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 June 26, 2025:

NORTHWEST

Black Hawk Lake
Water levels are 8 inches over the crest of the spillway. Water temperature temperatures is in the upper 70s.  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) near shore. Walleye - Fair: Throw a twister or soft plastic near shore during late evening or try fishing in the marina and along Ice House Point shoreline or the rock piles.  Yellow Perch -Slow.

Brushy Creek Lake
Water temperatures is in the upper 70s.  Black Crappie - Fair: Find crappie near shore in 5-10 feet of water near submerged structure.  Bluegill - Fair: Some bluegills are still guarding nests near shore; try fishing along shore in 1-5 feet of water and along weedlines.  Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try fishing along weedlines in 2-8 feet of water.  Walleye - Fair.

North Twin Lake
Black Bullhead - Good: Use a piece of crawler fished on the bottom near shore.  Most fish are 11-inches.  Walleye - Fair: Throw a twister or use a crawler or minnow under a slip bobber during mornings or evenings.  Yellow Bass - Fair: Try a piece of crawler under a bobber near shore. Fish are up to 8-inches.

Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
Water temperature is in the mid to upper 70s. Water clarity is about 1-2 feet. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try crawlers or cut bait on the bottom fished from shore.  Walleye - Fair:  Much of the walleye action has moved off shore.  Use crankbaits or a bottom bouncer rig fished near the dredge cut.  White Bass - Fair.  Yellow Bass - Fair: Pick up yellow bass near shore.  Keepers are in the 9-inch range.

Water temperatures are in the upper 70s in most area lakes. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.

Beeds Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Drift fish small jigs along the north shore. Bluegill - Good: Try a piece of crawler under a bobber in 2 to 3 feet of water. Largemouth Bass – Good.

Clear Lake
Lake level is about 2 inches over crest.  Water temperature is in the mid-70s. Water clarity is around 40 inches.  Largemouth Bass - Fair.  Walleye - Good: Try live bait or jigs near vegetation. Yellow Bass - Fair:  Use small jigs near vegetation.  Best bite is early morning.

Crystal Lake
Black Crappie - Slow.  Bluegill -Good: Bluegills are on spawning beds near shore.  Largemouth Bass - Fair.

Rice Lake
Bluegill - Good: 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 - Slow: Try small jigs with a piece of crawler. Sorting is needed for larger fish.

Silver Lake (Worth)
Bluegill – Good: Bluegill are on beds; try small jigs near these areas.  Largemouth Bass- Good: Find bass near vegetation and woody habitat close to shore. Yellow Perch – Fair: Use a small jig in 4-5 feet of water. Perch are scattered; try different locations to find them.

Winnebago River
River level is 8 feet.

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 temperature is in the low 70s. Anglers have been very successful catching many panfish species. Black Crappie - Good.  Bluegill - Good: Anglers are catching bluegill just off shore or near docks as fish are starting to nest. Largemouth Bass - Fair.  Yellow Bass - Good. 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)
Black Bullhead - Good: Catch quality-sized fish just off shore.  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 temperature is in the upper 60s. Black Crappie - Fair:  Bluegill - Good. 

Area water temperatures are in the low 70s. Most lakes are above crest level. Panfishing has been very good close to shore; fish are on beds in shallow. For current conditions, call 712-330-2542.

NORTHEAST

Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water levels are forecast to crest at 12.5 feet at Charles City midday 6/27 barring more rain.    Check water levels online. Water clarity is poor. Use caution boating in high muddy water; hazards hide below the water surface. Channel Catfish - Excellent: Anglers using chubs or worms fished on bottom are finding good action in impoundments and off-channel areas. 

Decorah District Streams
Catchable trout stockings are weekly with streams announced once a month. Trout streams are in excellent condition. Wear long pants or waders to protect your legs from irritating yellow parsnip and nettles. Gnats and mosquitoes are aggressive. Caddisfly and mayfly hatches are becoming more numerous as the season progresses. Brook Trout - Fair: A variety of insect hatches are occurring. Use care not to alarm fish when approaching streams with clear water. Brown Trout - Excellent: Recent rainfall is making some streams off-color and knocking terrestrial insects in water. This flush of fresh food excites brown trout. Try fishing near or around undercut banks. Use streamers or spinners on larger waterbodies for exciting action.  Rainbow Trout - Excellent: Try 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 clarity is good.  Black Crappie - Fair: Try angling higher in the water column in the late afternoon. Use a jig tipped with a plastic tail over rocky humps.  Bluegill - Good. Use a small hook tipped with a worm under a bobber near shore. Largemouth Bass - Good: Try spinnerbaits along the edge of weedlines.  

Lake Meyer
Water clarity is good. Vegetation around the boat ramp is clearing.  Black Crappie - Slow:  Use a jig tipped with a minnow or spinnerbaits in deeper water.  Bluegill - Good: Try a small jig tipped with a waxworm or red worms along the shoreline. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Find bass near woody structure or along the edge of weed beds.

Turkey River (above Clermont)
Water level forecast to crest 10.8 feet in Spillville the morning of 6/27 barring more rain.  Use cautio when floating during high water; new snags and strainers could be around the next bend. Northern Pike - Slow: Use a spinnerbait with a steel leader to prevent getting bitten off. Smallmouth Bass - Slow: Try a jig tipped with a minnow. Walleye - Slow. Use a jig tipped with a minnow or spinnerbait just off the channel out of current.  

Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Water levels are up about half a foot and rising slowly. Water clarity is good.  Be weather aware and ready to seek safety if a storm pops up. Brown Trout -Good: Find brown trout at mouths of trout streams; spinnerbaits work well.  Smallmouth Bass - Fair. Walleye - Fair: Use a jig tipped with a minnow in slack water below the dams. 

Volga Lake
Water visibility is good to about 3 feet.  A green algae bloom occurring.  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.

Hot and steamy weather through the weekend. Temperatures in the 90s to upper 60s with a chance of thunderstorms through the weekend.  Area water and river levels are rising with saturated ground. For more information, contact the Chuck Gipp Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER

Mississippi River Pool 9
Water level is 8.9 feet at Lansing and is expected to rise to 11 feet. Water temperature is near 77 degrees in the channel. Channel Catfish - Good: Try a weighted crawler off the bottom in current eddies.  Flathead Catfish - Good: Use large shiners or a small sunfish for bait in holes with sunken trees. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Try a weighted nightcrawler on the bottom in areas with medium current. Largemouth Bass - Good: Throw plastics along the shorelines in the upper end of backwaters away from current.  Northern Pike - Good: Rising summer temperatures will send northern pike into cooler waters. Cast spoons or crankbaits at the mouth of tributary streams. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Use spinners along the rocks on shorelines with current. Walleye - Fair: Walleye fishing on the wing-dams should pick up with stable water levels. Try trolling a crawler on a three-way rig. 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 617.7 feet at Lynxville and is predicted to rise to 620.9 next week.  Water temperature is 82 degrees at the Lock and Dam.  The road at Sny Magill ramp may go under water with rising levels this week.  Channel Catfish - Good: Try a weighted crawler off the bottom in current eddies.  Flathead Catfish - Good: Use large shiners or a small sunfish for bait in holes with sunken trees. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Use a weighted nightcrawler on the bottom in areas with medium current.  Largemouth Bass - Fair: Throw plastics along the shorelines in the upper end of backwaters away from the current.  Northern Pike - Good: Rising summer temperatures will send northern pike into cooler waters. Cast spoons or crankbaits at the mouth of tributary streams.  Smallmouth Bass - Good: Use spinners along the rocks on shorelines with current. Walleye - Fair: Walleye fishing on the wing-dams should pick up with stable water levels. Try trolling a crawler on a three-way rig. 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 9.2 feet at Guttenberg and is expected to rise to 13 feet. Water temperature is near 80 degrees.  Channel Catfish - Good: Try a weighted crawler off the bottom in current eddies.  Fathead Catfish - Good: Use large shiners or a small sunfish for bait in holes with sunken trees. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Use a weighted nightcrawler on the bottom in areas with medium current. Largemouth Bass- Fair: Throw plastics along the shorelines in the upper end of backwaters away from current.  Northern Pike - Good: Rising summer temperatures will send northern pike into cooler waters. Cast spoons or crankbaits at the mouth of tributary streams. Smallmouth Bass - Good:  Use spinners along the rocks on shorelines with current.  Walleye - Fair: Walleye fishing on the wing-dams should pick up with stable water levels. Try trolling a crawler on a three-way rig. Yellow Perch - Fair: Use a crappie rig tipped with worms or a minnow in the current seams off shore. 

Upper Mississippi River water levels are on the rise after recent rainfall. Water temperature is in the upper 70s to 80s. Look for fish to congregate along current breaks of main channel or at mouth of tributaries during hot weather.

Mississippi River Pool 16
Tailwater stage is 9.41 feet at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad Cities and is rising. Tailwater stage is forecast to reach 11.8 feet by the middle of next week. Flood stage is 15 feet.  Bluegill - No report: Look for bluegills up shallow in the backwaters.  Try pieces of worm under a bobber along brush piles. Channel Catfish - Fair: Look for channel catfish around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. Use cut shad, nightcrawlers, or stink bait fished upstream of the brush. Float leeches or crawlers under a bobber along rip-rap shorelines with current.  Walleye - No report: Look for walleyes on the wing-dams.  Cast or troll crankbaits or jigs with plastic or nightcrawlers on the upstream side of the wing-dams. Fishing will be difficult with the dirtier water conditions due to recent rain. White Bass - No report: Cast crankbaits, inline spinners, or jigs and twister tails in areas with current around rocky points or water discharges in Sylvan Slough. White Crappie - No report:  Use minnows under a bobber or vertical jig with minnows or plastics around brush piles in the backwaters and side channels.

Mississippi River Pool 17
Tailwater stage is 8.12 feet at Lock and Dam 16 in Muscatine and is rising. Tailwater stage is forecast to reach 10.7 feet by the middle of next week. Flood stage is 15 feet.  Bluegill - No report: Look for bluegills up shallow in the backwaters. Use pieces of worm under a bobber fished along brush piles at Big Timber and Cleveland Slough.  Channel Catfish - Fair: Try around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. Use stink bait, cut shad, or nightcrawlers upstream of the brush. Float leeches or crawlers under a bobber along rip-rap shorelines with current.  Walleye - No report: Look for walleye on the wing-dams. Cast crankbaits or jigs with plastic or nightcrawlers on the upstream side of the wing-dams or troll crankbaits. Fishing could be difficult with the muddy water conditions. White Bass - Fair: Cast crankbaits, inline spinners, or jigs and twister tails in areas with current around rocky points or water discharges along the Muscatine Riverfront along the riprap and areas with current breaks.  White Crappie - No Report: Use minnows under a bobber or vertical jig with minnows or plastics around brush piles in the backwaters and side channels.

Mississippi River Pool 18
Tailwater stage is 10.2 feet at Lock and Dam 17 at New Boston and is rising. Tailwater stage is forecast to reach 12.2 feet by the middle of next week. Flood stage is 15 feet.  The gates are out of the water at the Lock and Dam. Bluegill - No report: Look for bluegills up shallow in the backwaters.  Use pieces of worm under a bobber along brush piles in the Huron Island complex.  Channel Catfish - Fair: Try around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. Use stink bait, cut shad or nightcrawlers upstream of the brush. Float leeches or crawlers under a bobber along rip-rap shorelines with current. Walleye - No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing-dams.  Cast crankbaits or jigs with plastic or nightcrawlers on the upstream side of the wing-dams or troll crankbaits. Fishing may be difficult with dirtier water conditions due to recent rains. White Bass - No report: Cast crankbaits, inline spinners, or jigs and twister tails in areas with current around rocky points or water discharges. White Crappie - No Report: Use minnows under a bobber or vertical jig with minnows or plastics around brush piles in the backwaters and side channels in the Huron Island complex.

Mississippi River Pool 19
Tailwater stage is 6.74 feet at Lock and Dam 18 above Burlington and is rising. Tailwater stage is forecast to reach 8.1 feet by early next week.  Flood stage is 10 feet. River stage is 526.50 feet at Fort Madison; flood stage is 528.0 feet. Bluegill - No report: Look for bluegills up shallow in the backwaters. Try pieces of worm under a bobber along brush piles.  Channel Catfish - No report: Try around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. Use stink bait, cut shad or nightcrawlers upstream of the brush. Float leeches or crawlers under a bobber along rip-rap shorelines with current. Walleye - No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing-dams.  Cast crankbaits or jigs with plastic or nightcrawlers on the upstream side of the wing-dams or troll crankbaits. Fishing may be difficult with dirtier water condition due to recent rains.  White Bass - No Report: Cast crankbaits, inline spinners, or jigs and twister tails in areas with current around rocky points or water discharges. White Crappie - No Report: Use minnows under a bobber or vertical jig with minnows or plastics around brush piles in the backwaters and side channels.

Tailwater stages are forecast to rise close to 2 feet by the middle of next week. Main channel water clarity is fair to poor. Main channel water temperature is 84 degrees. If you have questions on fishing Pools 16-19, contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.

SOUTHEAST

Big Hollow Lake
Water temperature is in the mid-80s. Curly-leaf pondweed beds are dying back with the hot weather.  Black Crappie - Fair: Expect crappies to take advantage of the shade provided by the curly-leaf pondweed beds until they are gone. Bluegill – Fair: Find bluegills in the curly-leaf pondweed beds and in the brush in 5-6 feet of water.

Cedar River (Moscow to Columbus Junction)
River levels at Conesville are forecast to reach minor flood stage by Thursday (6/26) night and hover around there until Tuesday (July 1) when it is to reach moderate flood stage.

Deep Lakes
Water temperature is in the upper 70s to low 80s. Water clarity is 12 feet.  Bluegill - Fair: Use a worm and bobber rig just over the tops of the pondweed beds; bluegills can come up out of the weeds to get it and still feel safe from the bass. Largemouth Bass - Fair: A dark colored crankbait ran along the outer edge of the pondweed beds works well, if you can keep the fish from seeing you.

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River)
River level at Wapello is forecast to be about one foot below flood stage by Friday afternoon (6/27).

Lake Belva Deer
Water temperature is 83-84 degrees. Water clarity remains good at more than 4 feet. Black Crappie - Fair: Standard summer pattern has developed.  Try slow trolling a jig and minnow or small crankbait down 10 to 12 feet.  Trolling speed just over 1 per hour works best. Bluegill - Fair: Try vertically jigging a small jig tipped with waxworms or use a worm over the tops of the mounds at the upper end of the lake.

Lake Darling
Water temperature is 84 degrees. Two inches of rain Tuesday night brought the lake level up over a foot. A lot of duckweed was brought into the lake from above during the rain.  Bottom of the thermocline is between 9 and 10 feet. Not enough oxygen for fish below that depth. Bluegill - Good: Work the deeper water rock piles in 8 to 10 feet of water.  It’s about 10 degrees cooler down there than at the surface. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try chicken liver around the point where the bank drops into deeper water quickly just before daylight. Catfish are Feeding early before returning to deeper water to beat the heat. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Best bite is the early morning hours and the last hours of daylight in the evening. Work the deeper brush piles in the middle of the day.

Lake Geode
Water temperature is in the mid-80s. Bottom of the thermocline is at 10 feet. Recent rain is about 3/4 inch.  Some water is going over the spillway. Black Crappie - Fair: Find crappies around the artificial habitat in 8 to 10 feet of water suspended a couple of feet above the bottom. Bluegill - Fair: Spawning areas have emptied out with the high water temperatures. Find bluegills in 6-8 feet of water along the rock drop-offs and artificial habitat. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Look for bass on rock piles and other habitat in 6-8 feet of water.

Lost Grove Lake
Water temperature is in the low 80s. Water remains fairly clear at about 5 feet. The hot weather is starting to have a real impact on the curly-leaf pondweed.  It is changing color and dying back. Bluegill - Fair: Find bluegill in 8-10 feet of water in the flooded trees. Try slow trolling jigs or vertical jigging next to the habitat. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Best bite is early morning or the last couple of hours of daylight in the evening. Work spinnerbaits or crankbaits along the outer edges of the curly-leaf pondweed beds or topwater baits over the top of the beds.

Skunk River (Rose Hill to Coppock)
The North Skunk above Sigourney is forecast to reach minor flood stage by Friday morning (6/27). The South Skunk by Oskaloosa is forecast to peak at bank full on Sunday (6/29). Channel Catfish - Good: Watch for floating debris if you are boating. Switch back to nightcrawlers and minnows.

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

Broadmoor Pond
Largemouth Bass - Good: Use soft plastics or topwater lures.

Central Park Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Find a few fish near shore. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try fishing in rock areas. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try fishing in brush piles or rock areas. 

Coralville Reservoir
Channel Catfish - Excellent: Try fishing near rock areas.  Flathead Catfish - Slow: Try fishing near rock areas.  Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try fishing in tapering rock banks.  White Crappie - Good: Catch suspended fish in brush piles or rock wall areas.

Diamond Lake
Black Crappie - Slow: Look for suspended fish off shore. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try fishing in area with rocks or brush piles.  Largemouth Bass - Good: Try soft plastics or top water lures around brush piles and weed edges.  White Crappie - Slow: Look for suspended fish off shore.

Goose Pond
Bluegill - Fair: Anglers are catching a few fish on a twister tail from shore.  Largemouth Bass - Good: Use soft plastics or topwater lures around weed edges.

Hannen Lake
Black Crappie - Slow:  Look for fish suspended in the lake basin. Bluegill - Excellent: Anglers are catching mostly 4- to 7-inch bluegills around brush piles.  Channel Catfish - Fair: Try fishing in areas with rock or brush piles.  Largemouth Bass - Good: Use soft plastics or top water lures around brush piles and weed edges.

Iowa Lake (Iowa Co.)
Bluegill - Excellent: Find bluegill in 10-12 feet of water, try fishing the edge of weeds and off brush piles. Channel Catfish - Excellent: Try fishing around rock or brush piles. Largemouth Bass - Good: Use topwater lures or soft plastics in weed edges.  White Crappie - No report: Look for fish around brush piles or suspended in the lake basin.

Lake Macbride
The seasonal 10 horse motor restriction is in effect. Bluegill - Fair.  Channel Catfish -Fair: Try fishing rock areas or brush piles.  Flathead Catfish - Fair: Try fishing in rock areas or brush piles.  Largemouth Bass - Good: Try fishing weed edges, brush piles or rock edges with stumps.  Muskellunge - Fair: Troll or cast along edges of vegetation or out in the basin to catch suspended fish.  Spotted Bass - Fair: Try fishing in weed edges, brush piles or rock edges with stumps.  Walleye- Fair: Trolling works best. White Bass - Slow: Look for scattered suspended fish around wind-blown points.  White Crappie - Fair: Try fishing around brush piles or look for fish suspended in the lake basin. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Slow: Look for scattered suspended fish around wind blown-points.

Rodgers Park Lake
Black Crappie - No Report: Look for fish suspended in the the lake basin. Bluegill - Fair: Few gills are still on beds; look for most fish in and around the weed edges. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try fishing around brush piles along shore in weed edges Largemouth Bass - Good: Use soft plastics and topwater lures along edges and weed mats.

Sand Lake 
Largemouth Bass - Slow: Try soft plastics or topwater lures around shoreline brush piles.  Rainbow Trout – No report. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.  

Whispering Meadows
Black Bullhead - Fair: Use worms below a small bobber.

Williamsburg Pond (West End Pond)
Black Bullhead - Fair: Use worms below a small bobber.  Bluegill -Slow: Try fishing around rocky shorelines. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try soft plastics or topwater around weed edges.

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. Bluegill -Fair: Try small jigs along the shallows and in open areas in the vegetation. Largemouth Bass - Good: Use 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 - Good: 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.  Largemouth Bass - Good: Try spinnerbaits and plastics around the fishing jetties and along the face of the dam.

Lake Wapello
Black Crappie - Fair: Use jigs around submerged structure.  Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are on 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 904.42 msl; recreation pool is 904 msl. Lake Rathbun has zebra mussels; properly drain, clean and dry equipment before transporting to another waterbody.  Black Crappie - Slow: Look for crappies away from shore around cedar tree piles. Walleye - Fair: Use crankbaits or crawler harnesses in rock piles and the old river channel.  Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair: Anglers are catching hybrids.  Cast crankbaits or try vertically jigging in rock piles and rock reefs.

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 on the edge of the lily pads.  Largemouth Bass - Good: Try spinners or plastics along shorelines and the edge of the lily pads.

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. Walleye - Fair:  Jig or troll live bait rigs or shad imitating crank baits and plastics off humps and around points in 5 to 15 feet.  Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair: Catch wipers mostly in the lower half of the lake jigging shad imitating plastics through the schools or casting top water lures over the schools.

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:  Drift or troll jigs 3-6 feet deep to catch suspended crappies.  Bluegill - Fair: Try small pieces of nightcrawlers near the edge of the aquatic vegetation or use slip bobbers with pieces of a crawler 3 to 6 feet deep over habitat piles in 15 feet of water or less.

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

For information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers contact Andy Otting at 515-204-5885 or Seth Fopma at 641-891-3795.

Farm Creek Lake (a.k.a. Young's Pond)
Shore anglers will have a difficult time fishing due to vegetation. Bluegill - No Report: Good population of 8-inch bluegills. Channel Catfish - Good: Look for spawning catfish around the jetty. Largemouth Bass - Good: Anglers are catching nice bass deep along the vegetation edges.

Greenfield Lake
Channel Catfish - Good: Use cut bait around the jetties. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Good largemouth bass population.

Lake Anita
Black Crappie - Fair: Anglers are catching crappies around the roadbeds. Early morning bite is best. Bluegill - Fair: Find bluegill around deep structure; troll or drift small jigs. Largemouth Bass - Fair.

Lake Manawa
Channel Catfish - Good: Anglers are catching channel catfish on the west shore.

Prairie Rose Lake
Black Crappie - Slow: Look for crappie around the tree piles.  Bluegill - Fair: Most of the bluegill fishing now will be drifting and trolling.  Largemouth Bass - Good: Anglers are catching largemouth bass casting the shoreline.

Viking Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Look for crappie around deep structure.  Sorting is needed for 9-inch fish. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegill average 7.5-inches. Channel Catfish - Good: Use cut bait around the jetties and along the dam.  Largemouth Bass - Fair: Anglers are having good luck fishing the deeper tree piles.

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 along the dam. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catch all sizes of catfish with nightcrawlers or cut bait along rocky shoreline areas.

Little River Watershed Lake
The dock is in at main boat ramp. Bluegill - Fair: Try jigs tipped with live bait along creek channels in the flooded timber to catch all sizes of bluegill. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catch all sizes of catfish with nightcrawlers or cut bait along rocky shoreline areas.

Three Mile Lake
**Driving is prohibited on any service roads used to access the lakebed and the lakebed itself.**  Lake level is 8 feet below normal pool.

Twelve Mile Creek Lake
The dock is in at the main boat ramp. Bluegill - Fair: Try jigs tipped with live bait along creek channels in the flooded timber to catch all sizes of bluegill.

Water temperature is in the upper 70s to low 80s in most district lakes. For more information, call Mount Ayr Fisheries office at 641-931-6031.