Ames area fishing

[fishchaser]

I will be moving to Ames this fall for school and wonder if it is even worth bringing my gear. I havnt heard much about any fishing spots within 20-30 min of Ames?

[Greybeard53]

Fishchaser, I'm originally from Brainerd, MN and went to school at ISU several years ago. I wondered the same thing when I went. I was happily suprised by the fishing available. The small rivers in the area hold gamefish, but if I were you I would start trying to locate farm ponds. Most of the ponds are stocked with bass and bluegills, but I was suprised to also find some ponds stocked with walleyes, stripers, crappies, etc.. It's definitely worth having your gear with you.

[watertower]

Not reral familiar with the area....but you goptta bring your gear......the skunk river has some walleye and smallies. There are a few good lakes in that area. you find them when you get there. The Des Moines river is close. Big creek is close as well as saylorville lake.

lots of opportunities

tight lines

[PikeBayCommanche]

As everyone has said, yes I would bring your gear with you. There are plenty of opportunitys to find some fish. Rivers include the skunk, Des Moines, Raccoon, and Boone River which all hold Walleye, Cats, and Smallmouth Bass. You will just have to spend some time locating spots but you will find some.

August and September are my favorite times to target smallmouth.

Let me know when you get to Ames. Maybe I can help you out.

[fishchaser]

Thanks for all the info guys! Im from a small town in SE Minnesota - we dont even have lakes in our area...just the Mississippi and a few good trout streams, to the rivers will suffice well. I wont have alot of time with school....but ya gotta make time for fishing sometime...!

[PikeBayCommanche]

Your gonna be a freshman right??? If so you will have plenty of time to fish. Lecture who needs those anyways. They will never know there is 350 others in the class anyways.

[fishchaser]

I think ya hit the spot on that comment:P

[delmuts]

ya! til the report cards come out!

[fishchaser]

I already have a year under my belt somewhere else....I understand what reality is

[lookincalifornia]

hey fc,

don't be like me, i think i spent more time on the skunk than on campus.

that being said, if you wade the skunk with a good ultra-light, a rebel pop-r, a small spinner, an original rapala, and maybe some kind of small jig, you will catch lots of smallies. there will be alot of little ones, but if ya stick with it you can find 2-4 pounders. don't be suprised to get a decent catfish by accident.

i alaws had best luck starting at the north end of town and wading upstream. the spot by the old mill is good too. once caught a 1 1/2 lb smallie and 3 lb largemouth in consecutive casts.

if you ice fish, you need to get familliar with hickory grove. lots of decent gills and crappie.

for tons of tiny perch, try little wall lake. nothin too big, you will have lots of action.

good luck and GO CYCLONES!