Lake Rathbun Fishing Reports

[Rick]

Lake Rathbun, Appanoose County, Iowa: The lake level is 1 ½ feet above normal pool. Water temperature is in the middle 40s. Use cut bait or shad guts to catch channel catfish on windblown shorelines. The following boat ramps are currently closed for repaving: high water ramp at Buck Creek, the South Fork Marina ramp, and the Bridgeview ramp.

[Rick]

Lake Rathbun (Appanoose): The lake level is 1 1/2 feet above normal pool. Water temperature is ranging in the middle to upper 40s. Use cut bait or shad guts to catch channel catfish on windblown shorelines. These boat ramps are currently closed for repaving of the ramps: high water ramp at Buck Creek, the South Fork Marina ramp, and the Bridgeview ramp.

[Doop]

How was the crappie bite this winter during ice fishing season?

This is a lake I will definitely fish a little in the near future....just wondering how it does during ice fishing?

[Rick]

Rathbun Reservoir

Lake Rathbun water temperature is in the lower 60s. The lake level is currently at 909.47 feet, which is five feet above normal pool. Channel catfish - Fair: Use night crawlers or cut bait to catch channel catfish in the coves and bays. White bass - Fair: Use flashy blade baits or chrome colored baits to mimic shad. Try areas with some underwater structure or a change in depth. Crappie - Slow: Crappies are being caught around flooded vegetation along the shoreline. Fishing has been better in the afternoons as the surface water temperature rises. South Fork has been producing some crappies as well as the far northwest parts of the reservoir. Walleye - Fair: Try drifting night crawlers or trolling crankbaits around underwater islands and ridges.

[Rick]

Rathbun Reservoir

Lake Rathbun water temperature is in the 60s. The lake level is currently at 909.47 which is five feet above normal pool.

Channel Catfish - Fair: Use night crawlers or cut bait to catch channel catfish in the coves and bays.

White Bass - Fair: Use flashy blade baits or chrome colored baits to mimic shad. Try areas with some underwater structure or a change in depth.

Crappie - Slow: Crappies are being caught around flooded vegetation along the shoreline. South Fork has been producing some crappies as well as the far northwest parts of the reservoir.

Walleye - Fair: Try drifting night crawlers or trolling crankbaits around underwater islands and ridges.

[Rick]

Rathbun Reservoir

Lake Rathbun water temperature is in the upper 70s. The lake level is currently at 909.23 feet which is just over five feet above normal pool. Channel Catfish - Good: Use night crawlers or cut bait to catch channel catfish around the rip rapped areas around the South Fork and Bridgeview bridges. Some channel catfish are also being caught by walleye anglers trolling crankbaits. White Bass - Good: Use flashy blade baits or chrome colored baits to mimic shad. Try areas with some underwater structure or a change in depth. The area around Island View has been productive. Crappie - Slow: Crappies are being caught around flooded vegetation along the shoreline. A lot of crappies are being caught but most of them are less than 8 inches, with an occasional fish over 10 inches. Tube jigs with minnows have been working the best. Walleye - Fair: Try drifting night crawlers or trolling crankbaits around underwater islands and ridges. Large numbers of smaller walleye are being caught with an occasional keeper. The South Fork flats and the area around Island View have been producing some catches of keepers.

[Joe]

Lake Geode

Water conditions have returned to normal. Bluegill - Fair: Fishing is picking up again with the improving water conditions. I would start looking for the bluegills and redears to move out to the edge of the weed beds very soon.

Lake Belva Deer

Work on the road paving project continues. Next week they are planning on closing 250th Ave, the road across the dam, to start the grading work on it. A detour map is available at the Keokuk CCB website. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfish have been biting. Try chicken liver or stink bait along the dam face or around the rocky faces of the jetties. Bluegill - Slow: Anglers are seeing the bluegills on the beds but they can't get them to bite. The storms rolling through aren't helping the fishing.

Pollmiller Park Lake

Water conditions have improved greatly since last week. Bluegill - Fair: With the clearing water the bluegills are starting to bite again. Use light tackle around the fish habitat. Largemouth Bass - Fair: The bass are liking the return of the clear water. Look for these fish to be out a little deeper with the coming of summer.

Lake Darling

The lake is drained. The lake has filled back up with the heavy rains. It will drain all back out.

Skunk River (Coppock to Mississippi River)

The river has finally returned to within its banks. Not much angling activity yet as it just got back to the almost bank full level this last week end.

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River)

The river is steadily dropping and looks to be going to continue that trend. Water temps range in the low 80s. Channel Catfish - Good: Look for the channel cats along the edges of the sand bars and in the mouths of any feeder creeks. Flathead Catfish - Fair: Setting bank lines with the dropping water levels is constantly dropping water levels is going to be tough.

Lake Wapello

The lake was completely drained during the summer of 2008. Repairs have been made and the gate is now shut and the lake is re-filling.

Red Haw Lake

Channel Catfish - Fair: Night crawlers have been the best bait for catching channel catfish. Bluegill - Good: Small jigs have been catching fish along with a chunk of night crawler under a bobber. The best areas have been along the shorelines and around submerged structure. Largemouth Bass - Good: Use soft plastics along the shoreline and around submerged structure. Crankbaits and spinnerbaits are also a good choice to use around these same areas.

Lake Keomah

Channel Catfish - Slow: Use night crawlers or dead minnows. Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs tipped with a chunk of night crawler fished along the shoreline. Look for areas with structure. Largemouth Bass - Good: Use soft plastics or jigs fished along submerged structure. Try off the ends of the rock jetties and also where the jetties meet the shoreline.

Albia (lower)

Bluegill - Good: Use small jigs along the shorelines. Try using a chunk of night crawler under a bobber. Largemouth Bass - Good: Try areas with some rip rap or areas with submerged structure. There are also areas marked with habitat buoys where cedars trees have been placed.

Lake Miami

The lake drawdown started May 15. Anglers may still use the lake during this time and the boat docks and boat ramps are usable. Channel Catfish - Good: Use night crawlers, chicken liver or dead minnows. Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs along the shorelines and around structure. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use soft plastics or spinnerbaits around structure. Crappie - Fair: Use small jigs or jig/minnow combinations along the shoreline or other structure.

Lake Sugema

Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs tipped with a night crawler. Try a variety of depths. Largemouth Bass - Good: Use soft plastics around weed lines and other structure. Try using spinnerbaits in the same areas. Top-waters are also a good choice for mornings and evenings. Crappie - Fair: Use small jigs tipped with a minnow or wax worm. Try different colors and locations until you find active fish.

Rathbun Reservoir

Lake Rathbun water temperature is in the upper 70s. The lake level is currently at 909.23 feet which is just over five feet above normal pool. Channel Catfish - Good: Use night crawlers or cut bait to catch channel catfish around the rip rapped areas around the South Fork and Bridgeview bridges. Some channel catfish are also being caught by walleye anglers trolling crankbaits. White Bass - Good: Use flashy blade baits or chrome colored baits to mimic shad. Try areas with some underwater structure or a change in depth. The area around Island View has been productive. Crappie - Slow: Crappies are being caught around flooded vegetation along the shoreline. A lot of crappies are being caught but most of them are less than 8 inches, with an occasional fish over 10 inches. Tube jigs with minnows have been working the best. Walleye - Fair: Try drifting night crawlers or trolling crankbaits around underwater islands and ridges. Large numbers of smaller walleye are being caught with an occasional keeper. The South Fork flats and the area around Island View have been producing some catches of keepers.

Rathbun District Farm Ponds

Crappies and bluegills have been hitting in area farm ponds. Largemouth bass are also being caught. Be sure to ask permission before fishing private farm ponds.