Spirit Lake, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issues a weekly fishing report on Thursdays in an effort to provide the latest information heading into the weekend. The weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys, and county and state parks staff. For more information contact the Spirit Lake fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
NORTHWEST
Arrowhead Lake
Bluegill – Fair: As water continues to warm, look for bluegill nest colonies along the west and east shorelines; the highest concentration are likely in the southern end of the lake. Use a small tube jig tipped with a piece of crawler.
Black Hawk Lake
Water temperatures are around 70 degrees. Water clarity is 5-6 feet. Bluegill – Fair: Fish for bluegill just about anywhere along the shoreline. The fish average 7-8 inches. Use a small hair or tube jig with a small piece of crawler fished under a bobber off the floating fishing pier, the west stone pier, and the inlet bridge. Look for bluegills to start moving closer to shore, sitting on nests; you can easily target the males. Walleye – Fair: Anglers are picking up walleye from shore and by boat. Town Bay, the shoreline along Ice House Point, and near the inlet bridge are producing fish. Use leeches fished under a bobber and twisters on the downwind shoreline where walleye are feeding. Black Crappie – Slow: Anglers are still picking up fish from Ice House Point, the floating dock, the stone piers, and the inlet bridge. Catch fish up to 11 inches with crawlers and leeches fished under a bobber. Largemouth Bass – Good: Catch largemouth all over the lake using the traditional bass lures. Many anglers have found good bass action at the Ice House Point, the east shoreline,and the lake side of the inlet bridge.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Water clarity is 3-4 feet. Storm Lake has a daily limit of 3 walleye and all 17- to 22-inch walleye must be released; no more than one walleye longer than 22 inches may be taken per day. Walleye – Fair: Much of the walleye action has shifted to the boat anglers. Boat anglers are doing well trolling shad raps or ripple shads or drifting crawler harnesses on the edges of the dredge cuts around the lake in about 8 feet of water. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers are picking up suspended crappie out mid-lake in the dredge cuts while fishing for walleye. White Bass – Fair: Use crankbaits; most action has been from boat while fishing dredge cuts.
Swan Lake
Water temperature is around 70 degrees. Water clarity is 3 feet. Bluegill – Fair: Use a small jig tipped with crawler along the dam and off the jetties. Most of the fish are 6-7 inches. Look for fish to move closer to shore and the males sitting on nests.
Yellow Smoke Park Lake
Bluegill – Fair: Find bluegill spawning in the arm north of the swim beach and in the coves along the south shore. Yellow Smoke is known for its big bluegill consistently reaching 9 inches or more.
Clear Lake
Surface water temperature is 67 degrees. Black Crappie – Good: Crappies are biting. Use a small jig or a minnow in the rush beds and areas with vegetation. Walleye – Good: Try a slip bobber and leeches fished in the rocky reefs. Yellow Bass – Fair: Yellows bass are on the rocky areas to spawn. Use a small jig in the early morning. Channel Catfish – Fair: With recent rains, any spot where water is entering the lake is worth trying for catfish. Fish a dead chub or crawlers on the bottom. The best bite is late evening.
Crystal Lake
Channel Catfish – Fair: Use nightcrawlers fished from shore. Walleye – Slow. Black Bullhead – Fair: Try nightcrawlers fished from shore. Bluegill – Slow: Bluegill are biting. Use a small piece of crawler and a bobber in 2 to 3 feet of water.
Lake Smith
Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth bass are biting on a variety of baits. Bluegill – Fair.
Rice Lake
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Bass are biting on plastic baits. Bluegill – Fair: Use a small piece of crawler and a bobber in the edge of the vegetation.
Silver Lake (Worth)
Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth bass are biting on plastic baits. Bluegill – Fair: Use a small piece of crawler and a bobber in 2 to 3 feet of water.
Center Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Cast mini jigs in shallow water wood habitat.
East Okoboji Lake
Channel Catfish – Good: Use traditional baits in the evening. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers report a panfish bite of bluegill and crappie from docks; sorting is needed. Walleye – Good: Report of anglers catching fish from the south end; best bite during the evening hours.
Five Island Lake
Channel Catfish – Good: Use traditional baits during evening hours. Walleye – Fair: Action is picking up with numbers of angler acceptable size and larger being caught.
Lost Island Lake
Walleye – Good: Walleye are being caught close to shore. Try fishing from a dock or wader fishing after dark. Black Crappie – Good: Reports of crappie and yellow perch being caught. Yellow Bass – Fair: Report of yellow bass being caught. Use small lures such as a twister tail or hair jigs.
Silver Lake (Palo Alto)
Walleye – Fair: Report of large fish being caught during the late evening hours. Cast a white twister for the best action. Black Bullhead – Good: Good action reported of angler acceptable sized fish. Yellow Perch – Fair: Some activity reported.
Spirit Lake
Marble Beach campground, including the boat ramp, is closed for the season for renovation. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Use a jig tipped with a minnow in shallow rock structures. Action is best during sunny, calm days. Black Crappie – Good: Fish the bulrush on the lake for spawning crappie. Cast a mini-jig and swim the bait slowly back to the boat to find active fish. Walleye – Good: Best action is during the night off the docks. Fish leeches under a bobber or cast a twister tail. Black Bullhead – Good: The bite has slowed at the north grade; persistence will be rewarded with good numbers of fish caught. Fish traditional baits on the bottom.
Trumbull Lake
Northern Pike – Fair: Use casting spoons below the spillway.
West Okoboji Lake
Bluegill – Good: Wooden docks in deeper water and new aquatic growth will produce good numbers of angler acceptable sized fish.
