Black Hawk Lake
Water levels are near crest. Water clarity is around 12 inches. 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. Morning bite is best. Bluegill – Slow: Use a small hair or tube jig tipped with a small piece of bait. Find them near shore areas and under docks as water cools. Bluegill numbers are not high, but large individuals are here. Walleye – Fair: The walleye bite is picking up. Walleye are moving in close to shore. Try fishing along Ice House Point, the east shore near the outlet, and Shotgun Hill in the morning and evening.
Brushy Creek Lake
Water temperatures are in the upper 60s. Water clarity is about 2 feet. 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 weedlines in deeper water. A lot of vegetation is starting to die back; look for green stands of vegetation. 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 of them are small.
Crawford Creek Impoundment
Water levels are at crest. Bluegill – Fair: Recent fishery surveys show a good population and size structure of bluegill with many 8.5 to 9.5 inches. Try drifting/slow trolling or target some of the submerged structure in the lake.
North Twin Lake
Water levels are at least one foot below crest. 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 near crest. 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 also worth fishing there.
Water temperatures are in the high 60s in most area lakes. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Beeds Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift fish or troll small jigs along the north shore. Bluegill – Fair. Yellow Bass – Fair.
Clear Lake
Water level is 10 inches below crest. Water temperature is in the low 60s. Water clarity is about 17 inches. Black Crappie – Good. Use electronics to find fish. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use cut bait or crawlers from the wind-swept shore. Walleye – Fair: Anglers are catching walleye with live bait and jigs. Find fish in 3 to 8 feet of water. Try rock reefs areas and near the edge of vegetation. Anglers fishing docks after sunset are having some success. 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 – Good: 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. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try fishing woody habitat. Morning bite is best. Walleye – slow.
Silver Lake (Worth)
Bluegill – Fair: Try a piece of crawler under a bobber near the edge of vegetation. Yellow Perch – slow.
Winnebago River
River level is 4.55 feet. Smallmouth Bass – 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 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 seen; sorting most likely needed.
Ingham Lake
Walleye – Fair: Morning and afternoon bite is best.
Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Lake level is below crest. The lake is experiencing a large algae bloom. Walleye – Good: Bite hit-or-miss, but very good when bite is on.
Spirit Lake
Lake level is below crest. Black Crappie – Good: Anglers are finding quality-size crappie; biting on almost anything. Bluegill – Good. 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 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.
Area water levels are at or below crest. Water temperatures are in the low 60s. Most area buoys have been pulled for the season. The bite for most species has been good . Most fish are moving in closer to shore as temperatures drop. Weedlines have been slowly fading back. For current conditions, call the Spirit Lake District Office at 712-336-1840.