Central Iowa Ice

[watertower]

Who ice fishes in the Central Iowa?

What for?

And where?

I'm going to get into it this winter and wondering if anyone in the area could give away some pointers.

Thanks

Lane

[PikeBayCommanche]

Watertower,

Nice maybe we could hit the ice sometime.

Well to start I the last 2 years havn't been very good ice. Last year especially.

There are a few options.

Big Creek, Brushy Creek, Hickory Grove.

Ussually for crappies or gills.

Hope for some good ice this winter so we can have some more ice time.

[watertower]

sounds like a plan.....i'd be down for some hard water fishing anytime the ice is safe.

I'm excited to pull 'em through the holes

[berkleyboy]

I fish alot of ponds during the ice season if it's good, which it was not last winter. If we get a cold enough winter you could do well at 3 Mile, Brushy Creek, or go North to the Okaboji area. I am not that far from you. May be we could get together and go to some of these places. Cory

[watertower]

Cory-

Sounds like fun, I'd love to meet up this winter and do a lil hard water fishing.

[tommyk]

Whenever I am down in Des Moines in the winter I make sure I have my ice gear. I never know if there will be ice or open water though. I have only ice fished in Iowa the last two years. I am not sure what usual winters are like down there, but last year was slightly strange to say the least! Seeing boats out on Big Creek fishing in the middle of January after being completely iced over in December, but then being able to get on the ice later in February.

I mostly fish a few ponds that I have permission to fish, but Big Creek is my next pick for the area. I have done real well on the bluegills in the past. I would like to try Aquabi this winter for some gills too.

[berkleyboy]

Hey Watertower,I know it is a little early but we should start talking about some possible ice fishing trips and discuss going to the ice show in St.Paul if you can. Send me an e-mail at sornson@mchsi.com. Berkleyboy

[wiz]

The ice on north end of Little Wall lake is 4". Small pearch was all that were biting though. Heard some guys were headed to lake Corneillia this weekend, be careful out there!

[PikeBayCommanche]

Wiz,

Nice to hear! I have noticed ice on alot of lakes and ponds. Hopefully get some more cold weather.

[lookincalifornia]

is there any thing else in little wall besides cats and small perch?

[PikeBayCommanche]

Not much else. Too shallow. There are some bass and small northerns.

[lookincalifornia]

does the lake ever have big fish? i knew a lake near estherville that would go in cycles of small perch-big northerns-big perch-small northerns. that would change every 5-7 years or so. at least that's what i was told.

come to think of it, i did catch a bass or two out there one windy afternoon. but then again, most afternoons are windy on that lake.

[HighLifer]

How's the ice down there in Central Iowa? Thinking of coming down to visit the family in the Ames area and wondering if I should bring down my portable. Anyone having any luck on the lakes or ponds of Central Iowa?

[PikeBayCommanche]

There will be some fishable ice around here by the weekend. This is the first ice we have had all winter!!! So couldn't tell you if they have been biting. Hope to go out on Thursday. If I do I will let you know what it produces.

[MNMAV93]

Highlifer, i just saw the dumbest guy out on big creek on lost lake tonight with a clam 5600. it was open water yesterday in spots. i hope this guy made it off

but then i stopped in to the local bait shop in polk city and talked to Bill and he said that a guy stopped in and told him he drilled about ten holes and they all ranged from 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 inches, so definitely will have good ice for the weekend. if you do end up coming down may see you out on big creek. if i dont go down south to fish.

nip

[HighLifer]

Thanks for the info Nip and Pikebay. I may just come down next weekend and take my nephew out for a few hours. Would be interested to here a report from Big Creek. I haven't fished that lake in about 10-12 years. Is there somewhere down there where I could pickup a lake contour map to try and give me an idea where to fish?

[NWBuck]

Here's a contour map of Big Creek found on the Iowa DNR site. Obviously not as detailed as some would be, but it gives you a starting point.

http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/fishing/lakes/maps/bic77.jpg

[hotrod]

That is a good resource for maps, it gives you places to start anyway. Most larger lakes the DNR has on their site. hope they help you catch more fish!

[tommyk]

How thick is the ice and how much snow cover is there right now on say Big Creek and some of the lakes/ponds outside of Des Moines? I plan on coming down March 10th & 11th for one last weekend of ice fishing and am trying to gauge what the warm weather moving in down there is going to do to the ice and how fast. I figure if there is at least 12+" it will take a few weeks to become too bad to go on even with the predicted temps. I have my fingers crossed!

[hotrod]

The ice right now on Central iowa lakes is great!!! Over 14 inches just two nights ago on Hickory Grove.

Not sure about the March ice fishing, keep posted on here. Forecst for the 7 days here in Central Iowa: highs in the mid 40's and lows in the mid 20's.

Keep checking back, if there is ice still in March when you are here, i will let you know of some ice.

Good luck until then!

[tommyk]

14"!! That is great. You guys were over due for a good ice season! How is the snow?

I will check back with you guys in a week or so.

Thanks for the report.

[hotrod]

Last Friday the snow was about 2 inches thick on top. I will know tomorrow as i am heading out tonight to a lake.