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
Ice is around 4-5 inches thick in front of the boat ramp. Anglers are making their way out. Ice conditions have deteriorated since last week; use caution. Bluegill – Fair: Some bluegill have been picked up near the east shoreline. Find fish in submerged structure.
Black Hawk Lake
As of Dec. 20, ice thickness near the boat ramp at Ice House Point was 5-6 inches. Most ice fishing activity has been in front of Gunshot Hill, near the rock pile north of Cottonwood Point, and near the inlet bridge. There is open water off Ice House Point and in the east basin. There is a pressure seam with open water across the east basin. Use extreme caution; ice conditions may continue to deteriorate throughout the week. Bluegill – Fair: Bluegills are being caught from open water under the inlet bridge out front of Gunshot Hill at the rock pile north of Cottonwood Point and from the fishing shelter off of Ice House Point.. Black Crappie – Fair: Crappie are being picked up from the open water under the inlet bridge. Yellow Perch – Fair: Catch perch under the inlet bridge and off the shoreline of Gunshot Hill. Walleye – Fair.
Black Hawk Pits
Ice is around 5 inches thick off of the boat ramp. There are areas of open water and thin ice in some areas near shore. Use caution and test ice thickness often. Bluegill – Fair: Use waxworms; sorting is needed. Yellow Perch – Fair: Try waxworms fished near the bottom.
Brushy Creek Lake
Ice conditions have deteriorated with the recent warmer temperatures and rains. As of Dec. 20, a few anglers have been fishing the northeast arm and in front of the west boat ramp. Some areas near shore and in the main lake have thin ice/pockets of open water and are unsafe. Ice may continue to worsen throughout the week. Use extreme caution and check ice thickness often. Bluegill – Fair: A few bluegill have been picked up through the ice in the northeast arm of the lake with waxworms. Walleye – Fair: Walleye are being picked up near structure in the northeast arm using minnows and jigging spoons.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
Ice is variable from 5 to 8 inches in most areas. Some areas have deteriorated during the warmer temperatures. Use caution if venturing out and check ice thickness often. Walleye – Fair: Use minnows and jigging spoons. Yellow Perch – Fair: Try waxworms and minnows.
Ice conditions in the Black Hawk District are variable and have deteriorated in some areas. There are still pockets of open water; use caution and check ice thickness often. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Beeds Lake
Ice thickness is 6 inches on the east end of the lake. The geese have a hole open on the west end of the lake.
Clear Lake
Ice thickness is 8 to 11 inches. The warm weather has melted all the snow off the ice. Ice cleats are recommended. Yellow Bass – Good: Use a small jig or jigging spoon tipped with several spikes. You have to be mobile to stay on fish. Yellow Perch – Good: Lots of small fish are being caught. Black Crappie – Fair: Try a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head in the early morning. Walleye – Slow: Best bite is early morning and evening.
Crystal Lake
Ice thickness is 6 to 8 inches. Avoid the pressure ridge near the center of the lake and a hole kept open by waterfowl by the east fishing jetty. Bluegill – Good: Use small jigs tipped with waxworms in the evening. Black Crappie – Good: Try small jigs tipped with a minnow in the evening. Yellow Perch – Good: Lots of small fish are being caught.
Lake Smith
Ice thickness is 7 to 9 inches. Bluegill – Fair: Use small ice jig tipped with insect larvae; best bite is early morning and evening.
Lower Pine Lake
Ice fishing is not recommended. Warm temperatures have deteriorated what ice was here and there is still significant open water on the west end of the lake.
Rice Lake
Ice thickness is 10 to 11 inches.Yellow Perch – Slow: Best bite is early morning and evening. You have to stay mobile to find fish.
Upper Pine Lake
Ice fishing is not advised.
For information on the lakes and rivers in the north central area, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
East Okoboji Lake
Open areas on the south end of the lake. Some ice fishing activity observed.
Lost Island Lake
Ice conditions are variable; foot traffic only. Open water areas has capped over, but there is extreme thin ice in these areas.
Scharnberg Pond
Rainbow Trout – Good: Next trout stocking will be January 19, 2019 at noon.
Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Poor ice conditions continue; thin ice conditions on the east side of the lake.
Silver Lake (Palo Alto)
Yellow Perch – Fair: Anglers report catching some fish from the lake.
Spirit Lake
Anglers are expanding the areas they are ice fishing on the main lake; ice conditions remain variable. Foot traffic only is advised. Walleye – Good: Angler acceptable size fish are being caught; best action is half hour before sunset to half hour after sunset. Yellow Perch – Good: Numbers of angler acceptable size fish are being caught; sorting is needed as numbers of small fish will also be in the catch. Bluegill – Good: Report of good numbers of fish being caught from the Anglers Bay area.
Trumbull Lake
Yellow Perch – Fair: Report of fish being caught from the lake; action is slow, but anglers will be pleased by the quality of the fish caught.
Upper Gar Lake
Limited ice condition continue; there are open water areas on the lake due to the flow.
Virgin Lake
Ice conditions are variable on the lake; foot traffic only is advised. Walleye – Good: Good numbers of fish averaging 16 inches are being caught from the lake. Yellow Perch – Good: Fish averaging 8 inches are being caught.
West Okoboji Lake
Ice fishing activity observed at Emerson, Little Emerson and the canals. Very thin ice on the main lake; no fishing activity observed on the main lake.
Ice conditions remain variable on the Iowa’s Great Lakes and area lakes; foot traffic only. Very mild temperatures in the forecast for next week. For more information throughout the week, contact the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
