Black Hawk Lake
Water levels are several inches over the crest of the spillway. Anglers are doing well from shore. Look for walleye and crappie fishing to get even better as the water starts to warm up over the next week. Black Crappie – Slow: Anglers have picked up a few from the fish house. Shore fishing will improve once water temperatures start to climb. Walleye – Fair: Anglers are picking up fish. Cast jigs along the east shore. Town Bay, Ice House Point shoreline and the inlet bridge area have been productive. Use a jig or a slip bobber with minnows Yellow Perch – Fair.

Brushy Creek Lake
The courtesy dock is in on the west and south ramp.

North Twin Lake
Water clarity is about 2 feet. Water levels are about 12 inches below crest. Courtesy docks are in at the South and SE ramps.

Storm Lake
Water temperatures have warmed to around 50 degrees. Anglers are catching crappie, walleye, and yellow bass in the marina. Expect shore fishing to improve as water temperatures warm up. Black Crappie – Slow: Anglers have picked up a few fish in the marina. Walleye – Fair: Look for fish to be close to shore during walleye spawning activity. Cast jigs and twisters or use a minnow on a slip bobber near shore. Yellow Bass – Fair: Anglers are catching bass in the marina. Yellow Perch – Fair.
For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.

Clear Lake
Water temperatures is 44 degrees. The courtesy dock are in at most of the boat ramp. Walleye – Good: Anglers wading and boat fishing are catching walleye. Try jigs, minnows, or slow retrieved crankbaits near reefs and shallow rocky shorelines. Yellow Bass – Fair: Fish will move shallow on the north shore on warm afternoons. Use small jigs and plastics.

Crystal Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Crappie are suspended in the dredge cuts. Slowly retrieve jigs or slip bobbers with minnows.

Lake Cornelia
Black Crappie – Good: Use small jigs and minnows below a bobber. Yellow Perch – Good: Anglers are catching perch on warm days with small jigs and minnows.

Rice Lake
Courtesy docks are in at both boat ramps. Yellow Perch – Slow: A few perch can be caught near cattail edges on the warmer days.

Winnebago River
Northern Pike – Fair: Use suckers, chubs, and jigs in slack current areas and where tributaries enter the river.
For additional information, contact Clear Lake Fisheries Office at 641-357-3517.

Big Creek Lake
Walleye – Fair: Day bite has been slow. Catch walleye shallow near rip-rap shoreline and jetties around sunset and after. Cast jigs with twister tails, swim baits or minnows.

Boone District Farm Ponds
Community ponds are the quickest to warm up after ice out, creating a fair to good pre-spawn largemouth bass and crappie bite. Check the Fish Local page to find ponds with public access. Black Crappie – Fair: Slowly retrieve small twister tails or swim baits. If it exists in the pond, target edges of cattail stands and any wood habitat. Largemouth Bass – Good: Slowly retrieve plastics and shallow diving crankbaits.

Des Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock)
Walleye – Fair: Cast jigs with twister tails, swimbaits or live minnows below the Saylorville Spillway and Des Moines dams .
For information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers contact Andy Otting at 515-204-5885.

Greenfield Lake
Greenfield Lake is a good early season catfish destination. Channel Catfish – Fair Use shad sides or cut bait along wind-blown shorelines. Greenfield has a good channel catfish population. Largemouth Bass – No report: Greenfield has a good largemouth bass population.

Lake Anita
Lake Anita will provide good fishing this spring with good bass, bluegill and crappie populations. Black Crappie – Fair: Black crappies will move into the pontoon area as the water temperature warms. There is a big year class of 9-inch fish. Bluegill – Slow: Anglers should be able to catch bluegills around deep structure. Largemouth Bass – Fair.

Littlefield Lake
Black Crappie – No Report: Littlefield has a good population of 9-inch black crappie.

Mormon Trail Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Bite will pick up along the dam on warm sunny days. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Mormon Trail has a good largemouth bass population with a good percent of fish over 15-inches.

Prairie Rose Lake
Prairie Rose will again be a good fishing destination this season. The lake has an excellent largemouth bass population, large bluegills and black crappies. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Anglers are catching largemouth bass around the jetties.

Viking Lake
Water clarity is good. Black Crappie – Slow: Bite in the pontoon arm should pick up soon on warm sunny days. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use shad sides or cut bait on the windy shoreline. Largemouth Bass – Good: Anglers are having good luck casting the shoreline.
For information on lakes in the Southwest District, call the Cold Springs office at 712-769-2587.

Green Valley Lake
The dock is in at the main boat ramp. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Catch largemouth bass up to 19-inches with finesse plastics along wind-blown rocky shorelines.

Little River Watershed Lake
The dock is in at main boat ramp. Black Crappie – Slow: Use jigs fished in shallow coves to catch all sizes of crappie.

Three Mile Lake
Driving is prohibited on any service roads used to access the lakebed and the lakebed itself. Lake level is 11 feet below normal pool. Boat ramp lanes are out of the water at the main boat ramp.

Twelve Mile Creek Lake
The dock is in at the main boat ramp. Black Crappie – Slow: Catch crappies of all sizes with jigs in shallow coves.
Water temperature is in the low to mid-50s in most district lakes. Some anglers are catching crappies in ponds and small lakes; not much activity on larger lakes yet. For more information, call Mount Ayr Fisheries office at 641-931-6031.

Iowa boat registrations expire April 30
Current boat registrations expire April 30. Boat registrations are good for three years. Registration fees support boater education and safety, water trails, navigation enforcement and aquatic invasive species.
Boat owners may bring their current registration to any Iowa county recorder’s office when they renew. Learn more about how to register your boat on the DNR Boating website.