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
Black Hawk Lake
Water temperatures are in the upper 70’s. Bluegill – Slow: Use crawlers fished under a bobber in Town Bay off the stone piers, the floating dock, and the fish house.Try also the rock pile off Gunshot Hill as fish have moved deeper and can be found near structure. Walleye – Slow: Use leeches and crankbaits along the Ice House Point shoreline or the rock piles off Cottonwood Point and in the east basin. Mornings and evenings are best. Channel Catfish – Fair: Anglers have had luck using crawlers or stink bait fished on the bottom near the inlet bridge. Try near the stone piers along the Ice House Point shoreline and the rock piles off Shotgun Hill and Cottonwood Point. Any rocky shoreline should be good places to target catfish this time of year. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Catch fish about anywhere in the lake along shore using traditional bass lures and topwater baits. Try the Ice House point shore, east shore near the outlet, and the inlet bay near the inlet bridge.
Brushy Creek Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Use a minnow or crawler on a jig fished near submerged structure in 5-10 feet of water. Bluegill – Fair: Use crawlers or waxworms on small jig fished under a bobber near shore and submerged structure. Largemouth Bass – Good: Catch bass along the shore near weed lines using traditional bass lures. Try spinners, weedless and topwater lures.
North Twin Lake
Water temperature is in the upper 70’s. Walleye – Fair: Try live bait or crankbaits in areas where walleye gather to feed on baitfish near vegetation lines and inlets.
Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake)
White Bass – Fair: Use leeches, crawlers and twisters. Walleye – Fair: Pull crankbaits along the dredge cuts on the east side of the lake and to the west of the big island. Low light hours may be more productive. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try cut bait, stink bait or crawlers fished on the bottom. Target areas with rocky structure.
For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Beeds Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift fish a small tube jig to catch the suspended fish. Yellow Bass – Fair.
Clear Lake
The water temperature is in the upper 70’s. Walleye – Fair: Anglers are having success slip bobber fishing the rock reefs with a jig and leech and fishing under docks with a minnow. Channel Catfish – Good: Drift fish with cut bait. Shore anglers should try chicken liver or stink bait fished on the bottom. Yellow Bass – Good: Fish the edge of vegetation in 4 to 6 feet of water with a small piece of crawler or leech.
Crystal Lake
Largemouth Bass – Good: Try spinnerbaits fished on the edge of the vegetation. Black Crappie – Good: Drift fish a tube jig in 7 to 8 feet of water. Bluegill – Good: Bluegill bite is good fishing along the shoreline.
Lake Smith
Largemouth Bass – Good: Bass are biting on a variety of baits. Bluegill – Fair.
Little Wall Lake
Catfish are biting. Try fishing a live chub or stink bait in the evenings. Flathead Catfish – Fair. Channel Catfish – Good.
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
Bluegill – Good: Fish have moved to deeper water; fish deeper weed lines or deep rock piles. Yellow Bass – Good: Find fish in 12 feet of water on the south end of the lake; move often to find active fish. Northern Pike – Good: Anglers report good action on the north end of the lake continues. Cast spinning baits for the best action.
Five Island Lake
Channel Catfish – Good: Local bait shop reports a good bite with large fish being caught. Walleye – Fair: Some fish are being caught.
Lake Pahoja
Bluegill – No Report: Recent surveys show good numbers of angler acceptable size and larger bluegill in the lake.
Lost Island Lake
Walleye – Fair: Report of 14 – 18 inch fish being caught. Yellow Bass – Fair: Anglers report that the yellow bass action has started. Channel Catfish – Good: Good numbers of large angler acceptable size fish continue to be caught. Use cut bait to provide plenty of pole bending action.
Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Yellow Perch – No Report: Recent surveys show good numbers of fish approaching 11 inches. Channel Catfish – No Report: Recent surveys show good numbers of 16 – 23.9 inch fish in the lake.
Spirit Lake
Walleye – Good: Report of walleyes being caught in the flats; don’t overlook the weed edges. Use leeches and slip bobbers or troll crankbaits. Yellow Perch – Good: Good numbers of fish are being caught. Try a yellow and white mini jig tipped with wigglers fished in the outside edges of the weed beds. Move often to find active fish.
Trumbull Lake
Northern Pike – Good: Cast traditional northern baits below the spillway; fish areas with calm spots.
West Okoboji Lake
Bluegill – Good: Fish the outside weed edges for larger sized bluegill; do not overlook deeper rock piles associated with aquatic plants. Black Crappie – Good: Fish weed lines that have a drop-off. Use a mini jig tipped with a minnow.
For more information throughout the week, contact the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery at 712-336-1840.
