Black Hawk Lake
Water temperature are in the low 50s. Water clarity is around 12 inches and levels are 6 inches below the crest of the spillway. Black Crappie – Fair: Pick up crappie in and around the fish house in Town Bay, along Ice House Point shoreline, and near the inlet bridge. Crappie are up to 10- to 12-inches. Bluegill – Fair: Use a small hair or tube jig tipped with a small piece of bait near shore areas and under docks as water cools. Bluegill numbers are not high, but large individuals are here. Walleye – Good: Bite is picking up. Walleye have moved close to shore. Try fishing along Ice House Point, the east shore near the outlet, and Shotgun Hill in the morning and evening. Throw twisters or fish a crawler near the bottom or under a slip bobber.
Brushy Creek Lake
Water temperatures are in the mid 50s. Black Crappie – Slow: Find crappie in 5-10 feet of water. Bluegill – Slow: Find bluegill near submerged structure in 3-10 feet of water. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Look for largemouth bass along shore. Target areas with wood structure. Walleye – Slow: Pick up walleye in on rock piles. Also look near shore and along the foot bridges in the evening. Yellow Perch – Fair. Anglers are catching decent numbers of yellow perch when they find schools; some sorting is needed as many are small.
North Twin Lake
Water levels are around 20 inches below crest. With low water levels, use caution launching boats at the boat ramps. Channel Catfish – Slow: Try fishing from shore in 2-6 feet of water along rocky structure and the wooded shores in Muddy Bay. A recent survey showed good numbers of 16-inches to 24-inches fish (~1 to 3 pounds). Walleye – Slow. Find walleyes around docks and boat lifts. Cast around those structures; move often to find actively feeding fish.
Storm Lake (incl. Little Storm Lake)
Water level are below crest. Water temperatures are in the low 50s. Largemouth Bass – Slow. Storm Lake has a bass population, but the only place really targeting them is the marina. Walleye – Slow: Pick up walleyes while trolling; most are small (10-inches or less). The Chautauqua Jetty and Frank Starr Park attract a lot of walleyes in the evenings. If there is flow coming through the inlet, it is worth fishing.
Water temperatures are in the mid to low 50s in most area lakes. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Clear Lake
Water level is 12.6 inches below crest. Water temperature is in the low 50s with clarity about 23 inches. The courtesy docks at McIntosh and Ventura access have been taken out for the season. Courtesy docks at the city ramp will be removed November 1st. Walleye – Fair: Anglers are catching walleye with live bait and jigs. Try rock reefs areas and near the edge of vegetation. Anglers fishing docks after sunset are having success. White Bass – Slow. Yellow Bass – Slow: Anglers are catching a few yellow bass while targeting walleye. Live bait below slip bobbers or drifting works best.
Crystal Lake
The courtesy docks have been removed for the season. Black Crappie- Fair: Drift fish or troll small jigs in the dredge cut. Bluegill – Fair: Use a jig tipped with a piece of crawler near shore. Walleye – Slow: Try fishing near vegetation edge and along the old roadbed.
Rice Lake
Any water west of the north boat ramp is a waterfowl refuge and is closed to all activity from Sept. 1st through the final day of the duck season. Signs across the lake mark this area. Bluegill – Slow. Walleye – slow. Yellow Perch – Fair. Fish a jig and a piece of crawler near vegetation.
Silver Lake (Worth)
Bluegill – Fair: Try a piece of crawler under a bobber near edges of vegetation. Yellow Perch – slow.
Winnebago River
River level is 4.51 feet. Smallmouth Bass – Fair. Fish a jig in the deeper pools. Walleye – Fair.
For information on lakes and rivers in north central Iowa, contact Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
East Okoboji Lake
Lake level is just below crest. Black Crappie – Good: Bluegill – Good: Many bluegill seen; easily catchable around docks. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Bass are a ways off shore; you can find some around docks and structure. Yellow Perch – Good: Many perch seen; sorting most likely needed.
Ingham Lake
Walleye – Fair: Morning and afternoon bite is best.
Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Lake level is below crest and experiencing a large algae bloom. Walleye – Good: Bite hit-or-miss, but very good when bite is on.
Spirit Lake
Black Crappie – Good: Anglers are finding quality-size crappie up to 14 inches. Bluegill – Good. Walleye – Good: Evening bite is best with leech and bobber from shore or crankbaits and slip bobbers by boat. Yellow Perch – Good: Sorting is needed; anglers are finding many of acceptable size.
West Okoboji Lake
Lake level is below crest. Black Crappie – Fair: Bluegill – Good. Largemouth Bass – Good. Pumpkinseed – Good.

Water temperatures are dropping quickly. Area buoys have been pulled for the season. The bite for most species has been good. Most fish are moving closer to shore as temperatures drop. Weedlines have been slowly fading back. Most public docks can be fished from. For current conditions, call the Spirit Lake District Office at 712-336-1840.