Weekly Fishing Report

Learn the best hot spots and latest news about Iowa’s fishing opportunities from region to region. 

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How to Read Our Weekly Iowa Fishing Report
DNR’s weekly fishing report is broken down by counties or regions – northwest, northeast, Mississippi river, southeast and southwest. You can check the activity of your favorite lake or stretch of river within each region, including which species are being caught, a rating of the bite (slow, fair, good or excellent), as well as a hot bait or lure pattern.

Fishing reports may include information on stream or river flows (and if it is rising or dropping), ice conditions, depths that fish are biting (watch for trends if this changes), or safety issues like if the water suddenly becomes shallow in spots.

Iowa Fishing Report for May 29, 2025:

NORTHWEST

Black Hawk Lake
Water levels are several inches over the crest of the spillway. Water temperature is in the low 60s. Water clarity is about 2 to 3 feet. Black Crappie - Fair: Anglers are catching crappie along Ice House Point shoreline and in the marina. Bluegill - Fair: Anglers are picking up some keeper-size bluegill (7-inches) while fishing near shore for crappies. Walleye - Fair: The bite has slowed. Throw a twister or soft plastic near shore during late evening. Also use a leech, crawler, or minnow under a slip bobber near shore. Yellow Perch -Slow.

Brushy Creek Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Find crappie near shore in 5-10 feet of water near submerged structure along the shorelines.  Bluegill - Fair: Use small jig tipped with a piece of crawler fished under a bobber near shore.  Walleye - Fair.

North Twin Lake
Water level is about 6 inches below crest.  Walleye - Fair: Throw a twister or use a crawler or minnow under a slip bobber.

Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
Water temperatures are in the low 60s. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try crawlers or cut bait on the bottom fished from shore.  Walleye - Fair:  Fishing from shore has slowed with dropping water temperatures. Boat anglers are having better luck; use crankbaits or a bottom bouncer rig fished near the dredge cut. White Bass - Fair.  Yellow Bass - Fair.

Water temperatures are in the low 60s in most area lakes. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.

Beeds Lake
Black Crappie - Good: Catch spawning crappie with small jigs near shore.

Clear Lake
Water temperature are in the low 60s. Forecast warmer temperatures will improve angling. Black Crappie - Fair:  Warmer temperatures should bring spawning crappie back into the rush beds.  Walleye - Good: Try live bait or crankbaits near deeper vegetation beds. Yellow Bass – Slow: Yellow bass moved off spawning habitat with the cooler temperatures.  Warming water should bring the remaining fish that have not spawned back in.  Use small jigs in shallow rock on warmer days.

Crystal Lake
Black Crappie -Good: Use small jigs or minnows to catch 7- to 10-inch crappie near shore.

Rice Lake
Bluegill - Fair: Try small jigs in areas with firm bottom substrate to find bluegills on beds.  Largemouth Bass- Good: Use jigs and spinnerbaits near shoreline habitat.  Yellow Perch - Fair: Try small jigs with a piece of crawler.  Sorting is needed for larger fish.

Silver Lake (Worth)
Bluegill – Good: Bluegill are building beds; try small jigs near these areas.  Yellow Perch – Good: Use a small jig in 4-5 feet of water. Perch are scattered; try different locations to find them.

Free fishing weekend is coming up June 6-8 for Iowa residents.  For additional information, contact Clear Lake Fisheries Office at 641-357-3517.lear Lake Fisheries Office at 641-357-3517.

Center Lake
Black Crappie - Good:  Some sorting is needed.

East Okoboji Lake
Water temperatures are in the low 60s.  Black Crappie - Fair:  Bluegill - Fair. Largemouth Bass - Fair:  Yellow Perch - Fair: Many fish have been observed; sorting will most likely be needed.

Ingham Lake
Walleye - Fair: Best bite is morning and afternoon.

Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Walleye - Fair: Bite is hit-or-miss.

Spirit Lake
The Marble Beach fish cleaning station is fully operational.  Black Crappie - Fair: Anglers are finding quality-size fish up to 14-inches. Anglers report some success around Templar Lagoon.  Bluegill - Fair.  Yellow Perch - Fair: Sorting is needed; anglers are finding many acceptable-size fish.

West Okoboji Lake
Water temperatures are in the upper 50s. Black Crappie - Fair:  Bluegill - Fair. 

Water temperatures have dropped a bit due to the recent colder weather and rain. Most are still in the low 60s and should rise quickly with upcoming warm weather.  Most lakes are just above crest level. Panfishing has been very good close to shore as fish move in shallow as water temperatures increase. For current conditions, call 712-330-2542.

NORTHEAST

Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water temperatures are warming. Water levels are stabilizing.  Anglers are finding a variety of fish using live bait.  Black Crappie - Good: Action is picking up; use minnows. Channel Catfish - Good: Anglers using minnows fished on the bottom are finding good action in impoundments and off channel areas. Smallmouth Bass - Excellent:  Use a jig tipped with a minnow fished through a deeper hole out of current. Walleye - Good: Find walleye in deeper holes and out of current using minnows or worms.  Yellow Perch - Good: The perch bite is on.  Anglers using a jig tipped with a minnow are finding fish.

Decorah District Streams
Catchable trout stockings are weekly with streams announced once a month. Trout streams are in excellent condition. Flows remain elevated.  Gnats and mosquitoes are common. Caddisfly and mayfly hatches are becoming more numerous, especially on warm sunny days. Brook Trout - Fair: A variety of insect hatches are occurring. Use care not to alarm fish when approaching streams with clear water. Brown Trout - Good: Try fishing near or around undercut banks. Spinnerbaits work well, especially in windy conditions. Use streamers on larger waterbodies for exciting action.  Brown trout prefer slightly off-color water.  Rainbow Trout - Excellent: Use spinnerbaits, hair jigs, or hooks tipped with a small piece of worm, dough ball, or cheese floated through deeper water. Use bait if you plan to keep your catch.

Lake Hendricks
Water temperature are warming. The water is clear.  Black Crappie - Fair: Try angling higher in the water column in the late afternoon. Usr a jig tipped with a plastic tail over rocky humps.  Bluegill - Good. Find gills around pallet structures. Use a small hook tipped with a worm under a bobber. Largemouth Bass -Good: Try spinnerbaits along weed lines in about 6 feet of water.  

Lake Meyer
Water temperatures are warming. Water clarity is 2 feet.  Black Crappie - Good.  Find fish in shallow water.  Use a jig tipped with nightcrawlers or spinnerbaits.  Bluegill - Good: Use a small jig tipped with a waxworm or red worms around the jetties. Largemouth Bass - Good: Find bass in shallow to spawn or near woody structure near shore.

Turkey River (below Clermont)
Water temperatures are rising as water levels stabilize. Water clarity is good.  Smallmouth Bass - Good: Use a jig tipped with a minnow. Walleye - Good. Try a jig tipped with a minnow or spinnerbait just off the channel out of current.  White Sucker – Fair: Use worms fished on the stream bottom. 

Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Water temperature are rising as levels stabilize. Water clarity is good. Smallmouth Bass - Good. Walleye - Good: Use a jig tipped with a minnow in slack water below the dams. White Sucker - Fair: Try a worm fished on the stream bottom.

Volga Lake
Water temperature are warming slowly with good visibility.  Black Crappie - Fair: Find crappie around woody structure. Use a flashy lure to attract attention. Bluegill - Good: Find bluegills around structure near shore. Use small jigs tipped with waxworms or a small piece of nightcrawler.  Largemouth Bass - Good: Try crankbaits or spinnerbaits near shore around downed trees or rocky areas.

Temperatures are in the low 80s to 50s, with a chance of showers Saturday. For more information, contact the Chuck Gipp Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.

Big Woods Lake
Anglers are catching crappie; some sorting may be needed. Black Crappie - Good: Drift a minnow under a slip bobber or cast and retrieve crappie jigs around structure.

Brinker Lake
Anglers are catching crappie. Black Crappie - Fair: Drift a minnow under a slip bobber or cast and retrieve crappie jigs.

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City) 
Anglers are catching channel catfish.  Channel Catfish - Good: Use dead cut baits and stink baits.  

George Wyth Lake
Anglers are catching crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass and walleye. Black Crappie - Good: Look for structures; drift a minnow under a slip bobber or cast and retrieve crappie jigs.  Largemouth Bass - Good: Try topwater or spinnerbaits early morning or late evening.  Walleye - Good: Try jigging or trolling crankbaits.

Lake Delhi
Avoid mid-afternoons and weekends due to heavy boat traffic. Black Crappie - Good: Try a live minnow under a slip bobber or cast various colored tube or hair jigs near structure.  Bluegill - Good: Use a piece of nightcrawler underneath a slip bobber near structure.

Manchester District Streams
Next week’s forecast calls for temperatures in the 70s; should be good aquatic insect hatches to provide great trout fishing.  Brown Trout - Good: Match the hatches with dry flies.

Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
Anglers are catching walleye and smallmouth bass. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Try a jig head with plastics with or without a live minnow or cast and retrieve crankbaits or spinnerbaits. Walleye - Fair: Use a jig head with plastics with or without a live minnow. Look for the deeper pools, current breaks, and tail ends of riffles. 

Maquoketa River (below Monticello)
River levels continue to fall in Jones and Jackson counties.  Anglers are catching smallmouth bass, walleye, and channel catfish.  Smallmouth Bass - Excellent: Cast and retrieve spinnerbaits or a jig tipped with half a nightcrawler.  Walleye - Good: Try a jig head with plastics with or without a live minnow.  Look for the deeper pool current breaks and tail ends of riffles.

Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
We have received no information regarding fishing on this water body this week.

Wapsi River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
Channel catfish are a good target species with increased water temperatures.  Channel Catfish - Good: Use dead cut baits. 

Most interior river levels continue to fall. Anglers are catching a few walleye, smallmouth bass, and channel catfish on the rivers.  Good reports on area lakes of anglers catching crappie, bluegill and largemouth bass as the lakes start to warm in and around the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area. Crappie are in the spawning mode; bluegills will follow shortly. Trout streams are in excellent condition. For more information, contact Manchester Hatchery at 563-927-3276.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER

Mississippi River Pool 9
Water level is 8.7 feet at Lansing and is expected to stabilize. Water temperature is near 65 degrees. Black Crappie - Fair: Use small tube jigs or minnows fished in fallen trees in backwaters and side channels.  Channel Catfish - Good: Try a weighted crawler off the bottom in current eddies.  Flathead Catfish - Fair: Reports of some flatheads biting as they are feeding pre-spawn. Try large shiners or a small sunfish for bait. Largemouth Bass - Good: Throw plastics along the shorelines in the upper end of backwaters away from current.  Northern Pike - Good: Pike are on the feed after the spawn.  Try larger flashy spinnerbaits in the shallows and weedy shorelines. Sauger - Slow:  Use a hair jig tipped with a minnow out of the current near Lock and Dam tailwaters. Anglers are picking up sauger downriver on closing dams.  Expect the bite to pick up again post-spawn.  Smallmouth Bass - Good: Use spinners along the rocks on shorelines with current. Walleye- Slow: Use a hair jig tipped with a minnow out of the current near Lock and Dam tailwaters. Anglers are picking up walleye downriver on closing dams.  Expect the bite to pick up again post-spawn. Yellow Perch - Fair: Use a crappie rig tipped with worms or a minnow in the current seams off shore.

Mississippi River Pool 10
Water level is near 617 feet at Lynxville and is predicted to gradually fall next week.  Water temperature is 67 degrees at the Lock and Dam.  The road at Sny Magill ramp has reopened.  Black Crappie - Fair: Use small tube jigs or minnows in fallen trees in backwaters and side channels.  Channel Catfish - Good: Try a weighted crawler off the bottom in current eddies.  Flathead Catfish - Fair: Reports of some flatheads biting as they are feeding pre-spawn.  Try large shiners or a small bluegill for bait.  Largemouth Bass - Fair: Throw plastics along the shorelines in the upper end of backwaters away from the current.  Northern Pike - Good: Pike are on the feed after the spawn. Try larger flashy spinnerbaits in the shallows and weedy shorelines.  Sauger - Slow: Use a hair jig tipped with a minnow out of the current near Lock and Dam tailwaters. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Use spinners along the rocks on shorelines with current. Walleye - Slow: Use a hair jig tipped with a minnow out of the current near Lock and Dam tailwaters. Anglers are picking up walleye downriver on closing dams. Expect the bite to pick up again post-spawn. Yellow Perch - Good: Use a crappie rig tipped with worms or a minnow in the current seams off shore.

Mississippi River Pool 11
Water level is near 8.4 feet at Guttenberg and is expected to gradually recede. Water temperature is near 65 degrees.  Black Crappie - Fair: Use small tube jigs or minnows fished in fallen trees in backwaters and side channels.  Channel Catfish - Good: Try a weighted crawler off the bottom in current eddies.  Fathead Catfish - Good: Reports of some flatheads biting as they are feeding pre-spawn.  Try large shiners or a small bluegill for bait.  Largemouth Bass- Fair: Throw plastic along the shorelines in the upper end of backwaters away from current.  Northern Pike - Fair: Pike are on the feed after the spawn. Try larger flashy spinnerbaits in the shallows and weedy shorelines. Sauger - No report: Use a hair jig tipped with a minnow out of the current near Lock and Dam tailwaters. Anglers are picking up sauger downriver on closing dams. Expect the bite to pick up again post-spawn.  Smallmouth Bass - Good:  Use spinners along the rocks on shorelines with current.  Walleye - No report: Use a hair jig tipped with a minnow out of the current near Lock and Dam tailwaters. Anglers are picking up walleye downriver on closing dams. Expect the bite to pick up again post-spawn.  Yellow Perch - Fair: Use a crappie rig tipped with worms or a minnow in the current seams off shore. Perch are biting off shore at Mud Lake park near Dubuque.

Upper Mississippi River water levels are on a gradual fall. Water temperature is in mid to upper 60s. Multiple species are biting with the warmer water temperatures.  Panfish have started to spawn in the shallow shoreline areas.

SOUTHEAST

Cedar River (Cedar Rapids to Moscow)
Channel Catfish - Good: Use dip bait around brush piles and rocks. Flathead Catfish - Fair: Anglers are catching a catfish on live bait such as green sunfish and bullheads around brush piles and rocks. Sauger - Slow: Try fishing sand bars early mornings. Walleye - Slow: Try fishing sand bars early mornings. 

Cedar River (La Porte City to Cedar Rapids)
Channel Catfish -Good: Use dip bait near brush piles and rocks.  Walleye - Fair.

Central Park Lake
Black Crappie – Fair.  Bluegill – Good. Largemouth Bass – Good.  Redear Sunfish – Good.

Coralville Reservoir
Channel Catfish - Good.  Flathead Catfish - Slow.  Largemouth Bass - Fair.  Spotted Bass - Fair.  White Crappie - Fair: Try fishing in brush piles or rock areas.

Diamond Lake
Black Crappie - Good: Angler are catching 7- to 9-inch crappies spawning around brush piles.  Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try fishing around brush piles.  White Crappie - Good: Try fishing around brush piles and rock shorelines. Most fish are 7- to 9-inches.

Hannen Lake
Black Crappie - Good: Anglers are catching mostly 8- to 11-inch crappie around brush piles. Bluegill - Good: Anglers are catching mostly 4- to 7-inch bluegills around brush piles. Largemouth Bass - Good: Try fishing around brush piles.

Iowa Lake (Iowa Co.)
Water is very clear, so fish spook easily.  Use lighter line and hooks to catch more fish. Black Crappie - Fair: Try fishing around brush piles.  Bluegill - Fair: Try fishing brush piles in deeper water and weed edges in 9 feet of water.  Channel Catfish - Fair: Anglers are catching catfish. Largemouth Bass - Good: Try fishing weed edges.

Iowa River (Coralville Lake to River Junction)
Channel Catfish - Good: Use stinkbait or cut bait near brush piles and rock with current seams.  Flathead Catfish - Fair: Try live bait near brush piles and rock. Sauger - Slow. Smallmouth Bass - Slow. Spotted Bass - Slow; Use crankbaits or leadhead with fluke.   Walleye - Fair. White Bass - Fair.. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair.

Iowa River (Marshalltown to Coralville Lake)
Channel Catfish - Good: Use stink bait or cut bait near brush piles and rocks. Flathead Catfish - Fair: Try live bait near brush piles and rocks. Walleye - Slow: Anglers are catching walleye with soft plastics.  

Lake Macbride
The seasonal 10 horse motor restriction is in effect. Bluegill - Fair.  Largemouth Bass - Good: Try fishing around brush piles.  Muskellunge - Slow.  Spotted Bass - Good.  Walleye- Good: Try fishing around rock piles. White Crappie - Fair: Try fishing around brush piles and rock areas.  Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair.

Pleasant Creek Lake
Black Crappie - Good.  Bluegill - Good. Largemouth Bass -Good.  Muskellunge - Fair.  Walleye - Good: Best bite is at night. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair. 

Sand Lake 
Rainbow Trout – No report. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.  

Wapsipinicon River (Troy Mills to Oxford Junction)
Black Crappie - Good: Try fishing around brush piles.  Channel Catfish - Good: Use cut bait or dip bait.  Flathead Catfish -Slow. Smallmouth Bass - Fair. Walleye - Fair.

For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.

Hawthorn Lake
Black Crappie - Fair.  Use small jigs around structure and the jetties.  Largemouth Bass - Good: Try plastics around the jetties and along the face of the dam.

Lake Keomah
Lake Keomah is drained for a lake restoration project. Please stay out of the lakebed.

Lake Miami
Black Crappie - Fair: Try small jigs around the jetties and along the dam.  Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills will move shallow as they spawn.  Use small jigs along the shorelines.  Largemouth Bass -Fair: Target the area along the dam and around the jetties.

Lake Sugema
Black Crappie - Fair: Try jigs or jig/minnow combos. Keep moving until you find active fish. Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs in the shallows and around underwater habitat.  Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try spinnerbaits and plastics around the fishing jetties and along the face of the dam.

Lake Wapello
Black Crappie - Good: Use small jigs around structure and the shorelines.  Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are on the beds and moving shallow.  Use small jigs in these areas.  Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try spinnerbaits and plastics around the cedar tree piles.

Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 904.34 msl; recreation pool is 904 msl. Lake Rathbun has zebra mussels; drain, clean and dry equipment before transporting to another waterbody.  Black Crappies - Good: Crappies have moved shallow and are biting along the shorelines.  Try small jigs or jigs under a slip bobber.  Walleye - Slow: Target post spawn walleyes around rock piles in 8-12 feet of water.  Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair: Anglers are catching hybrids.  Look for rock piles and rock reefs.  Cast crankbaits or try vertically jigging.

Red Haw Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Try small jigs along the shoreline and around the jetties.  Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs around the shallows and any structure close to shore.  Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use spinners or plastics along shorelines.

Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions about fishing in south central Iowa. 

SOUTHWEST

Big Creek Lake
Anglers may notice orange and white buoys in the northwest arm of the lake.  These buoys are marking equipment on the bottom of the lake used in an ongoing fishery research project.  Please do not disturb them. Bluegill - Good: Catch bluegill shallow on the upper half of the lake and in the backs of coves with chunks of nightcrawlers or leeches.  Walleye - Fair:  Jig or troll live bait rigs off humps and around points in 10 to 20 feet of water during the day and shallower in the evenings near sunset.

Des Moines River (Stratford to Saylorville Lake)
Channel Catfish - Good: Try cut baits and stink baits ahead of wood debris.

Hickory Grove Lake
Black Crappie - Fair:  The crappie spawn is finishing up. Cast small plastics or live minnows under floats near any wood or rock habitat along and just off shore. Drift or troll jigs 3-6 feet deep to catch post-spawn crappies.  Bluegill - Good: Bluegills have moved shallow to spawn. Use worms or very small plastics under a bobber near shore in 2 to 5 feet of water.

Red Rock Reservoir
Channel Catfish - Good: Drif cut baits on the upper end of the reservoir near and above the Mile Long Bridge.

Roberts Creek Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Drift or troll small twister tails or swim baits at depths of 3-6 feet in the lower half of the lake to catch post-spawn crappies.

For information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers contact Andy Otting at 515-204-5885.

Greenfield Lake
Channel Catfish - Fair. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Greenfield has a good largemouth bass population.

Lake Anita
Black Crappie - Slow: Anglers are catching crappies around deep structure late in the day.  Bluegill - Good: Find bluegills close to historical spawning sites. Largemouth Bass - Fair.

Littlefield Lake
Black Crappie - Slow: Littlefield has a good population of 9-inch black crappie.  Bluegill - Fair: Cast the shoreline to find spawning bluegill.  Fish average 8-inches.  

Mormon Trail Lake
Bluegill - Fair: Cast the shoreline to find spawning bluegill. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Mormon Trail has a good largemouth bass population with a good percent of fish over 15-inches.

Prairie Rose Lake
The water is extremely clear after the alum treatment. Black Crappie - Slow: Look for crappie around the tree piles.  Bluegill - Good: Bluegills are spawning on the underwater reefs and pea-gravel beds placed in the lake.  Largemouth Bass - Good: Anglers are catching largemouth bass casting the shoreline.

Viking Lake
Water clarity is good. Black Crappie - Slow: Look for black crappie around deep structure.  Sorting is needed for 9-inch fish. Bluegill - Good: Bluegill average 7.5-inches. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Anglers are having good luck casting the shoreline.

For information on lakes in the Southwest District, call the Cold Springs office at 712-769-2587

Green Valley Lake
The dock is in at main boat ramp.  Bluegill - Fair: Catch bluegill up to 7.5-inches with jigs tipped with live bait near the fishing jetties or cedar tree brush pile. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Catch all sizes of largemouth bass with finesse plastics fished near cedar tree brushpiles.

Little River Watershed Lake
The dock is in at main boat ramp. Black Crappie - Slow: Use jigs or minnows along weedlines to catch all sizes of crappies.  Bluegill - Fair: Try jigs tipped with live bait fished along creek channels in the flooded timber to catch all sizes of bluegill. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Catch argemouth bass up to 19-inches with spinnerbaits along the weedline.

Three Mile Lake
**Driving is prohibited on any service roads used to access the lakebed and the lakebed itself.**  Lake level is 10 feet below normal pool. Boat ramp lanes are out of the water at the main boat ramp. 

Twelve Mile Creek Lake
The dock is in at the main boat ramp. Black Crappie - Slow: Use jigs or minnows along creek channels to catch all sizes of crappies  Bluegill - Fair: Try jigs tipped with live baitalong creek channels in the flooded timber to catch all sizes of bluegill.

Water temperature is in the mid to upper 60s in most district lakes. For more information, call Mount Ayr Fisheries office at 641-931-6031.