T_boy
05-20-2008, 03:46 PM
Interior rivers in northeast Iowa: Current temperatures are around 60 degrees on the interior rivers in northeast Iowa which is primetime for pre-spawn smallmouth bass fishing. The rivers have settled down and most are in good condition. Fishing for many species including walleye, smallmouth bass and channel catfish has improved.
Cedar River (Bremer and Black Hawk) and Shell Rock River (Butler and Bremer): Walleye fishing is good using jigs tipped with a twister tail, minnow or night crawler fished in the current breaks or around structure. Smallmouth bass fishing is good on jig and twister tails, spinner baits and crankbaits fished next to rocky shorelines or structure. Channel catfish are biting night crawlers and dead minnows in the Cedar River. Fish next to any log jams or fallen trees for channel catfish. Northern pike fishing is good on chubs or shiners fished in the back eddies.
Turkey River (Fayette and Clayton): Flows are high, but the river is very fishable. Nice smallmouth bass, 15 to 17 inches, are being caught on big spinners and crankbaits. Good numbers of walleyes are biting on crankbaits as well. White suckers and redhorse are being caught on night crawlers fished on the bottom.
Upper Iowa River (Winneshiek and Allamakee): Fish are starting to stack up at the lower dam. Good numbers of walleye, smallmouth bass and white bass are holding in the area. Smallmouth bass and walleye are being caught throughout the river on dark jig minnow imitators. White suckers can still be found in the glides (areas just above the edge of the riffles).
Wapsipinicon River (Buchanan): Fishing is good for largemouth and smallmouth bass below the Littleton Dam. Crappie and rock bass are also biting well. The river is falling nicely and fishing is picking up for walleyes, smallmouth bass and channel catfish in the Independence area as well as downstream.
East Lake and South Prairie Lakes (Black Hawk): Crappie fishing is fair to good depending on the day in these and other Black Hawk County lakes. With temperatures rising, crappies will begin spawning in the shallows. Use a small minnow under a slip bobber or cast a jig next to a brush pile or along the shoreline for crappies.
Big Woods Lake (Black Hawk): Fishing is fair for crappie. Use 1/64 to 1/32-ounce jigs fished slowly for best success, or try small minnows fished on a slip bobber rig.
Casey Lake (Tama): Fishing is fair for bluegills with small baits, and sinking flies provide the best action.
Heritage Pond (Dubuque): The DNR stocked 10 to 12-inch rainbow trout on May 2. These fish should be available through much of June. A trout fee is required to fish for and possess trout.
Hendricks Lake (Howard): Largemouth bass fishing has been excellent using a variety of lures. Numerous smaller bass are being caught with an occasional 6 pounder mixed in. Bluegill and crappie fishing has been slow, but with warming water temperature, crappies will be moving in shallow to spawn. Look to catch staging crappies around shallow structure using small jigs or minnows.
Lake Delhi (Delaware): Crappies will be spawning in the warmer water. Fish for crappies using jigs fished along the shorelines or try small minnows near brush piles.
Volga Lake (Fayette): Try catching channel catfish in the shallow coves when the wind is blowing into the coves. Catfish feed on dead fish pushed into these areas. Try using cut bait fished on the bottom.
Lake Meyer (Winneshiek): The bigger largemouth bass have started to bite on soft plastics or spinner baits worked along the shore. Anglers are picking up some 10-inch crappies with small twister tails, minnows or tube jigs fished along the various brush piles in deeper water. The smaller fish are starting to move into the shallow piles. Larger fish will move in as the water temperature warms. Some sorting of crappies may be necessary, but they are larger than last year.
Avenue of the Saints Lake (Bremer): Largemouth bass fishing has been very good using plugs and crankbaits in this and other Bremer area lakes.
Trout stream conditions are excellent with good flow and clear water. Conditions should continue barring heavy rain. Anglers are encouraged to call the trout stocking recording at 563-927-5736 if they have a question about whether their favorite stream has been stocked.
Cedar River (Bremer and Black Hawk) and Shell Rock River (Butler and Bremer): Walleye fishing is good using jigs tipped with a twister tail, minnow or night crawler fished in the current breaks or around structure. Smallmouth bass fishing is good on jig and twister tails, spinner baits and crankbaits fished next to rocky shorelines or structure. Channel catfish are biting night crawlers and dead minnows in the Cedar River. Fish next to any log jams or fallen trees for channel catfish. Northern pike fishing is good on chubs or shiners fished in the back eddies.
Turkey River (Fayette and Clayton): Flows are high, but the river is very fishable. Nice smallmouth bass, 15 to 17 inches, are being caught on big spinners and crankbaits. Good numbers of walleyes are biting on crankbaits as well. White suckers and redhorse are being caught on night crawlers fished on the bottom.
Upper Iowa River (Winneshiek and Allamakee): Fish are starting to stack up at the lower dam. Good numbers of walleye, smallmouth bass and white bass are holding in the area. Smallmouth bass and walleye are being caught throughout the river on dark jig minnow imitators. White suckers can still be found in the glides (areas just above the edge of the riffles).
Wapsipinicon River (Buchanan): Fishing is good for largemouth and smallmouth bass below the Littleton Dam. Crappie and rock bass are also biting well. The river is falling nicely and fishing is picking up for walleyes, smallmouth bass and channel catfish in the Independence area as well as downstream.
East Lake and South Prairie Lakes (Black Hawk): Crappie fishing is fair to good depending on the day in these and other Black Hawk County lakes. With temperatures rising, crappies will begin spawning in the shallows. Use a small minnow under a slip bobber or cast a jig next to a brush pile or along the shoreline for crappies.
Big Woods Lake (Black Hawk): Fishing is fair for crappie. Use 1/64 to 1/32-ounce jigs fished slowly for best success, or try small minnows fished on a slip bobber rig.
Casey Lake (Tama): Fishing is fair for bluegills with small baits, and sinking flies provide the best action.
Heritage Pond (Dubuque): The DNR stocked 10 to 12-inch rainbow trout on May 2. These fish should be available through much of June. A trout fee is required to fish for and possess trout.
Hendricks Lake (Howard): Largemouth bass fishing has been excellent using a variety of lures. Numerous smaller bass are being caught with an occasional 6 pounder mixed in. Bluegill and crappie fishing has been slow, but with warming water temperature, crappies will be moving in shallow to spawn. Look to catch staging crappies around shallow structure using small jigs or minnows.
Lake Delhi (Delaware): Crappies will be spawning in the warmer water. Fish for crappies using jigs fished along the shorelines or try small minnows near brush piles.
Volga Lake (Fayette): Try catching channel catfish in the shallow coves when the wind is blowing into the coves. Catfish feed on dead fish pushed into these areas. Try using cut bait fished on the bottom.
Lake Meyer (Winneshiek): The bigger largemouth bass have started to bite on soft plastics or spinner baits worked along the shore. Anglers are picking up some 10-inch crappies with small twister tails, minnows or tube jigs fished along the various brush piles in deeper water. The smaller fish are starting to move into the shallow piles. Larger fish will move in as the water temperature warms. Some sorting of crappies may be necessary, but they are larger than last year.
Avenue of the Saints Lake (Bremer): Largemouth bass fishing has been very good using plugs and crankbaits in this and other Bremer area lakes.
Trout stream conditions are excellent with good flow and clear water. Conditions should continue barring heavy rain. Anglers are encouraged to call the trout stocking recording at 563-927-5736 if they have a question about whether their favorite stream has been stocked.