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.
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 current information, contact the district fisheries office at the phone number listed at the end of each district report.
NORTHWEST
West Okoboji Lake
Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth bass are schooled in the warm water of the canals and harbors as they enter their pre-spawn. Many male bass are already on beds while females are still out swimming the depths. Males are being caught on trick worms, wacky rigs, and drop shots. Females are enjoying jigs and deep diving cranks. Bluegill – Good: The canals are loaded with bluegills. Large and small fish are being caught in good numbers. Pocahontas Point is holding a good population of bluegills with anglers catching large fish with little sorting. Crappie – Fair: The trestle is still being reported to be a good bite. The canals are starting to fill with larger crappies. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Smallmouth are on beds in bays with sandy cobble and larger boulders. These fish will be bedded near larger rocks. Placing any soft plastics near the bed will result in a strike. Northern Pike – Good: Little Emerson and Little Millers are filled with northerns. Throw anything and catch a few. Walleye – Good: Walleyes are being caught by shore anglers fishing the canal bridges after dark. Successful anglers are fishing darker crankbaits and bottom jigs with leeches. 13-19inch fish are being caught. Yellow Bass – Good: In Smiths bay just north of the amusement park, anglers are reporting a high catch rate of large yellow bass. Anglers using orange twister tails or a plain hook with worm and split shot are catching yellows on every cast.
East Okoboji Lake
Yellow Bass – Good: Large numbers of yellow bass are being caught near East Okoboji beach near the boat docks. Fish vary in size from small to a few larger 8-9 inch fish. Throw soft plastic shad for them. Anglers fishing under the Highway 9 bridge are catching fair numbers of yellows using small plastic minnows. Yellow Perch – Fair: Numbers of smaller yellow perch are being caught while fishing for yellow bass. Pulling similar baits near the bottom will force more perch into your bucket. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Fish near the inlet to upper gar along the rocks to find a fast paced bass bite. Anglers are seeing bass bedding in upper gar then swimming into East Okoboji. Walleye – Fair: Parks Marina and Lone Tree Point are reporting a hot bite for walleye. Anglers are drifting minnows along the bottom before dark. Larger walleye are being caught in 10-12 feet of water.
Big Spirit Lake
Largemouth Bass – Good: Fish are bedding along the north banks. Fish that are bedding can be caught using drop shots placed around the bed or larger Texas rigged baits. Go with a lighter color to keep your bait visible. Walleye – Good: Local anglers are catching walleye around 5:00 till dark at the North Grade. Fish above and below the slot are being caught and creeled. Use dark deer hair jigs tipped with leeches. Yellow Perch – Fair: The fishing pier at the grade is producing more 6-8 inch perch for anglers willing to sort through bullheads and bluegill. Successful anglers using jig heads and wax worms. Crappie – Fair: Larger black crappie have been creeled and reported by multiple anglers at the grade. Anglers are using slip bobbers and minnows. Anglers are having the best success fishing along the fishing bridge.
Center Lake
Bluegill – Fair: 6-8 inch bluegill are being caught in low numbers along the north bank. Fish were being harvested using small lipstick jigs tipped with a nightcrawler. Crappie – Good: Smaller crappies are being caught on the north and east side of Center lake. Anglers are using jigs tipped with wax worms.
Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Walleye – Good: Anglers are catching limits of walleye on Silver Lake in Lake Park. Many anglers are catching limits using leeches, crankbaits while trolling, or slip bobbers with minnows. Anglers are catching these fish throughout the water body.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Boaters should use caution around the dredge barge, booster pump barge, and pipeline. Walleye regulations for Storm Lake are three fish per day, all fish between 17 and 22 inches must be released and only one over 22 inches may be kept. Walleye – Fair: Anglers are picking up 12 to 13 inch and 17 to 19 inch walleye. Try trolling shad colored crankbaits in 7 to 9 feet of water. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use traditional catfish baits. A few are also being picked up while walleye fishing.
Lake Pahoja
Bluegill – Excellent: Bluegills are schooled up off the jetties. Bluegills are very large with large numbers in the 7-8in range. Fish a worm and bobber. Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth are beginning to bed in the shallows along the south banks in shallower water. Throwing spinner baits or soft plastics for the aggressive males will produce bites.
Five Island Lake
Walleye – Fair: Anglers fishing just north of Town Bay are catching 14-17 inch walleye. Anglers using bottom bouncers are stumbling upon numbers of walleyes as they approach the shallows.
Lost Island Lake
Yellow Bass – Good: Large yellow bass can be caught at the outlet of little lake. These fish are being seen and caught under the overhang of the outlet structure. A large number of smaller fish can be caught near the bridge where Lost Island dumps into little lake. Black Bullhead – Excellent: A very large number of bullheads are being seen while crews are electrofishing on Lost Island. These large numbers of bullhead are being seen at the mouth of little lake just west of the bridge. Crappie – Fair: Crappies are starting to group in the shallow coves of little lake. These fish are swimming into the cattails in preparation for the spawn.
