Iowa City Interior River Fishing

Andy/Luke/SupserDave/Vikefan, Isn’t it time for your annual assault on the Iowa river Walleyes or are your still ice fishing? With stabilizing temps and flow being released from the Res the walleyes should start their spring migration. Kornking, Gianni and I have been planning our own assault on a variety of interior rivers this Spring and the Iowa is one of those on the list. A heads up on when the bite starts would be great. We’ll be sure to post our results as well. Probably will be poking around for some open water this weekend if schedule and weather conditions allow. I recall doing fairly well on a couple interior rivers looking at my notes in similar weather conditions in the past 5 years. Time to break out the neoprene.

Well fished the Iowa under the tube a bit this evening. Threw a couple different jig/tube setups around the boat ramp for a while….but caught nothing. Lot of frozen foam on the water, as well as a lot of shad going belly up. Still pretty icy in some areas. -bob

When im fishing the tube i fish the west side of the river below the powerlines. Try fishing that spot and throw your jig right on the breakline where the current meets the slower water. I fished there over the years and caught some pretty nice walleyes and saugeyes, up too 8 pounds. A guy who i’ve known since grade school and i broke the state saugeye record 3 times in 2 days there. At the times we were there we had too throw out as far as we could to hit the breakline and then let it fall as straight down as we could get it to go. All the hits came close too the bottom, i had too change to 4 pound test to get the distance i needed to get the jig in the right spot but it paid off, thier in there. This time of year i always use a jig tipped with a minnow because thier starting too feed, especially with the dead shad coming through the tube. Try using a light jig too get a slower fall, you can always go to a heavier one if needed.

Thanks for the info….I am a usually a big minnow fan myself… but it was just one of those grab and go type of nights. I have traditionally fished the west side of the tube as well but I dont think I have tried by the power lines for some reason or another but Its on my list the next time I head out…hopefully sat. -bob

Thanks for the reply’s guys. I’m buried with work and family commitments so it’s nice to live vicariously through your posts and collaborate on how the fishing is going . When I get out I’ll be sure to return the favor .

I might give it a whirl next week to, since its spring break.

Late ice might be a good choice to…………

The water is really really dirty below the tube right now. I can’t imagine they can see a bait more than an inch from their face. Saw one decent one caught last night below the tube but that was it and there were a lot of guys fishing. the water is 33 degrees – the water they’re dumping from the bottom of the res is very cold. downstream in iowa city i’m sure it’s much warmer. And w/ these temps it’s gonna warm fast. Right now until it gets to the low to mid 40’s should be a great bite if they can find your jig. I’m gonna get my boat down there tonight so I’ll let you guys know how I do. Gonna try some sonars and spoons in the big hole – maybe the vibration will help them find my offering!

Andy:

I cannot tell a lie… I blew off work most of day and spent some time below the dam; fishing some deep holes in the tailwaters and the current breaks. I had nothing to show for five hours of effort.

I took a recon run to the tailwaters Sunday-saw some guys nail a few decent ones, but the water today was easily 2-3′ higher and wicked more turbid than then.

I threw everything in the box; tried vertical presentations, minnows, dragging, as well as the Zonar deal since it was so murky-hoping to call ’em in.

I think I might have seen you guys out there tonight in the Lund-looked like a full crew. I had to take my older boy to cub scouts after supper and then had my 2 younger boys in tow. We took a ride to get the baby to sleep; my middle son Dominic (he’s 5) wanted to see if anyone was catching fish, so we headed below the tube. I was the guy that walked out on the pier with the little boy around 7:15pm. The one dude on the pier had caught 2, and he had been there (I know, because he showed up while we were at from the boat) since 2pm.

Awesome weather nonetheless-a great day to be out; the babes jogging and roller blading on the trail made up for the lousy bite!

Let us know how you guys did.

Joe

I think Kornking is a jinx . We go to DBQ last year and hardly catch a cold. I go by myself and hit the mother load. Sunday I have 2 hours to fish the tube and catch 2 nice fish and have lots of misses(too much socializing). Yesterday the best thing that came over the gunwhale in 5 hours was someones catfish rig from 1950. I’ve fished the sippi when its just as turbid and caught plenty of fish so who knows what the deal is. For now I blame it on Kornking and his bad luck mojo! All joking aside you can’t find a better fishing buddy, he brings lunch, keeps a positive attitude even when getting skunked for 5 hours and gets into 32 degree water to help trailer the boat. So to sum it up, if you want to catch fish, don’t put your boat in at the tube and go to the slack water area with everyone else, don’t use jig and minnow, don’t use jig and ringie, don’t use jig and do’s, don’t use jig and twisters, don’t use lindy rigs, don’t use Sonars, don’t use jigging spoons because none of that crap works in this river. Is the freaking Mississippi ready to fish yet?

Has anyone tried nightcrawlers in the slack water next to deep and shallow areas yet. I’d bet anything with the high water that thats where thier at, in slower current and on the bottom. Maybe a 3 way close to the bottom with nightcrawlers would do the trick.

So, Andy, how did y’all do out there Tuesday evening? What was the best presentation/technique, if anything?

Joe

sorry so late but we didn’t get any that night. just snagged catfish and white bass. i know they’re in there but can’t seem to get bit. too dirty for me. and too many people.