Big Creek Lake Fishing Reports

[Rick]

Have fun checking all the info below and let's swap info. We'd hope to hear from you too.

Iowa Fishing reports - Click here for even more SW Iowa info

Bluegill - Fair: The bluegill bite was slower over the last week. Anglers are still catching some good bluegills mostly midday through mid-afternoon. They are being caught off sunken brush in the main lake and the deeper coves. Both wax worms and colored spikes have been working. Crappie - Fair: Crappie are being caught near the roadbed in 30 foot of water on the East side of the main lake out from the Ensign shelter and on the sharp drop-offs on the west side of the lake south of the west boat ramp in 30 to 40 feet of water. Minnows, minnow heads, or glow jigs with wax worms have been working. The bite has been best from 5 to 9 p.m.

[Rick]

Bluegill ice fishing has been good. Anglers are catching some good bluegills from 7 to 9 inches mostly midday through late afternoon. They are being caught off sunken brush in the main lake and in front of the deeper coves. Depths around 20 feet or greater have been best. Both wax worms and spikes have been working.

Crappie ice fishing has been good as well. Crappie are being caught near the roadbed in 30 to 40 feet of water off the east roadbed out from the Ensign shelter and into the handicap pier bay. Live minnows have been working best, but glow jigs with wax worms have also been working. The bite has been best from 5:30 to 10 p.m.

[Joe]

There is currently a walleye harvest study taking place. Anglers who catch a walleye should look near the tail of the fish for a small yellow tag. The tags can be removed from harvested or released fish of LEGAL size and returned with a survey for a cash reward. The surveys can be picked up at the marina, park office, Polk City Bait and Tackle, or Johnston Bait and Tackle. There are also signs posted at the boat ramps with instructions. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are moving shallower and are being caught best with pieces of worm near structure in the coves and bays. Crappie - Fair: The crappie spawn is not happening yet. Some males have moved into the coves near wood structure. Crappies are also still being picked up in Lost Lake and in the brush piles in the deeper water at the mouths to the coves. Live minnows under a bobber are working best. Walleye - Fair: Decent numbers of walleye are being caught near the points fishing live bait under bobbers, or jigs with twisters or live bait. More legal sized fish are being caught with larger bait presentations such as crankbaits.

[Joe]

There is currently a walleye harvest study taking place. Anglers who catch a walleye should look near the tail of the fish for a small yellow tag. The tags can be removed from harvested or released fish of LEGAL size and returned with a survey for a cash reward. The surveys can be picked up at the marina, park office, Polk City Bait and Tackle, or Johnston Bait and Tackle. There are also signs posted at the boat ramps with instructions.

[Joe]

There is currently a walleye harvest study taking place. Anglers who catch a walleye should look near the tail of the fish for a small yellow tag. The tags can be removed from harvested or released fish of LEGAL size and returned with a survey for a cash reward. The surveys can be picked up at the marina, park office, Polk City Bait and Tackle, or Johnston Bait and Tackle. There are also signs posted at the boat ramps with instructions. Bluegill - Good: Bluegills are in shallow starting to spawn. Use night crawlers fished shallow in 5 feet or less near the curly leaf pondweed for 8 to 9-inch bluegills. Crappie - Fair: Crappie are being caught in 5 to 10 feet of water in the coves on the edges of the curly leaf pondweed. A few are also being caught in less than 5 feet in the coves next to wood structure. Live minnows under a bobber are working best. Walleye - Fair: Good numbers of walleyes, with a few keepers, are being caught trolling live bait and live bait under slip bobbers near the jetties and dam.

[Joe]

There is currently a walleye harvest study taking place. Anglers who catch a walleye should look near the tail of the fish for a small yellow tag. The tags can be removed from harvested or released fish of LEGAL size and returned with a survey for a cash reward. The surveys can be picked up at the marina, park office, Polk City Bait and Tackle, or Johnston Bait and Tackle. There are also signs posted at the boat ramps with instructions. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel cats are biting well in the upper arms using fresh cut bait. Fish in depths 15 foot and less. White Bass - Good: Big Creek currently has a large population of white bass. They are biting aggressively, especially just before and just after sunset. Casting or drifting small jigs or spinners is working well. Concentrate on the points and jetties on the windblown side of the lake. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are suspended. Drift fishing small pieces of crawler in 6 to 14 feet has produced good catches in the upper half of the lake in both the east and west arms. The roadbed in the west ramp bay continues to produce bluegills, white bass, and few crappies. Bluegills and crappies are suspended from 8 to 12 feet on either side of the road. The lake is stratified so avoid fishing depths greater than 12 to 15 feet. The bluegills have been good sized from 7 to 9 inches. Walleye - Slow: The walleye bite is slow. The fish that are being caught are coming from mostly the east arm at the upper end of the lake using night crawlers or leeches.

[Joe]

There is currently a walleye harvest study taking place. Anglers who catch a walleye should look near the tail of the fish for a small yellow tag. The tags can be removed from harvested or released fish of LEGAL size and returned with a survey for a cash reward. The surveys can be picked up at the marina, park office, Polk City Bait and Tackle, or Johnston Bait and Tackle. There are also signs posted at the boat ramps with instructions. Channel Catfish - Good: Channel cats are biting well in the upper arms using fresh cut bait. Fish in depths 15 feet and less. White Bass - Good: Big Creek currently has a large population of white bass. They are biting aggressively, especially just before and just after sunset. Casting or drifting small jigs or spinners is working well. Trolling lip-less crankbaits is also a good option. Concentrate on the points and jetties on the windblown side of the lake. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills remain suspended. Drift fishing small pieces of crawler in 6 to 14 feet has produced good catches in the upper half of the lake in both the east and west arms. The roadbeds in the west ramp bay and out from the 100th Street boat ramp continue to produce bluegills, white bass, and few crappies. Bluegills and crappies are suspended from 8 to 12 feet on either side of the roadbeds. The lake is stratified so avoid fishing depths greater than 12 to 15 feet. The bluegills have been good. Walleye - Fair: The walleye bite has been a little better over the past week. The fish being caught are still coming from the east and west arms at their very upper ends using night crawlers, leeches, or shallow diving crankbaits. Crappie anglers drifting live minnows are also picking up a few walleye.

[Joe]

Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills are still being caught suspended and near sunken brush piles. Drift fishing small pieces of crawler in 6 to 14 feet has produced good catches in the upper half of the lake in the east and west arms. The roadbeds in the west ramp bay and out from the 100th Street boat ramp continue to produce bluegills, white bass, and few crappie. Bluegills and crappies are suspended from 8 to 12 feet on either side of the roadbeds. The lake is still stratified so avoid fishing greater depths Walleye - Fair: The walleye bite has been hit and miss over the last week, but some legal size fish have been coming in using night crawlers on spinning rigs, drifting minnows or shallow diving crankbaits. Concentrate on the upper third of the lake. Fish of larger size seem to be getting more active as fall approaches. There is currently a walleye harvest study taking place. Anglers who catch a walleye should look near the tail of the fish for a small yellow tag. The tags can be removed from harvested or released fish of LEGAL size and returned with a survey for a cash reward. The surveys can be picked up at the marina, park office, Polk City Bait and Tackle, or Johnston Bait and Tackle. There are also signs posted at the boat ramps with instructions.

[Joe]

Crappie - Good: Crappie are being caught in locations similar to the ice fishing season, including the road beds out from the west ramp and Ensign shelter, and the sunken brush piles in 15 feet of water or deeper. Use small tube jigs or small jigs tipped with minnows. The best times have been from sunrise to mid morning and again just before sunset. There is currently a walleye harvest study taking place. Anglers who catch a walleye should look near the tail of the fish for a small yellow tag. The tags can be removed from harvested or released fish of LEGAL size and returned with a survey for a cash reward. The surveys can be picked up at the marina, park office, Polk City Bait and Tackle, or Johnston Bait and Tackle. There are also signs posted at the boat ramps with instructions.

[Joe]

Ice conditions vary on Big Creek. Lost Lake has the best ice at around 7 inches. The main lake is 5 inches plus in most areas, but some pockets and seams out from Williams Drive boat ramp and Ensign shelter have just froze and have only around 2.5 inches. Use caution with the new snow covering up visible ice differences. Bluegill - Good: Anglers fishing in the Lost Lake portion of Big Creek are doing well on 8 to 9-inch bluegills. Crappie - Slow: There has not been much ice fishing activity on the main lake yet where the better crappie fishing occurs. As ice conditions improve and more anglers make it out over the weekend there should be some reports on crappie activity.

[Joe]

Bluegill - Good: Anglers fishing in the Lost Lake portion of Big Creek are still doing well on nice bluegills in the 8 to 9-inch range. It is not an any time of day bite. The best time seems to be late afternoon. The sunken brush piles in the lower half of the lake are also producing some gills. Waxies are the preferred bait. Crappie - Slow: So far crappie fishing has been fairly slow. The fish that are being caught are coming from the roadbed and the 30 to 35 foot deep creek channel running between the East ramp and Ensign shelter. Almost all crappies are caught after sunset. Use glowing tackle with wax worms, small live minnows, or just minnow heads. Walleye - Fair: Crappie anglers are picking up many walleyes with most being short. Check LEGAL sized walleye for tags near the tail.

[gloomiseye]

I dont ice fish, but I plan on posting a lot of reports this spring and summer for Big Creek and the Des Moines River. Untill then here is an updated dnr report.

Bluegill GoodThe bluegill bite has slowed a little from last week. Persistent anglers are still catching fair amounts of

good size fish. The brush piles on the West side of

the lake south of the West ramp have been good.

The best time seems to be late afternoon,

especially the hour before dark, but occasionally

there has been a decent morning bite . Waxies are

the preferred bait

Crappie Fair Some crappie are being caught after dark. The fish that are being caught are coming from the roadbed

and the 30 to 35 foot deep creek channel running

between the East ramp and Ensign shelter. Use

glowing tackle with waxworms, small live minnows,

or just minnow heads.

Walleye Fair Crappie anglers are picking up many walleyes with

most being short fish that were just stocked in

October. Check any LEGAL sized walleye for tags

near the tail. If one is caught, follow the instructions

on the signs near the boat ramps to collect a cash reward

[gloomiseye]

The bluegill bite has picked up slightly. Anglers

willing to search are able to catch some good size

fish. Brushpiles are still producing, as well as some

suspended bluegills near the creek channel in the

mid section of the lake.

The crappie fishing is night to night. On a good

night anglers are coming away with fair catches of 9

to 10 inch fish. The fish that are being caught are

coming from the roadbed and the 30 to 40 foot

deep creek channel running between the East ramp

and Ensign shelter. Use glowing tackle with

waxworms, small live minnows, or just minnow heads.

[gloomiseye]

The anglers that are still venturing out are having

decent success on the bluegills. More catches are

starting to come from the northern end of the lake.

A few crappie are being caught in the north end out

from the Marina, from the roadbed and the 30 to 40

foot deep creek channel running between the East

ramp and Ensign shelter. Use glowing tackle with

waxworms, small live minnows, or just minnow heads.

[gloomiseye]

Fished Big Creek all day Sunday and had a pretty fun day. We caught a ton of walleyes on crankbaits, on bottom bouncers and on slip bobbers. Unfortunately all but one fell under the 15 minimum. We caught several 14's that just missed and one healthy 17". We were also able to pick up 4 really nice bluegills while eye fishing that made for a nice little fish fry with the 17" eye.

[gloomiseye]

Well got out again with my dad for fathers day. Bite was slow, we picked up a few short eyes pulling cranks and crawlers also caught a few casting crawlers up shallow. It was dead calm and hot out there today, we usually do a lot better there on a good windy day. Probably should have fished the river but we figured it was probably dirty.

[randybfishin]

The lake is about 7-8ft low now with 10"+ ice, it is a different lake to fish now. A lot of the fish structure is now shallow, but there are some deeper area's/tree's to locate,and if you have a fish locator with a map chip to offset the water level, do some scouting.

Very impressed with what I have caught on the ice this year so far, and next to others,and pic's locally from there. Nice 12" crappie, 14 "white bass, 9+ gills, to name a few.

Enjoying the icefishing there,

randy

[JIvers]

Thanks for the report--it's good to hear from someone in that part of the state!

[gloomiseye]

Any eyes this winter? One of these years they are bound to bounce back.

[gloomiseye]

Got out today, caught about 20 eyes but only one keeper. Caught fish pulling crawlers and minnows. Sounds like the bite has been pretty good.