Southeast Iowa Fishing Reports

[Rick]

SOUTHEAST IOWA FISHING REPORTS

Big Hollow Lake
Lots and lots of rain this week made the water muddy. Not many anglers out on the lake. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Unstable weather with summer heat shuts the bass down until it evens out some. Bluegill - Fair: Most bluegills have moved off the beds and are out in 6 to 8 feet of water.

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River)
The Iowa River is dropping pretty fast, but isn't forecast to be below minor flood stage until the middle if next week.

Lake Belva Deer
Water temperature is 79-80 degrees. Water is green from planktonic algae bloom. Curlyleaf pondweeds have died off. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Summer patterns have set up. Try early or late in the shallows; most of the day they are out in deeper water. Bluegill - Fair: Move out to the deeper water (16 to 18 feet) out around the trees. Black Crappie - Fair: Slow trolling at the lower end of the lake early in the morning or late evening as the sun goes down. 

Lake Darling
Heavy rains last weekend made the lake high and muddy.  Water level has gone back down; the water is trying to clear. Water temperature is 80 degrees. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Muddy water will slow down the sight feeding fish. Bluegill - Fair: You can still catch bluegills on worm and bobber; most have moved out to 5 to 7 feet of water.  Channel Catfish - Good: When it rains, head for the wiers in the in-lake silt dams; catfish wait just off the sides for food to come through on the current. Black Crappie - Slow: Anglers are picking up a few crappies slowly drift trolling in 10 to 12 feet of water; bite will improve as the water clears.

Lost Grove Lake
Water temperatures are around 80 degrees. Water clarity is still good with a little green color; weed beds are dying back. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass fishing has slowed a bit; most fish are heading to deeper water for the summer. Bluegill - Good: A majority of the bluegills have moved off into 10-15 feet of water. Try small jigs tipped with waxworms or red wigglers. Some bluegills have finished spawning; find them in the flooded timber out in deeper water.

Skunk River (Rose Hill to Coppock)
The water level in the Skunk River dropped this week with it returning to just above half-bank full. Channel Catfish - Fair: Bite should pick up as the water level gets more stable.  Don't forget to fish under any mulberries that you find hanging over the river.

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

 

Coralville Reservoir
The lake level crested at 702.4 feet on 7/01 (normal summer pool is 683 feet) and is predicted to start falling. Mehaffey Bridge ramp is the only open ramp.

Diamond Lake
All facilities are open. Black Crappie - Fair: Most fish are 8-12 feet down in deeper water around brush or suspended in open water. Try small jigs for these 8-9 inch fish. Bluegill - Fair: Most fish have moved off the bank after the spawn and are being caught a bit deeper on small jigs or worms. Channel Catfish -Good: Try stinkbait or crawlers. After rain events has been best.

Lake Macbride
The 10 hp outboard maximum limit is in effect. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair: Look for surface activity towards sunset; try plastics or topwater baits. Walleye - Slow: Troll crankbaits and live bait rigs in 7-13 feet of water. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Target shallow cover for post-spawn fish. Bluegill - Fair: Try small jigs or worms in rock islands or rock reefs. Channel Catfish - Fair: Live bait works best. Some fish are spawning around shallow rock.

Otter Creek Lake
Docks are in; the bathroom at the ramp is open. The fish cleaning station is open. Bluegill – Good: Try small jigs or worms around brush piles. Yellow Bass – Good: Use small jigs, spinners or live bait. Channel Catfish - Fair: Look for spawning fish near rocky shores. Black Crappie - Fair: Most fish are small.

Pleasant Creek Lake
Walleye - Slow: Use crawlers or plastics fished towards evening. Bluegill – Fair: Most fish have moved a bit deeper. Try small worms or jigs. Channel Catfish - Fair: Typical baits such as stinkbait or crawlers work well. Some spawning fish are in the shallow rocks. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Slow: Target windblown areas or look for surface activity in the evening. Muskellunge - Fair: Cloudy or rainy days have had the fish active.

Sand Lake
This is the quarry on the east side of Marshalltown. Channel Catfish – Good.  Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair.

For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.

Hawthorn Lake
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try areas along the fishing jetties and the face of the dam.
Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs around the fishing jetties and rip-rapped shorelines.

Lake Miami
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use spinnerbaits or crankbaits along the dam and the cedar tree piles. Bluegill - Fair: Try small jigs with a small chunk of nightcrawler around the fishing jetties.

Lake Sugema
Channel Catfish - Fair: Use nightcrawlers or chicken liver. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try spinnerbaits or crankbaits along the fishing jetties and other rip-rapped areas. Use topwaters early and late in the day.

Lake Wapello
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use spinnerbaits or rubber worms along the cedar tree piles and any structure along the shorelines. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try nightcrawlers or chicken liver.

Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 905.08 msl. Normal operating elevation is 904.0 msl. Lake Rathbun has zebra mussels, so make sure to properly drain, clean, and dry equipment before transporting to another waterbody. Walleye – Fair: Troll or drift nightcrawlers around rock piles and submerged structure. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Try vertically jigging around rock piles and underwater islands.

The district includes Appanoose, Davis, Lucas, Mahaska, Monroe, Wapello, Wayne and Van Buren counties. Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions about fishing in south central Iowa.

[Rick]

SOUTHEAST IOWA FISHING REPORTS

Big Hollow Lake
Hot weather is keeping angler numbers down. Water temperature in the 80's. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Going to go deep; work some of the edges of the brush piles in 5 to 7 feet of water earlier in the morning. Bluegill - Fair: Most bluegills have moved off the beds and are out in 6 to 8 feet of water.

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River
Finally below bank full level. Forecast to drop only another foot or so over the next week.

Lake Belva Deer
Water temperature is in the mid to upper 80's. Early morning bite is best; most anglers are gone by 9 am.  Largemouth Bass - Fair: Summer patterns have set up. Try early in the shallows; most of the day they are out in deeper water. Bluegill - Fair: Move out to the deeper water (16 to 18 feet) out around the trees. Black Crappie - Fair: Try slow trolling at the lower end of the lake early in the morning. 

Lake Darling
The water has tried to clear up; it is now starting to turn green. Water temperature is in the mid to upper 80's. Monday afternoon at 3 pm it hit 94 degrees at the surface.   Largemouth Bass - Slow: The hot weather pushed them out into deeper water. Early morning before it heats up is best. Bluegill - Fair: Start out in the 5 to 7 feet of water over the rock piles; don’t be surprised if you end up in 10 to 12 feet of water. Black Crappie - Slow: Anglers are picking up a few crappies slowly drift trolling in 10 to 12 feet of water; bite will improve as the water clears.

Lost Grove Lake
Water temperatures are in the mid-80's. Water clarity is still good with a little green color; weed beds are dying back. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Still catching a few bass in shallow early in the morning. The evening bite has slowed since the water hasn't started cooling off by then. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegill have moved to deeper water for the summer to get away from the heat. Start looking in 10 to 15 feet of water in the trees; don’t be surprised if you end up out in 15 to 20 feet of water.  

Skunk River (Rose Hill to Coppock)
The water level stabilized at just under half bank full. Channel Catfish - Fair: The hot weather has kept a lot of anglers off the river this week. The grass frogs are really starting to come out  with the heavy dew in the mornings; good time to try a few for fish bait.

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

 

Lake Miami
Bluegill - Fair: Try small jigs around the fishing jetties. Drift fishing from a boat can also produce some bluegills this time of year.

Lake Wapello
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try topwater lures early and late in the day. Target cedar tree piles.

Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 904.52 msl. Normal operating elevation is 904.0 msl. Lake Rathbun has zebra mussels, so make sure to properly drain, clean, and dry equipment before transporting to another waterbody. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Try vertically jigging around rock piles and submerged points.

Red Haw Lake
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try topwater lures early and late in the day. Use spinnerbaits and crankbaits during the hotter parts of the day. Bluegill - Slow: Try drifting in the main part of the lake with nightcrawlers.

The district includes Appanoose, Davis, Lucas, Mahaska, Monroe, Wapello, Wayne and Van Buren counties. Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions about fishing in south central Iowa.

 

[Rick]

SOUTHEAST IOWA FISHING REPORTS

Big Hollow Lake
Water temperature is in the mid to upper 80's. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Work some of the edges of the brush piles in 5 to 7 feet of water earlier in the morning. Bluegill - Fair: Work the brush piles and trees in 6 to 8 feet of water using small jigs tipped with live bait.

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River
The Iowa River in this section is holding at about 4 foot below bank full level with a decent current speed. Channel Catfish - Fair: A few more anglers were out this week. The log jams and snags are holding the fish. Still more than enough water that the catfish are "holed up" at lower water levels.

Lake Belva Deer
Water is fairly clear, but with a green cast to it. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Go to the upper end of the lake and work over the top of the mounds with crankbaits or soft plastics. Bluegill - Fair: Move out to the deeper water (16 to 18 feet) out around the trees. Black Crappie - Fair: Try slow trolling at the lower end of the lake early in the morning. The bite has slowed a bit. 

Lake Darling
Water temperature is in the mid 80's. Water clarity is decent at about 3 1/2 feet with a green cast to the water. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Hot weather forecast for this weekend points to a continuation of the morning bite. Bluegill - Fair: Keep working rock and brush piles in 5 to 8 feet of water. Black Crappie - Slow: Slowly drift or troll down the lake in 10 to 12 feet of water over the habitat.

Lost Grove Lake
Water is fairly clear with a green cast to it.  Early and late bite will be best with water temperatures in the mid 80's. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass fishing picked up a little bit over the weekend. Still mostly an early morning bite. Bluegill - Fair: Work small jigs tipped with a trailer or live bait in 12 -16 feet of water.

Skunk River (Rose Hill to Coppock)
The Skunk River settled to a level just under half bank full. Channel Catfish - Fair: Start working to usual summer haunts of the bigger log jams and off the back edges of the sand bars (those that are starting to stick out of the water.)

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

 

Coralville Reservoir
The lake level is 684.3 feet (normal summer pool is 683.5 feet). The lake level continues to fall slowly and is predicted to reach summer pool on July 28. Channel Catfish - Fair: Drift/troll cut bait in the channel.

Diamond Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Try small jigs over deeper brush or suspended over the basin. Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs or worms around brush piles. Channel Catfish - Good: Try stinkbait or crawlers.

Lake Macbride
The 10 hp outboard maximum limit is in effect. White Bass - Fair: Look for surface activity towards evening; throw topwater baits or small plastics. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair: Look for surface activity towards evening; throw topwater lures or small plastics. Walleye - Slow: Troll shad colored crankbaits or worm harnesses in 7-13 feet of water. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Target shallow cover or deeper rock piles. 

Pleasant Creek Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Some fish remain around shallow brush and vegetation. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try stinkbait and crawlers.

Sand Lake
This is the quarry on the east side of Marshalltown. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use cut bait and live bait.  Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Look for surface activity early in the mornings. Catch fish up to 20 inches.

For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.

Lake Miami
Bluegill - Fair: Try small jigs around the fishing jetties. Drift fishing from a boat can also produce some bluegills this time of year. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use topwater lures early and late in the day. Try crankbaits around the cedar trees and along the rip-rapped shorelines. 

Lake Sugema
Black Crappie - Slow: Drift minnows in 6-10 feet of water for suspended crappies. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use topwater lures along the shorelines; fish deeper with crankbaits or rubber worms.

Lake Wapello
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try topwater lures early and late in the day. Target cedar tree piles. Bluegill - Slow: Drift nightcrawlers on small jigs for suspended bluegills. Target areas in 6-8 feet of water. Channel Catfish - Slow: Use nightcrawlers or stinkbait. Don’t fish too deep; lakes will stratify this time of year. 

Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 904.59 msl. Normal operating elevation is 904.0 msl. Lake Rathbun has zebra mussels, so make sure to properly drain, clean, and dry equipment before transporting to another waterbody. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Try vertically jigging around rock piles and submerged points. Walleye - Fair: Troll gizzard shad imitating crankbaits around rock piles submerged points and areas with depth changes. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try nightcrawlers or chicken liver in 6-8 feet of water.

Red Haw Lake
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try topwater lures early and late in the day. Use spinnerbaits and crankbaits during the hotter parts of the day. Target submerged structure and rocky shorelines. Bluegill - Slow: Try drifting in the main part of the lake with nightcrawlers.

The district includes Appanoose, Davis, Lucas, Mahaska, Monroe, Wapello, Wayne and Van Buren counties. Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions about fishing in south central Iowa.

 

MISSISSIPPI RIVER FISHING REPORTS

Mississippi River Pool 16
River stage is 9.26 feet at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad Cities and has been fairly steady the past few days. Channel Catfish - Good: Use chicken livers or dip baits around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. White Crappie - No Report: Look for crappies in the backwaters. Try jigs and plastics or minnows fished in Sunset Marina or Andalusia Island Complex. Bluegill - No Report: Try pieces of worm under a bobber in Sunset Marina or Andalusia Island Complex. Walleye - No Report: Look for walleyes on the wingdams or Sylvan Slough. Try trolling crankbaits or three-way rigs with pieces of crawler. 

Mississippi River Pool 17
Tailwater stage is 7.92 feet at Lock and Dam 16 in Muscatine and has been falling slowly the past few days. The ramp at Big Timber is open. The Kilpeck Landing is also open. Channel Catfish - No Report: Use chicken livers or dip baits around brush piles and snags in the main channel and side channels. White Bass -Good: Look for white bass by the dam or by GPC. Cast jigs and twister tails or crankbaits. Bluegill - No Report: Look for bluegills in the backwaters. Try pieces of worm under a bobber fished around brush piles in Big Timber or Cleveland Slough. Walleye - No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Try trolling crankbaits or pulling three-way rigs with crawlers.

Mississippi River Pool 18
Tailwater stage is 9.54 feet at Lock and Dam 17 at New Boston and is slowly falling. The gates are out at the dam. Water clarity is fair. The Toolsboro ramp is open. Channel Catfish - No Report: Use or chicken livers or dip baits around brush piles and snags in the main channel and side channels. White Bass - Fair: Cast crankbaits in Belle Pocket. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Some largemouth bass are being caught in Boston Bay. 

Mississippi River Pool 19
Tailwater stage is 6.28 feet at Lock and Dam 18. River stage is 11.68 feet at Burlington and is falling.  River stage is 526.54 feet at Ft. Madison. We have not received any fishing report information for this pool this week.

River stages have been falling slowly the past couple of days. Main channel water temperature is around 79 degrees. Water clarity is and fair. If you have questions on fishing Pools 16-19 contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062

[Rick]

SOUTHEAST IOWA FISHING REPORTS

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River
The Iowa River in this section is holding at about 4 foot below bank full level with a decent current speed. Channel Catfish - Fair: A few more anglers were out this week. The log jams and snags are holding the fish. Still more than enough water that catfish are "holed up" as at lower water levels.

Lake Belva Deer
Water is fairly clear, but with a green cast to it. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Go to the upper end of the lake and work over the top of the mounds with crankbaits or soft plastics. Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs tipped with waxworms around the flooded trees in 16-18 feet of water. Black Crappie - Fair: Try slow trolling at the lower end of the lake early in the morning. The bite ends by 10 am. 

Lake Darling
Water temperature should start cooling off some with the predicted weather forecast. Water has a green color to it. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Cooler weather in the forecast may bring some of the bass back in shallow in the mornings and evenings. Bluegill - Fair: Keep working rock and brush piles in 5 to 8 feet of water. Black Crappie - Slow: Anglers are still picking up a few crappies while trolling down the middle of the lake.

Lost Grove Lake
Water is fairly clear with a green cast to it.  Early and late bite will be best with water temperatures in the mid 80's. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass fishing picked up a little bit over the weekend. Still mostly an early morning bite. Bluegill - Fair: Work small jigs tipped with a trailer or live bait in 12 -16 feet of water.

Skunk River (Rose Hill to Coppock)
The Skunk River settled to a level just under half bank full. The current has slowed down. Channel Catfish - Fair: Start working to usual summer haunts of the bigger log jams and off the back edges of the sand bars (those that are starting to stick out of the water.)

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

 

Coralville Reservoir
The lake level is at normal summer pool of 683.5 feet. Channel Catfish - Fair: Drift/troll cut bait in the channel.

Diamond Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Try small jigs over deeper brush or suspended over the basin. Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs or worms around brush piles. Channel Catfish - Good: Try stinkbait or crawlers.

Lake Macbride
The 10 hp outboard maximum limit is in effect. White Bass - Fair: Look for surface activity towards evening; throw topwater baits or small plastics. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair: Look for surface activity towards evening; throw topwater lures or small plastics. Walleye - Slow: Troll shad colored crankbaits or worm harnesses in 7-13 feet of water. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Target shallow cover or deeper rock piles. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try stinkbait or crawlers. 

Otter Creek Lake
Channel Catfish - Good: Nice-sized fish are hitting on crawlers or stinkbait. Morning and evening bite is best. Bluegill - Slow: Target brush piles or PVC structures with jigs or worms. Yellow Bass - Slow: Try small jigs, spinners or live bait fished in the shallows.

Pleasant Creek Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Some fish remain around shallow brush and vegetation. Channel Catfish - Slow: Try stinkbait and crawlers. Walleye - Fair: Some fish have been caught in the evenings. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Some fish are being caught shallow. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair: Look for surface activity, especially at sunrise and sunset.

Sand Lake
This is the quarry on the east side of Marshalltown. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use cut bait and live bait.  Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Look for surface activity early in the mornings. Catch fish up to 20 inches.

For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.

Hawthorn Lake
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use spinnerbaits or crankbaits along rock piles and rip-rapped shores. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try liver or stinkbait.

Lake Miami
Bluegill - Fair: Try small jigs around the fishing jetties. Drift fishing from a boat can also produce some bluegills this time of year. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use topwater lures early and late in the day. Try crankbaits around the cedar trees and along the rip-rapped shorelines. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use nightcrawlers or liver in 4-8 feet of water. 

Lake Sugema
Black Crappie - Slow: Drift minnows in 6-10 feet of water for suspended crappies. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use topwater lures along the shorelines; fish deeper with crankbaits or rubber worms.

Lake Wapello
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try topwater lures early and late in the day; target cedar tree piles. As the day warms up, try plastics fished deeper around tree piles. Bluegill - Slow: Drift nightcrawlers on small jigs for suspended bluegills. Target areas in 6-8 feet of water. Channel Catfish - Slow: Use nightcrawlers or stinkbait. Don’t fish too deep; lakes will stratify this time of year. 

Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 904.49 msl. Normal operating elevation is 904.0 msl. Lake Rathbun has zebra mussels, so make sure to properly drain, clean, and dry equipment before transporting to another waterbody. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Try trolling crankbaits around schools of shad. Look for the shad to break the surface as they are being chased from below by the hybrids. Walleye - Fair: Troll gizzard shad imitating crankbaits around rock piles submerged points and areas with depth changes. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try nightcrawlers or chicken liver in 6-8 feet of water.

Red Haw Lake
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try topwater lures early and late in the day. Use spinnerbaits and crankbaits during the hotter parts of the day. Target submerged structure and rocky shorelines. Bluegill - Slow: Try drifting with nightcrawlers in the main part of the lake.

The district includes Appanoose, Davis, Lucas, Mahaska, Monroe, Wapello, Wayne and Van Buren counties. Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions about fishing in south central Iowa.

 

MISSISSIPPI RIVER FISHING REPORTS SE

Mississippi River Pool 16
River stage is 8.56 feet at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad Cities and has been falling slowly the past few days. Channel Catfish - Good: Use chicken livers or dip baits around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. White Crappie - No Report: Look for crappies in the backwaters. Try jigs and plastics or minnows fished in Sunset Marina or Andalusia Island Complex. Bluegill - No Report: Try pieces of worm under a bobber in Sunset Marina or Andalusia Island Complex. Walleye - No Report: Look for walleyes on the wingdams or Sylvan Slough. Try trolling crankbaits or three-way rigs with pieces of crawler. 

Mississippi River Pool 17
Tailwater stage is 7.34 feet at Lock and Dam 16 in Muscatine and has been falling slowly the past few days. The ramp at Big Timber is open. The Kilpeck Landing is also open. Channel Catfish - No Report: Use chicken livers or dip baits around brush piles and snags in the main channel and side channels. White Bass -Good: Look for white bass by the dam or by GPC. Cast jigs and twister tails or crankbaits. Bluegill - No Report: Look for bluegills in the backwaters. Try pieces of worm under a bobber fished around brush piles in Big Timber or Cleveland Slough. Walleye - No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Try trolling crankbaits or pulling three-way rigs with crawlers.

Mississippi River Pool 18
Tailwater stage is 8.64 feet at Lock and Dam 17 at New Boston and is slowly falling. The Toolsboro ramp is open. Channel Catfish - No Report: Use or chicken livers or dip baits around brush piles and snags in the main channel and side channels. White Bass - Fair: Cast crankbaits in Belle Pocket. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Some largemouth bass are being caught in Boston Bay. 

Mississippi River Pool 19
Tailwater stage is 5.41 feet at Lock and Dam 18 has been falling slowly. River stage is 10.95 feet at Burlington.  River stage is 526.37 feet at Ft. Madison. We have not received any fishing report information for this pool this week.

River stages have been falling slowly the past few days, but are forecast to start rising slightly by the end of the weekend. Main channel water temperature is around 82 degrees. Water clarity is fair. If you have questions on fishing Pools 16-19 contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.

[Rick]

SOUTHEAST IOWA  FISHING REPORTS

Big Hollow Lake
Cooler nights have lowered the water temperature to the upper 70's. Water clarity still isn't the best since the last big rain. A lot of the duckweed got washed out of the lake. Bluegill - Fair: Thursday morning (8/7) some of the bluegills were in shallow. Work the brush piles in 6 feet of water. Try worm and bobber or a small jig tipped with live bait jigged vertically. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Toss soft plastics rigged weedless into the flooded timber. See just how far back into the trees you can get your boat. Channel Catfish - Fair: Work the shallows back in some of the bays where the deeper gullies drain into the lake.

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River
The Iowa River dropped another 1/2 foot since Monday (8/3). Some of the big sandbars above Wapello are showing up. Channel Catfish - Fair: With the reappearance of the big sand bars. use stinkbaits or chicken liver fished just off the back edge of the sandbars where they drop off into a deeper back eddy.

Lake Belva Deer
Water temperature was 78 degrees on Wednesday (8/5). Water clarity is 20 inches. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Early morning back in the flooded timber and around and over top of the mounds at the upper end. Bluegill - Good: With the cooler weather the bluegill bite picked up, especially over the mounds at the upper end of the lake. Black Crappie - Fair: Crappie fishing has picked up some this week. Try slow trolling at at the usual spots down at the lower end of the lake. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfishing has picked up over the last several days. Try along the face of the dam and around the rocks on the jetties.

Lake Darling
Water temperature has dropped back into the upper 70's. Water clarity is 15 inches. Too many hard rains to allow it to start to clear up; water is more brown than green.  Largemouth Bass - Fair: The bite is lasting longer in the mornings with the cooler nights. Use a lure that makes some noise to catch their attention with the poor water clarity. Bluegill - Fair: Try a jig tipped with live bait fished in the rock piles out in 6-8 feet of water. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use chicken liver; work the culvert piles at the base of the rip rap around the point and back around to the jetty over by the beach.

Lost Grove Lake
Water temperature is back into the 70's. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Early morning bite is best; the evening bite is picking up with the cooler weather. Bluegill - Fair: Work small jigs tipped with a trailer or live bait in 12 -16 feet of water. Cooler weather might bring them in a little shallower. 

Skunk River (Rose Hill to Coppock)
The Skunk River water level dropped this week. Water levels are low enough that anything bigger than a canoe will have problems getting around. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try stinkbaits and cut baits; the slower currents transmit their scents much better than fresh baits.

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

 

Central Park Lake
Largemouth Bass - Good: Try soft plastics on dirt/rock transitions. Most fish are under legal size yet.

Coralville Reservoir
The lake level is at normal summer pool of 683.5 feet. Channel Catfish - Fair: Drift/troll cut bait in the channel.

Diamond Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Try small jigs over deeper brush or suspended over the basin. Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs or worms around brush piles. Channel Catfish - Good: Try stinkbait or crawlers.

Lake Macbride
The 10 hp outboard maximum limit is in effect. White Bass - Fair: Look for surface activity towards evening; throw topwater baits or small plastics. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair: Look for surface activity towards evening; throw topwater lures or small plastics. Walleye - Slow: Troll shad colored crankbaits or worm harnesses in 7-13 feet of water. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Target shallow cover or deeper rock piles. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try stinkbait or crawlers. 

Otter Creek Lake
Channel Catfish - Good: Nice-sized fish are hitting on crawlers or stinkbait. Morning and evening bite is best. Bluegill - Slow: Target brush piles or PVC structures with jigs or worms. Yellow Bass - Slow: Try small jigs, spinners or live bait fished in the shallows.

Pleasant Creek Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Some fish remain around shallow brush and vegetation. Channel Catfish - Slow: Try stinkbait and crawlers. Walleye - Fair: Some fish have been caught in the evenings. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Some fish are being caught shallow. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair: Look for surface activity, especially at sunrise and sunset.

Sand Lake
This is the quarry on the east side of Marshalltown. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use cut bait and live bait.  Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Look for surface activity early in the mornings. Catch fish up to 20 inches.

For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.

Hawthorn Lake
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use spinnerbaits or crankbaits along rock piles and rip-rapped shores. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try liver or stinkbait in 4-8 feet of water.

Lake Miami
Bluegill - Fair: Try small jigs tipped with a chunk of nightcrawler around the fishing jetties. Drift fishing from a boat can produce some bluegills this time of year. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use topwater lures early and late in the day. Try crankbaits around the cedar trees and along the rip-rapped shorelines. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use nightcrawlers or liver in 4-8 feet of water. 

Lake Sugema
Black Crappie - Slow: Drift jigs tipped with a minnow in 6-10 feet of water for suspended crappies. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use topwater lures along the shorelines; fish deeper with crankbaits or rubber worms.

Lake Wapello
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try topwater lures early and late in the day; target cedar tree piles. As the day warms up, try plastics fished deeper around tree piles. Bluegill - Slow: Drift nightcrawlers on small jigs for suspended bluegills. Target areas in 6-8 feet of water. Channel Catfish - Slow: Use nightcrawlers or stinkbait. Don’t fish too deep; lakes will stratify this time of year. Black Crappie - Slow: Drift jigs tipped with minnows for suspended crappie. 

Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 904.27 msl. Normal operating elevation is 904.0 msl. Lake Rathbun has zebra mussels, so make sure to properly drain, clean, and dry equipment before transporting to another waterbody. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Try trolling crankbaits around schools of shad. Look for the shad to break the surface as they are being chased from below by the hybrids. Walleye - Fair: Troll gizzard shad imitating crankbaits around rock piles submerged points and areas with depth changes. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try nightcrawlers or chicken liver in 6-8 feet of water.

Red Haw Lake
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try topwater lures early and late in the day. Use spinnerbaits and crankbaits during the hotter parts of the day. Target submerged structure and rocky shorelines. Bluegill - Slow: Try drifting with nightcrawlers in the main part of the lake. Channel Catfish - Slow: Use chicken liver or stinkbait in 4-8 feet of water.

The district includes Appanoose, Davis, Lucas, Mahaska, Monroe, Wapello, Wayne and Van Buren counties. Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions about fishing in south central Iowa.

 

MISSISSIPPI RIVER FISHING REPORTS

Mississippi River Pool 12
Water levels are expected to recede this week. The water level is near 9.2 feet at the Lock and Dam and 11.3 feet at the RR bridge.The water temperature is around 77 degrees. The water clarity is good. Northern Pike - Good: Flashy spinners in eddy areas or along weed lines will take this toothy predator. Bluegill - Slow: Bluegills are still being reported in shallow backwater areas near brush piles. Channel Catfish - Excellent: Lots of anglers are using prepared stinkbaits. Try floating worms along rock lines.  Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Freshwater drum are easy to catch on an egg sinker and worm rig. Fish in moderate current. Largemouth Bass - Excellent: Lots of bass are being taken off lily pad areas on spinnerbaits or frog imitation lures. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Some smallies have moved in along the rock piles; use flashy spoons or crankbaits. Walleye – Slow: Some walleyes were being taken off the middle of wingdams in the lower water, but the recent rise in water level have hampered some anglers. White Bass - Good: Many white bass are being caught in the Dubuque tailwater on white jigs. Look for feeding schools elsewhere. 

Mississippi River Pool 13
Water level is near 10.2 feet at the Bellevue Lock and Dam. The water temperature is 77 degrees. The water clarity is fair. The recent water rise hampered fishing, but it is picking up again. Channel Catfish - Excellent: Catfish are along rock lines and brush piles in moderate current. Most anglers are using prepared stinkbaits. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Freshwater drum are easy to catch on a sinker and worm rig. Fish in moderate current. Northern Pike - Good: Try flashy spinners fished along old weed edges and rock shorelines. Largemouth Bass - Excellent: Bass are being taken off lily pad areas on spinnerbaits or frog imitation lures. Some are also being caught off the rocks in the tailwater. Bluegill - Fair: Try fishing around brush piles in larger sloughs with reduced current. Flathead Catfish - Good: Use live fish for bait. Lots of trot lines are being set; make sure you follow trot lines rules, especially having a tag with your name and address attached to the lines. White Bass - Good: White bass are being reported in the tailwater; use flashy small spinners.

Mississippi River Pool 14
The water level is near 9.5 feet at the Fulton Lock and Dam, 12.4 feet at Camanche and 7 feet at LeClaire. Water temperature is 77 degrees. Water clarity is fair. Channel Catfish - Excellent: Anglers are using prepared stinkbaits along rock lines. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Freshwater drum are easy to catch on a worm sinker and worm rig. Fish in moderate current. Largemouth Bass - Good: Lots of bass are being taken off lily pad areas on spinnerbaits or frog imitation lures. Some are being taken off of exposed rock piles. Northern Pike - Good: Use flashy spinners along backwater shorelines or in the tailwaters for this aggressive fish. Flathead Catfish - Excellent: Try live fish for bait. Lots of trot lines are being set; make sure you follow trot lines rules, especially having a tag with your name and address attached to the lines. Bluegill - Fair: Find bluegills near the mouths of large backwater areas, usually around brush piles. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Try spinners or crankbaits along rip-rap areas. White Bass - No Report: Expect white bass to be hitting in the tailwaters and elsewhere. Look for feeding schools of fish; use flashy small spinners.

Mississippi River Pool 15
Water level is around 9.5 feet at Rock Island and is receding. The water temperature is 78 degrees; water clarity is fair. Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Freshwater drum are easy to catch on a worm sinker and worm rig. Fish in moderate current. Channel Catfish - Excellent: Channel cats are readily biting on cut bait and prepared baits. Flathead Catfish - Excellent: Try live bait around brush piles or in the tailwater area. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Fish the rocky habitats along the channel edge. 

Water level is expected to slowly recede. Water temperature is near 77 degrees. If you have any fishing questions, please contact the Bellevue Fisheries Station 563-880-8781.

[Rick]

SOUTHEAST IOWA FISHING REPORTS

Big Hollow Lake
Water temperature was 84 degrees at noon on Wednesday (8/19). Water clarity is improving. Duckweed has taken over in parts of the lake, especially in the boat ramp bay. Bluegill - Slow: The bluegill bite has slowed with the return of warm stagnant weather. Work the brush piles in 6 to 7 feet of water. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Work out in a little deeper water in the flooded timber in the bays. Channel Catfish - Fair: The face of the dam is always good. Also try in the main two bays at the very upper end of the lake around the brush piles and downed trees.

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River
The Iowa River continued to slowly drop this weekend, down another 3-4 inches. Channel Catfish - Fair: They are going to start piling into deeper holes with brush piles for cover.

Lake Belva Deer
Water temperature is in the low 80's most afternoons. Water clarity continues to improve, just not very fast. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try early morning in the flooded timber and around and over top of the mounds at the upper end. Bluegill - Fair: The bite has slowed. Work the mounds at the upper end of the lake. Also expect to pick up a few when drifting for crappies at the lower end. Black Crappie - Slow: Crappie fishing has slowed down again. Try slow trolling at at the usual spots down at the lower end of the lake. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfishing remains decent. Try chicken liver or stinkbaits fished along the face of the dam and around the rocks on the jetties.

Lake Darling
Water temperature Thursday (8/20) morning was 78 degrees. Most afternoons the water temperature is in the low 80's. Water is still turbid and green. Largemouth Bass - Fair: While the nights are getting cooler, the daytime temperatures are still warm. Most bass anglers are fishing the rock and brush piles in deeper water in the morning. Bluegill - Slow: Work rock piles in 6-8 feet of water. Drift from rock pile to rock pile using a small jig tipped with live bait like a waxworm or small fish worm. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfish like warm water. Evening bite is good. Use chicken liver; work the culvert piles at the base of the rip-rap around the point and back around to the jetty by the beach.

Lost Grove Lake
Water temperature is around 80 degrees; expect it to get into the low to mid-80's in the next few days. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Morning bite is best. Some are being taken on topwater baits. After it starts to warm up, bass will move deeper and settle down for the day. Bluegill - Fair: Work small jigs tipped with a trailer or live bait in 12 -16 feet of water. The hotter temperatures will keep them deeper for a while. Black Crappie - Slow: Crappies are in deep hiding mode. A few are getting caught when bluegill fishing in the deeper water.

Skunk River (Rose Hill to Coppock)
The Skunk River water level has held steady this week. Water levels are low enough that anything bigger than a canoe will have problems getting around. Channel Catfish - Fair: Work the bigger brush piles near the deeper holes. More than a few grass frogs are still around to use for bait.

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

 

Coralville Reservoir
The lake level is at normal summer pool of 683.5 feet. The ramp in Macbride State Park is closed due to storm clean-up. Some of the Corps ramps may also be closed. Sandy Beach and Mehaffey Ramps are open. Channel Catfish - Fair: Troll cut bait in the channel or up on shallow flats depending on the fish activity.

Green Castle Lake
The park is closed until further notice due to storm damage.

Iowa Lake (Iowa Co.)
Bluegill - Slow: Look for fish around deeper brush piles. Black Crappie - Slow: Try around deeper brush piles or suspended over 14-20 feet of water. Channel Catfish - Fair: Typical baits have been working.

Iowa River (Marshalltown to Coralville Lake)
River accesses in Marshall County are closed until further notice. Other counties may be the same.

Lake Macbride
The main park entrance is closed due to storm damage and clean-up efforts. The park ramps are closed. The other ramps on the lake are open. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Slow: Troll crankbaits during the day and throw topwaters or plastics at sunrise/sunset for surface feeders. Walleye - Slow: Troll crankbaits or worm harnesses in 7-13 feet of water. Largemouth Bass - Slow. Channel Catfish - Slow. 

Otter Creek Lake
The park and lake are closed until further notice due to storm damage.

Pleasant Creek Lake
The park is closed due to storm damage.

Sand Lake
Sand Lake in Marshalltown is currently closed, but the county was hoping to have it opened by the weekend.

Union Grove Lake
The lake is open, but the trails are unsafe due to debris. No fishing report is available, other than an algae bloom is occurring now.

Additional parks/lakes may be still closed due to storm damage. For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.

 

Hawthorn Lake
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use spinnerbaits or crankbaits along rock piles and rip-rapped shores. Try topwater lures early and late in the day. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try liver or stinkbait in 4-8 feet of water.

Lake Miami
Bluegill - Fair: Drift small jigs for suspended bluegills in the middle of the lake.Try small jigs tipped with a chunk of nightcrawler around the fishing jetties. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use topwater lures early and late in the day. Try crankbaits around the cedar trees and along the rip-rapped shorelines. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use nightcrawlers or liver in 4-8 feet of water. 

Lake Sugema
Black Crappie - Slow: Drift jigs tipped with a minnow in 6-10 feet of water for suspended crappies. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use topwater lures along the shorelines; fish deeper with crankbaits or rubber worms.

Lake Wapello
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try topwater lures early and late in the day; target cedar tree piles. As the day warms up, try plastics fished deeper around tree piles. Bluegill - Slow: Drift nightcrawlers on small jigs for suspended bluegills. Target areas in 6-8 feet of water. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use nightcrawlers or stinkbait. Don’t fish too deep; lakes will stratify this time of year. Black Crappie - Slow: Drift jigs tipped with minnows for suspended crappie. 

Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 904.01 msl. Normal operating elevation is 904.0 msl. Lake Rathbun has zebra mussels, so make sure to properly drain, clean, and dry equipment before transporting to another waterbody. Use caution while boating: the lake has not been at conservation pool for some time. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Look for flocks of seagulls to find shad; hybrids should be below the school of shad. Troll crankbaits that mimic gizzard shad through this area. Walleye - Fair: Troll gizzard shad imitating crankbaits around rock piles, submerged points and areas with depth changes. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try nightcrawlers or chicken liver in 6-8 feet of water.

Red Haw Lake
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try topwater lures early and late in the day. Use spinnerbaits and crankbaits during the hotter parts of the day. Target submerged structure and rocky shorelines. Bluegill - Slow: Try drifting with nightcrawlers on small jigs in the main part of the lake. Channel Catfish - Slow: Use chicken liver or stinkbait in 4-8 feet of water.

The district includes Appanoose, Davis, Lucas, Mahaska, Monroe, Wapello, Wayne and Van Buren counties. Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions about fishing in south central Iowa.

 

MISSISSIPPI RIVER FISHING REPORTS - SOUTH

Mississippi River Pool 16
Tailwater stage is 6.95 feet at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad Cities and has been fairly steady the past few days. Channel Catfish - Good: Use chicken livers or dip baits around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. White Crappie - No Report: Look for crappies in the backwaters. Try jigs and plastics or minnows fished in Sunset Marina or Andalusia Island Complex. Bluegill - No Report: Try pieces of worm under a bobber in Sunset Marina or Andalusia Island Complex. Walleye - Fair: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Try trolling crankbaits or three-way rigs with pieces of crawler. 

Mississippi River Pool 17
Tailwater stage is 5.54 feet at Lock and Dam 16 in Muscatine and has been fairly steady. Channel Catfish - No Report: Use chicken livers or dip baits around brush piles and snags in the main channel and side channels. White Bass -No Report: Look for white bass by the dam or by GPC. Cast jigs and twister tails or crankbaits. Also look for white bass on the wing dams. Bluegill - No Report: Look for bluegills in the backwaters. Try pieces of worm under a bobber fished around brush piles in Big Timber or Cleveland Slough. Walleye - Fair: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Try trolling crankbaits or pulling three-way rigs with crawlers.

Mississippi River Pool 18
Tailwater stage is 6.39 feet at Lock and Dam 17 at New Boston and has been fairly steady. Channel Catfish - Good: Use or chicken livers or dip baits around brush piles and snags in the main channel and side channels. Walleye - No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing dams; use crankbaits or three-way rigs with crawlers. White Crappie - No Report: Look for crappies in the backwaters around brush piles; try minnows under a bobber or jigs and plastics. White Bass - No Report: Look for white bass at the outlet of Odessa up by the dam or on the wing dams. Cast jigs and twister tails or crankbaits.

Mississippi River Pool 19
Tailwater stage is 3.37 feet at Lock and Dam 18 has been been fairly steady. River stage is 9.24 feet at Burlington. River stage is 525.6 feet at Ft. Madison. We have not received any fishing report information for this pool this week. Channel Catfish - No Report: Look for channel catfish around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. Use dip baits, shad or nightcrawlers. White Crappie - No Report: Look for crappies in the backwaters. Try minnows under a bobber or jigs and plastics fished around brush piles. Walleye - No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing dams. Use crankbaits or three-way rigs with crawlers. 

Tailwater stages have been fairly steady the past few days. Main channel water temperature is around 78 degrees. Water clarity is fair. If you have questions on fishing Pools 16-19 contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.