Black Hawk Lake
Water temperatures are in the low 70s. Water levels are several inches above the spillway. Water clarity is about 12 inches. Black Crappie – Fair: Pick up crappie in and around the fish house in Town Bay and along Ice House Point shoreline. Crappie are up to 10- to 12-inches. Morning and evening bite are best. Bluegill – Slow: Try a nightcrawler under a bobber fished from the fish house or around the rock piles. Largemouth Bass – Slow. Walleye – Slow: Try the submerged rock piles in the east basin and the shoreline along Ice House Point.
Brushy Creek Lake
Water temperatures are in the mid-70s. Black Crappie – Fair: Find crappie in 10-15 feet of water. Bluegill – Slow: Find bluegill near submerged rock/brush piles in 5-15 feet of water. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try soft plastics in deeper weedlines and rock/brush piles in 8-15 feet of water. Walleye – Slow: Pick up walleye in 10-15 feet of water on rock/brush piles. Yellow Perch – Fair
North Twin Lake
Water levels are about 11 inches below the crest of the spillway. Surface water temperatures are in the low 70s. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try fishing from shore in 2-6 feet of water near rocky structure. A recent survey showed good numbers of 16-inches to 24-inches fish.
Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
Water temperatures are in the low to mid-70s. Black Crappie – Slow. Channel Catfish – Fair. Largemouth Bass – Slow. Walleye – Fair: Pick up walleye off shore near the dredge cuts; use a crawler harness or crankbaits. White Bass – Fair. Yellow Bass – Fair.
Water temperatures are in the low 70s in most area lakes. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Beeds Lake
Black Crappie – Good: Drift fish or troll small jigs along the north shore. Bluegill – Fair. Yellow Bass – Slow.
Briggs Woods Lake
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try fishing near the woody habitat.
Clear Lake
Water level is about .4 inches below crest. Water temperature is in the mid-70s. Water clarity is 20 inches. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try fishing the rock reef areas and wind-swept shorelines. Best bite is after sunset. Walleye – Fair: Anglers are catching walleye with live bait and crankbaits. Fish are in 3 to 8 feet of water. Try rock reefs areas and near the edge of vegetation. Yellow Bass – Fair: Anglers are catching a few yellow bass while targeting walleye. Live bait below slip bobbers or drifting works best.
Crystal Lake
Black Crappie- Fair: Drift fish or troll small jigs in the dredge cut. Bluegill – Fair. Walleye – Fair: Try fishing near the vegetation edge and along the old roadbed.
Rice Lake
Bluegill – Slow. Largemouth Bass – Good: Try fishing in the woody habitat. Morning bite is best.
Upper Pine Lake
Largemouth Bass – Good.
Winnebago River
River level is 5.2 feet. Smallmouth Bass – Fair.
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 level is around 5 inches over crest. Black Crappie – Good: Bluegill – Good: Many bluegill have been seen and are easily catchable around functional docks. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Bass are a little ways off shore; you can still find some around docks and other structure. Yellow Perch – Good: Many perch have been seen; sorting will most likely be needed.
Ingham Lake
Walleye – Fair: Anglers have been successful morning and afternoon.
Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Lake level is 2 inches over crest. The lake is experiencing an algae bloom. Walleye – Good: Bite has been hit-or-miss, but has been very good when the bite is on.
Spirit Lake
Lake level is around 2 inches over crest. Black Crappie – Good: Anglers are finding quality-size crappie; they are biting on almost anything. Bluegill – Fair. Walleye – Good: Anglers are catching quality-sized walleye. Evening bite is best with leech and bobber from shore or crankbaits and slip bobbers by boat. Yellow Perch – Good: Sorting may be needed.
West Okoboji Lake
Lake level is about 5 inches above crest. Black Crappie – Fair: Bluegill – Good. Pumpkinseed – Good. Walleye – Fair. Yellow Perch – Fair: Sorting may be needed.
Area ramps and accesses are fully functional and are open for normal use. Area water temperatures are in the 70s. Cooler night temperatures have lowered area lake temperatures a bit, but should come back up again with warmer weather in the forecast.
For current conditions, call the Spirit Lake District Office at 712-336-1840.