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 thickness at the boat ramp is 5-6 inches of good ice. Ice may be thinner near shore.
Black Hawk Lake
Ice thickness is 7-8 inches in front of the Ice House Point boat ramp. Ice in the east basin is more variable and may have thinner areas. Use caution if venturing out; check ice thickness often. Most angling activity has been near the Ice House Point boat ramp and near the Gunshot Hill shoreline. Ice is thinner in the inlet bridge bay. Black Crappie – Fair: Try waxworms and small live minnows. Sorting is needed; 8-10 inch fish reported. Anglers have had good luck fishing the rock pile just off the shoreline from Gunshot Hill. Yellow Perch – Fair: Most have been picked up in the southwest portion of the lake between Provost Point and Ice House Point in 3-7 feet of water. You may have to move to find fish. Use waxworms or live minnows on a small jig. Most fish are 6- to 10-inches with some 11- to 12-inches. Walleye – Fair: Anglers have picked up occasional walleyes with jigging spoons and minnow heads. Low light conditions are more productive. Bluegill – Fair: Try a waxworm on a small jig fished in 3-6 feet of water. Sorting is needed with some fish up to 8-inches.
Black Hawk Pits
Ice thickness near the boat ramp is 6-7 inches. Ice conditions are variable; use caution and check ice thickness often. Ice has degraded along shore in some areas due to recent precipitation.
Brushy Creek Lake
Ice is variable; areas with fishing activity have roughly 5-7 inches of ice in most places. Reports of possible open water and thinner ice near the beach at the southwest part of the lake. Expect thinner ice near the spillway and near any inflows in the arms. Anglers have been out on foot at the north end, mid-lake and near the south end boat ramp. Use caution and check ice thickness often; conditions can change quickly with recent precipitation. Yellow Perch – Good: Try minnows and waxworms fished in 10-20 feet of water. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers have had luck in 10-20 feet of water. Walleye – Fair: Try a jigging spoon with a small minnow or minnow head fished in the north end of the lake.
Crawford Creek Impoundment|
Fishing has been productive. Reports of 6 inches of good ice earlier in the week, before the precipitation. Ice conditions can change daily, especially along shore and near inflows. Use caution and check ice thickness often as you venture out. Black Crappie – Fair: Pick up 7- to 10-inch fish in 15-22 feet of water in the main basin. Use waxworms and minnows for best luck. Bluegill – Fair: Anglers are picking up 7- to 9- inch bluegills with waxworms in the main basin in 15-20 feet of water. Yellow Perch – Fair: Reports of 6-inch perch caught with the occasional larger fish.
Moorehead Park Pond
Bluegill – Fair: Anglers are catching 9- to 10-inch bluegill. Black Crappie – Fair: Reported catches of 10- to 12-inch fish last week.
North Twin Lake
Ice remains variable; use caution and check ice thickness often if you venture out. Anglers have been out; foot traffic only at this time. Anglers have had luck with panfish and the occasional walleye while fishing the very southwest corner of the lake and near the narrows in front the state park beach. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers have picked up crappie along the southwest shoreline of the lake. The bite is hit or miss; morning and evening bite is best.
Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
Ice conditions remain variable with 9-10 inches of ice in locations and much thinner areas mid-lake. Reports of heaves and thinner ice near the big island. Use caution and check ice thickness often. Yellow Perch – Fair: Anglers are picking up perch with waxworms and minnows near the dredge cuts along the west side of the lake. Walleye – Fair: Use jigging spoons with a minnow during low light conditions near the dredge cuts in the west end. Black Crappie – Fair: Try a waxworm or minnow on a small jigging spoon in 8-10 feet of water.
Ice conditions vary and can change quickly from one area to another; use caution and check thickness often if venturing out. Most ice in the district is between 5 -10 inches with the occasional pocket of open water, seam, or thin ice in the main basins. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.
Bluebill Lake
Ice thickness is 6 to 8 inches.
Clear Lake
Ice thickness is 4 to 10 inches. Avoid the open water area by the island, the channel between the little lake, and the main lake; use extreme caution if you fish within the aeration holes boundary. Yellow Bass – Fair: Yellows are biting on a variety of baits. Use your electronics to find fish; stay mobile. Best bite is a half hour before sunset. Yellow Perch – Excellent: Try near vegetation in 2 to 6 feet of water. Use a jigging spoon and minnow to catch the bigger fish. Walleye – Slow: Best bite is near sunset. Black Crappie – Slow. Bluegill – Slow: Try a small jig in the open areas near the rushes.
Crystal Lake
Ice thickness is 6 to 10 inches. Black Crappie – Fair: Use a small minnow fished along the edge of the dredge cut.
Lake Cornelia
Ice thickness is 6 to 10 inches. Yellow Perch – Good: Anglers are catching lots of 3- to 7-inch fish. Yellow Bass – Fair: Catch 5- to 8-inch yellows on small jigs tipped with a waxworm. Black Crappie – Slow. Bluegill – Slow.
Lower Pine Lake
Ice thickness is 7.5 inches off the boat ramp.
Rice Lake
Ice thickness varies from 6 to 10 inches. Yellow Perch – Fair: Use jigs tipped with bait.
Silver Lake (Worth)
Ice thickness is 6 to 10 inches. Bluegill – Fair: Try a small jig tipped with red spikes near vegetation.
Upper Pine Lake
Ice thickness is 7.5 inches off the boat ramp.
For information on the lakes and rivers in north central Iowa, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.
Center Lake
Caution: Winter aeration system is currently in use. Ice thickness is around 12.5 inches.
Dog Creek (Lake)
Fishing has been fair to good.
East Okoboji Lake
The walleye season is open. Ice conditions vary across the lake with around 11 inches with some bad spots that have more recently frozen over in recent weeks. Bluegill – Good: Easily catch lots of bluegill; a lot of sorting may be needed with many 7.5- to 9-inch fish. Yellow Perch – Fair. Black Crappie – Fair.
Ingham Lake
Caution: Winter aeration system is currently in use. Ice thickness is around 8 inches with two major open holes caused by geese and the lake aeration unit. Yellow Perch – Fair: Anglers are catching larger yellow perch, but with low frequency.
Lake Pahoja
Bluegill – Fair: Use small jigs tipped with waxworms. Black Crappie – Fair: Try small jigs tipped with waxworms.
Lost Island Lake
Caution: Winter aeration system is currently running on the north east side near the nature center. Ice thickness is 10-13 inches. A good amount of fishing pressure has been seen recently. Yellow Perch – Good. Walleye – Fair.
Minnewashta Lake
Bluegill – Good: Lots of 4- to 6-inch fish are being caught. Black Crappie – Good.
Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Caution: Winter aeration system is currently in use. Ice conditions are around 10 inches, but can be variable. Use caution; a side-by-side went through the ice the last week of December. Walleye – Fair.
Spirit Lake
The walleye season is open. Ice conditions vary across the lake with 10-13 inches. Yellow Perch – Fair: Perch fishing has been tough, but once you find them, many quality 9- to 10.5-inchers have been caught. Walleye – Fair: Walleye bite has been tough, but anglers have been able to limit out.
Trumbull Lake
Ice thickness is around 11 inches with an open hole on the north end caused by geese.
West Okoboji Lake
The walleye season is open. West Okoboji was the last lake to fully ice up. Ice thickness varies from 9-11.5 inches in the bays (North Bay- 10 inches; Millers Bay – 9 inches; Emerson Bay – 10.5 inches; Smiths Bay -11 inches). Pan fishing has been spotty in many of the bays where many anglers have been able to sight fish in around 10 feet of water along weed lines. Yellow Perch – Fair. Bluegill – Good.
Iowa Great Lakes are fully iced up with conditions ranging from 10-12 inches. There are still many spots in the main basins that are somewhat thinner; use caution when going out. The use of full sized vehicles is not recommended. Remember to bring a form of ice picks, a form of flotation, a friend, and be smart out on the ice! A blizzard advisory is in affect until the end of Friday. This weekend temperatures should remain below freezing with highs in the upper 20s and low 30s. For current conditions, call the Spirit Lake District Office at 712-336-1840.
