Weekly Iowa DNR Fishing Report

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 11 to 13 inch and 17 to 20 inch walleye. Most are having success trolling crankbaits in the dredge cuts between the islands on the east side of the lake. Others have had success fishing in 4-6 feet of water along the south shore of the lake using crankbaits and leeches. Channel Catfish – Fair: Anglers are catching catfish using dip baits and crawlers. They are having the best luck fishing the north shore areas, especially in the Circle Park area and the island near Circle Park. White Bass – Fair: White bass are being caught on spinners and crankbaits while fishing for walleyes. Anglers are also having luck fishing spinners and crankbaits in shallower areas near shore.

Clear Lake

Walleye – Good: Fishing is still good but getting a little tougher. Fish have started to move to the main lake basin. Rock reefs in deeper water should still produce as well as the edges of the weed beds at dark. Muskellunge – Good. Bluegill – No Report: Look for spawning activity in the rushes on sandy bottom. Yellow Perch – Slow: A few nice perch have been caught in or near edges of rushes with a bobber and minnow. Yellow Bass – Slow: Yellow bass are done spawning. Look for some near the rock reefs out in deeper water. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Anglers are catching a few largemouths with plastic worms near the edges of vegetation in the little lake.

Lake Pahoja

Bluegill – Good: Bluegills are schooled off the jetties. Bluegills are very large with many 7-8 inch fish. Fish a worm and bobber. Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth are beginning to bed in the shallows along the south banks in shallower water. Throw spinner baits or soft plastics for aggressive males.

Big Spirit Lake

Largemouth Bass – Good: Fish are bedding along the north banks of Big Spirit. Bedding fish can be caught using drop shots placed around the bed or larger Texas rigged baits. Use 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. Successful anglers are using 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 are using jig heads and wax worms. A hot bite is reported near the Templar point in 16 feet of water. Anglers that were creeled were using wax worms and slip bobbers. These perch were 10 inches. Crappie – Fair: At the north grade crappies over 10 inches are becoming a common catch. Anglers are using minnows below bobbers anywhere along the grade. The old footbridge site is turning on as well. Anglers are pulling minnows parallel with the rocks to bring crappies into their baskets. Anglers fishing this location are catching larger numbers but less respective in size. These fish are 8-10 inches. Black Bullhead – Fair: The bullhead bite at the north grade is slowing down. Creeled anglers are taking home single digits at this time. These fish are 12-14 inches. The most successful anglers are leaving the worm on the bottom and fishing around submerged vegetation. Northern Pike – Good: Fishermen fishing in Templar bar are catching large numbers of small Northerns. Most fish are in the mid-20 inch range. Successful anglers are using Meps or small spinnerbaits. A Johnson silver minnow tipped with a leech also works well.

East Okoboji Lake

Yellow Bass – Good: Large numbers of yellow bass are being caught near East Okoboji beach near the boat docks. Fish vary 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 anglers are 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 up 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. Bluegill – Fair: Anglers are catching low numbers of 8 inch bluegills while fishing docks throughout East Okoboji. Anglers are fishing small jigs tipped with wax worms under docks.

Silver Lake (Dickinson)

Walleye – Good: Anglers are catching limits of walleye on Silver Lake in Lake Park. Many anglers are catching limits using leeches and crankbaits while trolling or slip bobbers with minnows. Anglers are catching these fish throughout the water body.

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 at this time 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. 13-19 inch 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.