Black Hawk Lake
Water levels are about 8 inches below the crest of the spillway. Black Crappie – Fair: Fish are 8- to 11-inches. Try along Ice House Point and around the fish house and stone piers in Town Bay. Bluegill – Slow: Find bluegills along shore near Ice House Point and the rock pile by Gunshot Hill. Fish are 6- to 7-inches.
Browns Lake
Water levels remain low; use caution when launching boats.
Brushy Creek Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Find crappie near submerged woody structure in 5-10 feet of water. Use a small jig tipped with a crawler or small minnow. Bluegill – Fair: Drift jigs tipped with crawlers in 5-15 feet of water anywhere along weed lines or near submerged trees. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try plastics and traditional bass lures along submerged woody structure and weed lines near shore.
Storm Lake
Surface water temperature is in the mid-70s. All walleye between 19 and 25-inches must be immediately released unharmed at Storm Lake; no more than one walleye longer than 25-inches can be taken per day. Black Crappie – Fair. Channel Catfish – Fair: Storm Lake has a good population of 4-6 pound catfish. Try cut bait, liver or crawlers fished on the bottom along shore. Walleye – Fair: Try trolling crankbaits, using crawler harnesses or drifting leeches and near the edges of the dredge cuts. Use live bait or crankbaits along shore in mornings or evenings. Yellow Bass – Fair: Fish are 5- to 11-inches long. Use a small piece of crawler fished under a bobber.
Most area lake temps are in the mid-70s.For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Beeds Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift fish or troll a tube jig along the north shore. Bluegill – Fair: Try small jigs from the causeway. Largemouth Bass – Fair. Yellow Bass – Fair.
Clear Lake
The lake is 2.5 inch below crest. Water temperature is in the low 70s. Water clarity is about 25 inches. Clear Lake has a protected slot on walleye. All walleye between 17 and 22 inches must be immediately released unharmed. No more than one walleye longer than 22 inches may be taken per day. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try cut bait or chicken liver from the wind-swept shore. Best bite is after sunset. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try fishing weedless baits near the vegetation edge. Walleye – Slow: Troll crankbaits or cast a jig near the vegetation edge. Yellow Bass – Slow.
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. Bluegill – Fair. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Cast plastic baits near woody structure. Yellow Perch – Fair: Use a small jig tipped with a piece of worm.
Silver Lake (Worth)
The lake still has a lot of aquatic vegetation. Bluegill – Fair: Try a piece of worm under a bobber in the open pockets in the vegetation. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Bass are biting on topwater baits.
For information on the lakes and rivers in north central Iowa, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
East Okoboji Lake
Lake temperature is in the mid-70s. The water level is 2 inches below crest. Bigger fish are out deeper in 12-17 feet of water; smaller fish are closer to shore. Trolling has been working very well. Try fishing weed lines where there is new vegetation growth. Black Crappie – Good: Best bite is in 10-15 feet of water along weed lines. Bluegill – Good. Walleye – Fair: Try spinners, crankbaits and long and shallow shad raps in the main basins. Best bite is an hour before and after sunset. Yellow Bass – Good.
Lost Island Lake
Fishing/trolling is getting more difficult as aquatic vegetation reaches the surface in many areas, but will begin to subside once water temperatures start to fall. Black Crappie – Fair. Walleye – Slow: Try trolling crankbaits or with lindy rigs off weed lines. Best bite is an hour before and after sunset. Yellow Perch – Fair.