Cast along the shoreline and habitat areas for the best success.
Indian Lake at Eldred Sherwood Park (Hancock): Bluegill fishing is fair using small jigs and night crawlers near shore.
Upper Pine Lake (Hardin): Crappie fishing is good using small jigs and minnows. The fish are in the shallow water near shore.
For more information on fishing in northwest Iowa, call the regional office in Spirit Lake at 712-336-1840.
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Southwest
Viking (Montgomery): Crappie and bluegills are being caught in the coves using tube jigs. Channel catfish are being caught on liver.
Cold Springs (Cass): Fishing is good for 6 to 8-inch crappies using jigs/minnows near shore around structure.
Manawa (Pottawattamie): Recent fish surveys found a good number of walleye along the beach area and north part of the lake near both boat amps. Walleyes can be caught wading in and casting smaller jigs with twister tails tipped with minnows in the shallow, sandy areas.
Orient (Adair): Fishing is fair for 7 to 8-inch crappies along the rocks in the evening.
Mormon Trail (Adair): A few crappies and catfish are being caught.
Prairie Rose (Shelby): Crappies are moving in to inlets and the warmer water. Catfish are being caught on dead minnows and cut bait.
Greenfield (Adair): A few crappies are being caught in the retention pond directly south of the main lake. Bass and a few bluegills are being caught on the main lake.
Willow Lake (Harrison): A few bluegills are being caught in brush piles.
Farm Ponds: Crappies, bass and bluegills are being caught in shallow bays that warm quickly.
Green Valley (Union): Some bluegills are being caught from the rocks along the jetties. Good numbers of large crappie are being caught over the deep rock structure. Some largemouth bass can be caught from the stake beds and tree piles. Big channel catfish can be caught using shad bait or liver in the shallow bays.
Three Mile (Union): Some walleye can be caught near the dam and over the rock piles. Crappies are starting to bite in deep wooded cover or over the deep brush piles. Bluegill can be caught near the brush piles. Yellow perch are being caught in the same areas as crappie. Channel catfish are being caught using blood bait or cut bait in the shallow bays and the upper end of the lake.
Twelve Mile (Union): Channel catfish can be caught on cut bait or blood baits at the upper end and in shallow bays. Some big walleye can be caught from deep rock areas near the dam. The lake is open to liberal fishing.
Walnut Creek Marsh (Union): Bluegill and crappie can be caught along the south dike using night crawlers and small jigs. Channel catfish are biting on shad bait and liver.
Fogle Lake (Ringgold): Channel catfish can be caught in shallow water. Crappie and largemouth bass can be caught from the rocks. Some bluegill can be caught from the rocks or flooded trees. The lake has refilled to within two and a half feet of full and the boat ramp is operational.
Little River (Decatur): Walleye are biting well with most of the activity across the face of the dam and around the big points. Some medium sized crappie can be caught over the deeper rocks and trees. Channel catfish can be caught from the upper end and shallow bays.
Don Williams (Story): Crappies are starting to hit well on minnows and jigs. Largemouth bass fishing has been good. Most of the fish are below the length limit, but a few are up to 19 inches. Bluegill fishing has been slow, with some caught on worms.
Hickory Grove (Story): Crappie fishing has been excellent using crappie jigs. The fish are suspended just a couple of feet below the surface. Bluegill fishing is starting to pick up using worms under bobbers. Largemouth bass fishing is still slow.
Rock Creek (Jasper): Bluegill fishing has been fair using jigs and wax worms. Crappie fishing has been fair to good using jigs and minnows. Anglers have been scattered across most of the lake.
Easter Lake (Polk): Crappie fishing has been good with jigs. Anglers are catching some walleye.
Below Saylorville Dam (Polk): Crappie fishing has been good to excellent in the tail waters of Saylorville and in the backwater ponds below Saylorville. Anglers are picking up some walleyes using various lures.
Red Rock (Marion): Crappie fishing is starting to pick up in the lake. Try to fish shallow areas of the lake that warm first.
Below Red Rock (Marion): Walleye fishing is slow to fair in the tail water area.
Lake Ahquabi (Warren): Fishing is beginning to pick up. Try around the fishing jetties and off the fish house on the south side of the lake for bluegill and crappie.
For more information on fishing in southwest Iowa, call the regional office in Lewis at 712-769-2587.
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Southeast
Mississippi River Pools 16 to 19: Fishing has been fair prior to high water conditions. Water levels on the Mississippi River are expected to drop and fishing conditions should improve. The lower pools will likely continue to have high water conditions. Fishing for channel catfish has been good prior to the rise in water levels. Channel catfish have been biting best on shad guts, shad, night crawlers and green worms, if available. Bluegill and crappie fishing has been fair in backwater areas on jigs tipped with minnows and worms or bobber rigs. Walleye and sauger fishing has been slow due to the recent high water conditions.
Lake Odessa (Louisa): Look for crappies in the shallow backwaters around trees as the water is warm enough but the days aren't long enough for them to start spawning.
Lake Darling (Washington): People are mostly getting their boats out for a ride. Anglers are catching a few catfish in the feeder streams after it rains; night crawlers and minnows are working the best.
Lake Geode (Henry): Anglers are catching a few bluegills and bass. Concentrate in the shallow bays adjacent to the deep drop-offs. Fish will be moving into the shallows to feed during warm afternoons.
Lake Belva Deer (Keokuk): The lake is officially full. Fishing is still slow but anglers are picking up a few bluegills and catfish.
Lake Rathbun (Appanoose): Crappie fishing remains slow. Some anglers are catching a few crappies on minnows. Fish the windswept points and shorelines for channel catfish using shad guts.
Lake Sugema (Van Buren): Bluegills have been biting on small jigs. Largemouth bass have been hitting on a variety of artificial lures. Walleyes have been hitting crankbaits fished around rocky shoreline areas.
Lake Hawthorn (Mahaska): Crappies have been hitting on tube jigs tipped with a minnow. Largemouth bass have been biting on spinner baits and plastic worms. Fish along the rocky shorelines and woody structure for best results.
Lake Macbride (Johnson): A few walleyes are still being caught along the rocky points and the dam. The popular technique is to use a white jig or a jig tipped with a minnow. Crappies are beginning to bite, but are still staging on the deeper brush piles.
Coralville Reservoir (Johnson): Channel catfish have been biting in shallow, warmer water for some anglers. Use dead shad on the bottom. A few crappies are being caught on small jigs and twisters.
Skunk River (Washington and Henry): Carp fishing is excellent below the dam at Oakland Mills. The water level is still high from recent rains.
Iowa River (Johnson): White bass are biting below the dams. Throw white spinners or twisters for the best results. Anglers are catching an occasional walleye.
Cedar River (Linn): Crappies are being caught in the backwater areas of the river. A jig and minnow or bobber and minnow combo works well.
For more information on fishing in southeast Iowa, call the regional office in Brighton at 319-694-2430.
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