The Iowa Department of Natural Resources produces a weekly fishing report. For our local anglers, we've trimmed it down just to the lakes in North Iowa.
Here are the recent fishing conditions in nearby lakes:
Black Hawk Lake
Water levels are about 14 inches below the crest of the spillway. Most courtesy docks have been removed for the season, except for the floating courtesy dock for the ramp at the Marina on the northeast side of the lake. This dock stays in the entire winter season. Black Crappie – Fair: Fish are 8- to 11-inches. Try along Ice House Point and around the fish house in Town Bay. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try crawlers on the bottom, minnows or cut bait along shore. Walleye – Fair: Anglers are picking up walleye from shore and by boat. Throw twisters or crankbaits or fish crawlers or leeches under a bobber from shore. Anglers have picked up fish along Ice House Point, near the Ice House Point boat ramp and along the inlet bridge. Yellow Perch – Fair: Anglers are picking up perch on jigs, crawlers, and minnows under a bobber. Fishing from shore has been productive; try along Ice House Point shoreline and the inlet bridge.
Browns Lake
Water levels remain low; use caution when launching boats.
Brushy Creek Lake
Boat ramp courtesy docks have been removed for the season. Bluegill – Fair: Drift jigs tipped with crawlers in 5-15 feet of water anywhere along weed lines or near submerged trees. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try plastics and traditional bass lures along submerged woody structure and weed lines near shore.
North Twin Lake
Water levels are nearly 3 feet below the crest of the spillway. The boat ramp courtesy dock for the south ramp has been removed for the season.
Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
All walleye between 19 and 25-inches must be immediately released unharmed at Storm Lake; no more than one walleye longer than 25-inches can be taken per day. Black Crappie – Fair. Channel Catfish – Fair: Storm Lake has a good population of 4-6 pound catfish. Try cut bait, liver or crawlers fished on the bottom along shore. Walleye – Fair: Try live bait, twisters or crankbaits along shore in mornings or evenings. White Bass – Fair: Use crawlers, crankbaits, or twisters along shore. Yellow Bass – Fair: Fish are 5- to 11-inches long. Use a small piece of crawler fished under a bobber.
Surface water temperatures are dropping rapidly with the changing weather. Most boat ramp courtesy docks have been removed for the season. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Clear Lake
All courtesy docks have been removed for the season. The lake is 9.8 inches below crest. Water temperature is in the mid-40s. Water clarity is about 90 inches. Clear Lake has a protected slot on walleye. All walleye between 17 and 22 inches must be immediately released unharmed. The daily limit is 3 with no more than one walleye longer than 22 inches may be taken per day. Walleye – Good: Evening fishing near vegetation, sand beach areas, and the Ventura Grade has been good. Use plastics and live bait. White Bass – Fair: Anglers are catching white bass while targeting walleye and yellow bass. Yellow Bass – Fair: Warmer afternoons are best to find schooling yellow bass. Use small jigs, live bait, or cut bait. Yellow Perch – Fair: Try live bait and small jigs near vegetation beds.
Rice Lake
Any water west of the North boat ramp is a waterfowl refuge and is closed to all activity from Sept. 1st through the final day of the duck season. Bluegill – Slow. Yellow Perch – Fair: Try a piece of nightcrawler or small plastic jigs in the deeper water along the south shoreline.
Silver Lake (Worth)
Bluegill: Slow. Yellow Perch – Fair: Vertical jig in mid-lake areas with small jigs tipped with a piece of nightcrawler.
Winnebago River
Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Try a jig in the deeper holes and near woody habitat. Walleye – Fair: Use live bait in deeper holes. Best bite is after sunset.
For information on the lakes and rivers in north central Iowa, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
For the full report, visit the Iowa DNR's website. For information on the lakes listed above (except Brushy Creek Lake) as well as other lakes and rivers in north central Iowa, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517. For more information on Brushy Creek Lake and other lakes and rivers in the Black Hawk District, contact their office at 712-657-2638.
Each body of water's individual report information is a taxpayer funded State of Iowa publication in the public domain.
If you're a local angler and would like to see a nearby lake or waterway included which isn't, let us know at news@eaglegroveeagle.com
