DNR Fishing Report

NORTHWEST
Black Hawk Lake
Water temperatures are around 43 degrees. Bluegill - Fair: Use small tube jigs or hair jigs tipped with bait fished under a bobber in Town Bay and around Ice House Point. Try also near the inlet. Most fish are 6.5-7.5 inches. Channel Catfish - Fair: With these water temperatures, it is a good time to target catfish from shore. Use cut bait and stink bait at Ice House Point, Lakewood Point area, the rock pile north of Cottonwood Point, and the east shore near the outlet. Black Crappie - Fair: Use small jigs fished under a bobber. Walleye - Fair: Some walleye are being caught from shore on twisters and minnows. Most are being picked up in Town Bay and along Ice House Point, but anywhere along shore with rocky structure and drop-offs can produce fish (e.g, Gunshot hill and east end near the outlet). Muskellunge - Fair: A few musky Anglers have been picked up a few musky since ice-out. There is a 40 inch minimum length limit on musky in Black Hawk Lake.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Storm Lake is ice-free. Water temperatures in the marina are around 42 degrees. This is a good time of year to target catfish from shore using stink bait and cut bait.  As water temperature begins to slowly rise, look for walleye fishing from shore and panfish in the marina to start picking up.
Swan Lake
A few panfish have been picked up. More reports will be available as we receive them.
Water temperatures in Western Iowa lakes are in the low 40’s. Panfishing was good on several lakes last week, but this cool down has reduced some of the fishing activity. More reports will be available as we receive them. Look for shore fishing to start picking up next week as water temperatures gradually warm and fish move into near-shore areas. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Clear Lake
The lake is about 90 percent ice free. No fishing activity reported this week.
Winnebago River         
The cold temperatures and higher river levels have slowed the northern pike bite, but expect it to pick back up as the water levels drop. Northern Pike - Slow: Try fishing below the dams with live chubs.
Most of the lakes in the north central area are ice free. For information in the north central area, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
East Okoboji Lake
The ice is almost completely out on East Okoboji, making it possible to take boats out. Black Bullhead - Fair: The most active fish right now are bullheads.
Silver Lake (Dickinson)
The lake is free of ice except around parts of the shoreline.  
Spirit Lake
The middle of the lake is open and there is a minimal amount of ice around the shorelines. The fish will begin moving to shallow water as this ice deteriorates and the water gets warmer.
West Okoboji Lake
The majority of the lake is ice free with a minimal amount of ice in the bays and along the shoreline.

All lakes have begun to open up with a few becoming completely open water. The fish will begin to move to shallow water as the water begins to warm up. Shore fishing will to start to pick up on all area lakes. For more information throughout the week, contact the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
NORTHEAST
Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water levels are falling and clarity is improving. Visit the USGS Current Water Data website for more information. Walleye - Slow: Walleye are starting to bite. Try a jig tipped with a flat tailed twister. Channel Catfish - Good: Use dead chubs fished under a bobber.
Decorah District Streams
The 2017 Catchable Trout Stocking Calendar is out - stocking starts until April 3. Streams are in good condition, but flows remain elevated. Gravel roads are soft in spots as the frost goes out. Decent hatches of caddis and stone flies and midges have been occurring with the recent spring-like weather. Spin fishers using swimbaits and spoons are catching nice fish. Brook Trout - Fair: Use flies or lures that look like sculpins, dace or suckers. Brown Trout - Good: Fishing when the water turns off color from run-off will turn the browns on. Try critters imitating small caddis fly larvae or gnats hatching off the water. Rainbow Trout - Fair: Black fly midge or hares ear wet flies are attracting bows fished in the riffles. Slowly pull a black bead head fly with a yellow scud dropper through the upper and lower ends of pools for trout in deeper water.
Lake Hendricks
With warmer temperatures and windy weather, the lake ice will go out quickly. Any ice left is not safe. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use a dead fish on a hook in shallower water on windblown shorelines.
Lake Meyer
The aerators have been turned off; ice is covering about half of the lake. No one has been out on the lake. Channel Catfish - Fair: Find a rocky windblown shoreline for best luck. Try a dead chub or some other minnow.
Turkey River (above Clermont)
Water levels are falling, but flows remain up. Water clarity is improving.
Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Water levels are falling and clarity is improving. Visit the USGS Current Water Data website for more information. Walleye - Slow: Anglers were catching a few walleye below dams in deeper holes. Use jigs tipped with twister tails.
Volga Lake
The lake is ice free. Channel Catfish - Good: Use dead minnows or other dead fish along windblown shores to attract a cruising cat.
Area rivers are falling after rainfall earlier in the week. Rivers have been producing a few nice fish. It’s going to get cold in Northeast Iowa again this weekend with highs in the 20’s. For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.
Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
Most anglers are targeting walleye, but catching other species too. Walleye - Fair: Use jig and minnow combinations in deeper holes or slack water areas off of main flow. Channel Catfish - Good: Dead cut baits fished on the bottom of the river work very well this time of year. Northern Pike - Good: Cast jig and minnow combinations or float a live chub or shiner underneath a bobber.
Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
The Maquoketa River is holding fairly stable and should offer some walleye angling opportunities this weekend. There have been no reports, but clarity remains fairly good for the river.
Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
There are no fishing reports for this week.
Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
There have been good reports of anglers catching walleye on the Wapsipinicon River, mainly below the low head dams. Walleye - Good: Use jig and minnow combinations in deeper holes or slack water areas off of main flow.
Interior rivers are providing some angling opportunities as they fluctuate this time of year with varying weather conditions. Reports have been particularly good on the Cedar and Wapsipinicon rivers for walleye, channel catfish and northern pike. Area trout streams are in excellent condition, contact the N.E. District Office at 563-927-3276 for more information.