Northeast
Mississippi River – Pool stage at Guttenburg (Pool 10) is 605.7 feed and raising slightly. Water temperature is at 69 degrees. Crappie fishing is
picking up using minnows and crawlers fished around submerged trees in 5 feet of water in Minnesota Slough (Pool 9) and McDonald and Johnson
sloughs (Pool 10). Flathead catfish are biting on crankbaits fished off wing dams and deep-water bends just off the main channels in Pools 10 and 11.
Freshwater drum fishing is good using crankbaits or night crawlers fished below the wing dams and along main channel points in Pools 9-11. Pools
12-15: Bluegills are good on wax worms and night crawlers fished in the backwater areas and along the wing dams in the main channel. Crappie
fishing is good in 1- to 6-feet of water on minnows suspended under a bobber. Largemouth bass fishing is slow with live bait being more productive
than artificials. Channel catfish are biting night crawlers. Walleye fishing is starting to pick up using crankbaits and live bait rigs fished along rocky
shorelines, wing dams and running sloughs.
The Maquoketa (Delaware), Wapsipinicon (Buchanan), Cedar and Shell Rock rivers (Black Hawk) are good for channel catfish using cheese bait,
stink bait and leeches. Walleye fishing in the Shell Rock and Cedar rivers will improve as the water level stabilizes–use leadhead jigs tipped with a
night crawler.
Crappie fishing is fair to good in Black Hawk County lakes in 9- to 10-feet of water using minnows fished under a bobber next to structure.
Lake Delhi (Delaware) is good for crappies and bluegills fishing minnows under a bobber in deeper water. A few largemouth bass are being caught
on crankbaits.
Lake Meyer (Winneshiek) is good for bluegill on worms fished under a bobber.
Trout fishing is EXCELLENT. For current trout stocking and stream condition information, call the Manchester Hatchery at 563-927-5736, Big
Spring Hatchery at 563-245-1699 and the Decorah Hatchery at 563-382-3315.
For information on fishing in northeast Iowa, call the regional office in Manchester at 563-927-5736.
Northwest
The cool, wet, weekend shut things down almost completely. Look for better fishing on sunny days.
Fishing on Spirit Lake (Dickinson) has been slow. Anglers should expect improved fishing as fall progresses. Smallmouth and largemouth bass
fishing has been fair and is getting better. Anglers are catching bass in a variety of locations using artificials and live bait. Walleyes are slow.
West Okoboji (Dickinson): Bluegills have been good to excellent. Fish the points, drop-offs and on sunny days, the docks and weed lines. Use small
jigs tipped with live bait. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are fair and the action is improving. Fish have been caught in a variety of locations using
both artificials and live bait. Action has been steadily picking up for walleyes since Labor Day. Anglers are catching some nice sized yellow perch, but
the action is only fair.
Upper Gar and Minnewashta (Dickinson): Bluegills are good to excellent on small jigs tipped with live bait. Fish the points, drop-offs and on sunny
days, the docks and weed lines. Some nice walleyes have also been caught.
Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo): Walleye fishing is fair. Fish are being caught trolling crank baits in 9-13 feet of water. Yellow bass and white bass are
starting to move shallower. Use minnows or small jigs from the docks.
Beeds Lake (Franklin): Crappies can be caught using tube jigs and minnows for suspended fish in 10-16 feet of water.
Silver Lake (Worth): Yellow perch are hitting on minnows. Most of the fish are small, but a few larger fish are being caught.
Brushy Creek (Webster): Walleyes are good.
Black Hawk (Sac): Catfish are good. A few crappies are starting to bite.
For specific information on northwest Iowa fishing, contact the regional office at the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery, 712-336-1840.
Southeast
Mississippi River – Pools 16 – 19: River levels on the Mississippi River lower pools 16 – 19 are on the rise and water temperature is in the upper
70s but cooling. Catfishing is fair to good on all pools. Cut bait and night crawlers are the best bait but chicken livers and stink bait are working well.
Walleye fishing is fair to good on wing dams with crank baits and live bait rigs. Bluegill fishing is good in Big Timber and crappie fishing is fair.
Pattersen Lake on pool 16 has a very strong crappie population. Anglers are still catching drum on night crawlers.
Lake Darling (Washington): Largemouth bass are hitting on plastic worms fished along the stumps and sunken trees in the shallows.
Lake Geode (Henry): The largemouth bass are moving in to the shallows. Try a plastic worm or a jig and pig along the docks and tree falls for some
good action.
Lake Rathbun (Appanoose): Shore anglers are catching crappies using small jigs. White bass and a few walleyes are being caught trolling or drifting
night crawlers and minnows.
Lake Sugema (Van Buren): Bluegills have been hitting on small jigs in 6- to 8-feet of water. Largemouth bass have been hitting on artificial lures
including top-waters and crankbaits.
Lake Miami (Monroe): Largemouth bass are hitting on a variety of artificial lures. Bluegills are hitting small jigs.
Lake Keomah (Mahaska): Largemouth bass are biting on artificial lures. Bluegills and crappies have been hitting on small jigs.
Lake Macbride (Johnson): Fishing has still been fairly slow. Small crappies are being caught on jigs tipped with minnows. Largemouth bass are
being caught on crankbaits and jigs near sunken trees and rock piles. Anglers are reminded that Lake Macbride is still down from normal lake level due
to lake renovation. The lake is currently about 4 feet down. Boaters should use caution around potential hazard areas; boats can be launched on the
north ramp and main ramp near the beach at your own risk.
Coralville Reservoir (Johnson): Catfish are being caught in 4- to 8-feet of water in the morning and evening hours. Shad is the bait of choice.
Anglers report catching a few crappies near brush piles.
Pleasant Creek (Linn): Largemouth bass are being caught on crankbaits and artificial worms during the evening hours. An occasional bluegill is being
caught on the edge of the weed beds.
Diamond Lake (Poweshiek): Fishing has been fair for bluegills and crappies near brush on small jigs tipped with worms.
Cedar River (Linn): Catfishing has been fair on dip bait around brush piles.
Wapsipinicon River (Jones): Anglers report catching a few walleyes in the deeper holes on jigs and crankbaits. Catfish are also being caught on dip
baits and chicken liver in the deeper holes and near brush piles.
English River (Keokuk and Washington): Catfish is excellent using night crawlers or chicken liver. The low water really has them concentrated in the
deep holes.
Skunk River (Keokuk County to the mouth): The river is low and hard to navigate with a boat. Catfishing is fair on night crawlers fished along the
snags.
For specific information on southeast Iowa fishing, contact the regional office at Lake Darling State Park, 319-694-2430.
Southwest
Viking (Montgomery): Channel catfish are fair on prepared bait, liver and shrimp. Bluegills are fair on worms. Largemouth bass are fair.
Prairie Rose (Shelby): Channel catfish up to 12 pounds are being caught on a variety of baits.
Manawa (Pottawattamie): Catfish are good on night crawlers.
Cold Springs (Cass): Catfish are fair and they are being caught on night crawlers, liver and a variety of stink baits.
Icaria (Adams): One pound catfish are good on liver and night crawlers.
Three Mile (Union): Bluegills and crappies are fair to good using jigs or jigs tipped with a piece of night crawler in deeper areas down to 10 to 15
feet. Channel catfish are excellent on about any type of catfish bait. Bass are fair in 10- to 15-feet of water using soft plastic lures.
Twelve Mile (Union): Crappie, bluegill and yellow bass fishing is fair to good drift fishing in 10- to 15-feet water using white jigs tipped with a piece
of worm. Catfish are good using about any catfish bait. Largemouth bass fishing is fair in 10- to 15-feet of water using soft plastic lures.
Green Valley (Union): Crappies and bluegills are good around the brush piles. A few catfish are being caught.
Little River (Decatur): Catfish have been fair on night crawlers, minnows and liver, and crappies are fair to good drift fishing.
Fogle (Ringgold): Bluegills are fair in the flooded trees. Catfish are fair to good. Bass are being caught on soft plastic lures.
Badger Creek (Madison): Bluegills and catfish are fair.
West Lake Osceola (Clarke): Bluegill fishing is fair. Catfish are good. Crappies are fair drift fishing. A few bass are being caught on soft plastic
lures.
Nine Eagles (Decatur): Catfish are good on liver or prepared bait.
Ahquabi (Warren): Channel catfish are good on stink bait and commercial bait. Bluegill fishing has been slow, although some fish have been in the
creel. Crappie fishing is beginning to improve, although reports indicate rather sporadic fishing. Some nice sized largemouth bass have been caught,
although the majority is sub-legal.
Hooper (Warren): Channel catfish are good using stink bait and blood baits. Bluegill fishing is fair with some nice fish creeled. Largemouth bass
fishing has picked up.
Don Williams (Boone): Channel catfish are good with night crawlers and commercially prepared baits. Crappie fishing has been fair to good using
jigs/minnows.
Easter (Polk): Channel catfish have been good to excellent using commercially prepared baits.
Rock Creek (Jasper): Channel catfish are excellent using chicken livers. Crappie fishing is good with most fish caught using jigs and minnows in
deeper water.
Red Rock (Marion): White bass fishing has been fair using crankbaits in the Whitebreast area or along the dam face. Channel catfish has been good
using chicken livers and prepared baits. Tailwater area: Channel catfish are good using liver and prepared baits. White bass fishing has been fair to
good in the upper tailwater and some crappies are being taken near the outflow using small jigs.
Hickory Grove (Story): Channel catfish are excellent on stink bait. Crappie fishing is fair to excellent, with 9-inch or larger fish caught, primarily
using night crawlers. Some nice largemouth bass have been caught early in the morning using crankbaits.
Big Creek (Polk): Channel catfish are good in many areas of the lake. Crappie fishing has picked up, with most fish taken on jigs and minnows.
Saylorville (Polk): Channel catfish are good using traditional baits. Wiper/white bas fishing are good using jigs and shad bodies. Tailwater Area:
Channel catfish are fair near the outlet and down river to Sycamore access. A few small walleyes have been taken.
Des Moines River (Polk): White bass/wipers are being caught below Center Street dam. Some flathead catfish are being caught below Scott Street
dam using chubs. Channel catfish fishing is fair using commercially prepared baits and stink baits.
For specific information on southwest Iowa fishing, contact the regional office at Cold Springs State Park, 712-769-2587.
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The report is courtesy of the Iowa DNR. http://www.state.ia.us/dnr/