Statewide Iowa — The latest IATC cross country team rankings are out.

In the Class 3A boys rankings, MOC-Floyd Valley is #6. The 3A girls rankings puts Spencer in the 7 spot MOC-Floyd Valley in 14th, and SBL in 19th. Class 2A boys rankings have Western Christian in 3rd, Unity Christian in 7th, Spirit Lake is ranked 10th, and Okoboji is #18. 2A girls rankings puts Cherokee at sixth, Sibley-Ocheyedan in the 8 spot, Unity Christian in 9th, Okoboji in 17th and GLR-CL is 18th.

Boys 4A

Northwest Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has released their weekly fishing report for northwest Iowa. This weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys and county and state parks staff. You can check the activity of your favorite lake or stretch of river, including which species are being caught, a rating of the bite (slow, fair, good or excellent), as well as a hot bait or lure pattern.

NORTHWEST
Black Hawk Lake
Water temperature is 71 degrees. Lake level is about 7 inches below the crest of the spillway. Water clarity is about one foot. Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers are picking up some 8- to 10-inch fish along Ice House Point and near the fish house in Town Bay. Bluegill – Slow. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try cut bait or dip baits fished on the bottom in areas along shore or near the rock pile off Cottonwood Point. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use traditional bass lures fished along shore in areas with rocks, fallen trees or docks. Ice House Point shoreline near the outlet and near the inlet bridge are good areas to target bass. Walleye – Slow: Try along the dredge shelf in front of Denison Beach or the rock pile off of Cottonwood Point.

Brushy Creek Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Try a small jig tipped with a small minnow in 15 feet of water near woody structure. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use weedless lures along vegetation edges and traditional bass lures along areas with woody structure. Yellow Perch- Fair: Try a small jig tipped with a crawler or minnow in 10-15 feet of water.

Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
Water clarity is roughly 1-2 feet. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use cut bait or dip baits fished on the bottom in areas along shore with rocks or near the dredge cuts if fishing by boat. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Cast lures along shore and docks. Many areas near shore have only sparse vegetation patches with plenty of casting opportunities. Use weedless lures if fishing in areas with heavier vegetation. Walleye – Fair: The walleye bite is hit-or-miss. Anglers need to adjust some methods to fish in areas that have vegetation. Pick up fish along the dredge cuts with crankbaits or bottom bouncers. Use planer boards to pull crawler harnesses just above the weedlines. Try jigging or slip bobber fishing in the deep areas of the dredge cuts where many areas are free of vegetation.

Water temperatures in most lakes have cooled to the lower 70’s. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.

Beeds Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift fish or troll a small minnow or tube jig. Best bite is early morning. Largemouth Bass – Fair. Yellow Bass – Fair: Drift fish or troll a small minnow or tube jig.

Clear Lake
Water temperature is in the lower 70’s. The lake is 2.16 inches low. Water clarity is 25 inches. Black Crappie – Fair. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try cut bait or chicken liver on the wind swept shore after sunset. Walleye – Slow: Use a jig tipped with a minnow or crawler fished near vegetation along the north shore. Also try slip bobber fishing a minnow on the rock reefs. Yellow Bass – Good: Use a small jig tipped with a minnow or cut bait fished in 5 to 6 feet of water along the high bank on the north shore or out from the pump house. Use your electronics to find and stay on fish.

Rice Lake
Any water west of the north boat ramp is a waterfowl refuge and is closed to all activity from Sept. 1st through the final day of the duck season. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Bass are biting on a variety of baits. Walleye – Slow. Yellow Perch – Fair: Use a jig and minnow in the deeper water along the homes on the south shore.

Silver Lake (Worth)
The vegetation has open up some. Bluegill – Fair: Try a small piece of crawler under a bobber fished along the edge of the vegetation. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Bass are biting on a variety of baits. Yellow Perch – Slow.

Upper Pine Lake
The boat ramp at Upper Pine Lake is closed until the new ramp is installed.

For information on the lakes and rivers in north central Iowa, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.

East Okoboji Lake
The water temperature is 72 degrees. Many anglers have had success with slip bobbers/spoons and vertical jigging and drop shot fishing. A great bluegill/crappie/yellow bass bite can be found trolling weed lines. Many anglers have observed high catch rates with a lot of sorting. Black Crappie – Fair: Crappie are hard to target specifically, but can be caught mixed with other panfish. The bite has improved in and around docks and hoists. Bluegill – Good: Bluegill are biting like crazy. Leeches or worms and a simple bobber setup work well. Pumpkinseed – Good: Fun and easier to catch from most docks. Use a small hook, bobber and piece of worm.

Lost Island Lake
Anglers report they have started to catch yellow bass in shallow amongst the vegetation. Black Crappie – Fair. Bluegill – Fair. Walleye – Fair. Yellow Bass – Fair. Yellow Perch – Fair.

Minnewashta Lake
Panfishing has been good for anglers trolling weed lines. Vertical jigging is improving. Black Crappie – Fair: A nice crappie bite can be found with a little movement around the lake. Bluegill – Fair. Pumpkinseed – Good.

Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Walleye – Fair: Try using slip bobbers and finding weed lines.

Spirit Lake
The water temperature is 72 degrees. The yellow perch bite has been slower, but the walleye bite has picked up. Use lead core and tadpole baits. Walleye – Good: Bite is hit-or-miss at dusk, but the day bite is improving. Many anglers have started to fish in shallower with slip bobbers along weed edges. Yellow Perch – Fair: Best bite is morning till 11:00 and mid-afternoon. Depths vary depending on the time of day. Move often to find fish – schools are smaller and sporadic.

West Okoboji Lake
The water temperature is 72 degrees. Many anglers have been most successful with trolling, but jigging and casting has also been very good. Use lead core and tadpole baits. Offshore fishing for bass has been great. Black Crappie – Good: Crappie have been very picky lately, but can be easily caught if you aren’t afraid to switch things up. Can also be caught frequently while picking through other panfish or have been found around weed edges. Bluegill – Good: Bluegill are biting like crazy with fish up to 10-inches seen. Jigging, casting, and slip bobbers are working well. Leeches or worms and a simple bobber setup work well. Walleye – Fair: Walleye have been hard to target, but many anglers have been catching them while fishing for other species.

Offshore fishing for bass has been very good lately. The panfish/perch bite has been excellent. Area lake levels are low, making launching and loading boats more difficult. Many boaters are already taking their boats out for the season, making the lakes less congested and allowing for better fishing opportunities. The forecast calls for highs in the 70’s and 80’s, but lows in the 50’s at night. Lake temperatures have been slowly cooling down and are in the low 70’s. For current conditions, call the Spirit Lake District Office at 712-336-1840.

Northwest Iowa — The latest individual high school cross country rankings are our from IowaRunJumpThrow.com.

3A Boys

The latest Iowa Run, Jump and Throw cross country polls are out and a the area is well represented.

In 3A boys MOC Floyd Valley is #6. In the girls 3A poll Spencer is #7 with MOC Floyd Valley at 15. The 2A boys poll has Western Christian at #2 with Unity at 7, Spirit Lake at 11, Okoboji at 18 and George Little Rock Central Lyon at #20. The Girls 2A poll features Cherokee at #5 with Sibley Ocheyedan at 8, Unity at 9, Okoboji at 14 and George Little Rock at 19.

Boys 4A
Rank Team
1 Sioux City, North
2 Dowling Catholic, WDM
3 Johnston
4 Iowa City, City High
5 Dubuque Hempstead
6 Waukee Northwest
7 Cedar Falls
8 Norwalk
9 Iowa City, West
10 Pleasant Valley
11 Urbandale
12 Iowa City, Liberty
13 Prairie, Cedar Rapids
14 Ankeny Centennial
15 Valley, WDM
16 Linn-Mar, Marion
17 Cedar Rapids Kennedy
18 Bettendorf
19 Southeast Polk
20 Ankeny

Girls 4A
Rank Team
1 Dubuque Hempstead
2 Pleasant Valley
3 Valley, West Des Moines
4 Johnston
5 Ankeny
6 Ankeny Centennial
7 Des Moines Roosevelt
8 Ames
9 Southeast Polk
10 Dowling Catholic
11 Waukee
12 City High
13 Linn-Mar
14 Dubuque Senior
15 Urbandale
16 Iowa City West
17 Indianola
18 Cedar Falls
19 Waukee Northwest
20 Bettendorf

Boys 3A
Rank Team
1 Dallas Center Grimes
2 North Polk
3 Marion
4 Pella
5 Glenwood
6 MOC Floyd Valley
7 Waverly-Shell Rock
8 Western Dubuque
9 Mount Vernon Lisbon
10 Carlisle
11 ADM Adel
12 Solon
13 Decorah
14 Sergeant Bluff-Luton
15 Clear Creek Amana
16 Charles City
17 Gilbert
18 Center Point Urbana
19 Washington
20 Newton

Girls 3A
Rank Team
1 Bishop Heelan
2 Solon
3 DCG
4 North Polk
5 Carlisle
6 Pella
7 Spencer
8 Western Dubuque, Epworth
9 Ballard
10 Dubuque Wahlert
11 Mount Vernon-Lisbon
12 Davenport Assumption
13 Glenwood
14 Center Point-Urbana
15 MOC-Floyd Valley
16 Harlan
17 Gilbert
18 Waverly-Shell Rock
19 Sergeant Bluff-Luton
20 Washington

Boys 2A
Rank Team
1 Danville/New London
2 Western Christian
3 Tipton
4 Williamsburg
5 Mid-Prairie
6 Des Moines Christian
7 Unity Christian
8 East Marshall
9 GCGR
10 Albia
11 Spirit Lake
12 Waukon
13 Jesup
14 Monticello
15 Davis County
16 Oelwein
17 Denver
18 Okoboji
19 New Hampton
20 GLR-CL

Girls 2A
Rank Team
1 Mid-Prairie
2 Denver
3 Tipton
4 Jesup
5 Cherokee
6 Monticello
7 Williamsburg
8 Sibley Ocheyedan
9 Unity Christian
10 Van Meter
11 Roland Story
12 DM Christian
13 Davis County
14 Albia
15 Okoboji
16 Danville NL
17 Pocahontas
18 Dike-New Hartford
19 George LR-CL
20 WCKP

Boys 1A
Rank Team
1 Earlham
2 ACGC (Guthrie Center)
3 Maquoketa Valley (Delhi)
4 Ogden
5 Bellevue
6 Central Decatur (Leon)
7 St. Edmond (Fort Dodge)
8 Newman (Mason City)
9 Regina (Iowa City)
10 South Winneshiek (Calmar)
11 Madrid
12 St. Albert (Council Bluffs)
13 Missouri Valley
14 Central Springs (Manly)
15 Northwest Webster (Manson)
16 Valley Lutheran (Cedar Falls)
17 Nodaway Valley (Greenfield)
18 Cascade
19 Columbus (Columbus Junction)
20 Wayne (Corydon)

Girls 1A
Rank Team
1 South Winneshiek
2 Hudson
3 Pekin
4 Login Magnolia
5 Regina Iowa City
6 Newman Mason City
7 St. Edmond Fort Dodge
8 Earlham
9 North Linn
10 Sumner Fredricksburg
11 Central Elkader
12 Kee Lansing
13 Tri Center
14 Collins Maxwell
15 Marquette Bellevue
16 ACGC
17 Manson Northwest Webster
18 Baxter
19 Montezuma
20 Central Decatur

Statewide Iowa — The Latest cross country rankings from iowarunjumpthrow.com are out.

Class 3A boys puts MOC-Floyd Valley in 8 spot, and Class 3A girls has Spencer in 10th, and MOC-Floyd Valley in at 19th. Class 2A boys rankings has Western Christian in the 2 spot, Unity at 7th, Spirit Lake at 16th, GLR/CL at 17, and Okoboji at #18. Class 2A girls rankings have Sibley-Ocheyedan at 6, Unity Christian at 7 as well, Cherokee at 10, and Okoboji at 15th.

Northwest Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has released their weekly fishing report for northwest Iowa. This weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys and county and state parks staff. You can check the activity of your favorite lake or stretch of river, including which species are being caught, a rating of the bite (slow, fair, good or excellent), as well as a hot bait or lure pattern.

NORTHWEST
Black Hawk Lake
Lake level is about 7 inches below the crest of the spillway. Water clarity is roughly 1.5 feet. Black Crappie – Fair. Bluegill – Slow. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try cut bait or dip baits fished on the bottom in areas along shore or near the rock pile off Cottonwood Point. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use traditional bass lures fished along shore in areas with rocks or vegetation or along docks. Walleye – Slow: Try along the dredge shelf in front of Denison Beach or the rock pile off of Cottonwood Point.

Brushy Creek Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Try a small jig tipped with a small minnow in about 15 feet of water near woody structure. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use weedless lures along vegetation edges and traditional bass lures anywhere with woody structure. Yellow Perch- Fair: Try a small jig tipped with a crawler or minnow in 10-15 feet of water.

Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
Channel Catfish – Fair: Use cut bait or dip baits fished on the bottom in areas along shore with rocks or near the dredge cuts if fishing by boat. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Cast lures along shore and docks. Many areas near shore have only sparse vegetation patches with plenty of casting opportunities. Use weedless lures if fishing in areas with heavier vegetation. Walleye – Fair: The walleye bite is hit-or-miss. Anglers need to adjust some methods to fish in areas that have vegetation. Pick up fish along the dredge cuts with crankbaits or bottom bouncers. Use planer boards to pull crawler harnesses just above the weedlines. Try jigging or slip bobber fishing in the deep areas of the dredge cuts where many areas are free of vegetation.

For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.

Beeds Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift fish or troll a small minnow or tube jig. Best bite is early morning. Yellow Bass – Fair.

Clear Lake
Water temperature is in the low 70’s. The lake is 5.5 inches low. Water clarity is 25 inches. Black Crappie – Fair. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try cut bait or chicken liver on the wind swept shore after sunset. Walleye – Slow: Use a jig tipped with a minnow or crawler fished near vegetation along the north shore. Also try slip bobber fishing a minnow on the rock reefs. Yellow Bass – Good: Use a small jig tipped with a minnow or cut bait fished in 5 to 6 feet of water along the north shore. Use your electronics to find and stay on fish.

Crystal Lake
Black Crappie – Slow: Drift fish tube jigs or a minnow in the dredge cut.

Lake Cornelia
Channel Catfish – Good: Try crawlers and chicken liver. Best bite is after sunset. Yellow Bass – Good.

Rice Lake
Walleye – Slow. Yellow Perch – Fair: Use a jig and minnow in the deeper water along the homes on the south shore.

Silver Lake (Worth)
Bluegill – Fair: Try a small piece of crawler under a bobber fished in open areas near shore. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use topwater lures.

For information on the lakes and rivers in north central Iowa, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.

East Okoboji Lake
The water temperature is 77 degrees. Many anglers have had success with slip bobbers/spoons and vertical jigging and drop shot fishing. A great bluegill/crappie/yellow bass bite can be found trolling weed lines. Many anglers have observed high catch rates with a lot of sorting. Black Crappie – Fair: Crappie are hard to target specifically, but can be caught mixed with other panfish. The bite has improved in and around docks and hoists. Bluegill – Good: Bluegill are biting like crazy. Leeches or worms and a simple bobber setup work well. Pumpkinseed – Good: Fun and easier to catch from most docks. Use a small hook, bobber and piece of worm.

Lost Island Lake
Black Crappie – Fair. Bluegill – Fair. Walleye – Fair. Yellow Perch – Fair.

Minnewashta Lake
Panfishing has been good for anglers trolling weed lines. Vertical jigging is improving. Black Crappie – Fair: A nice crappie bite can be found with a little movement around the lake. Bluegill – Fair. Pumpkinseed – Good.

Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Walleye – Fair: Try using slip bobbers and finding weed lines.

Spirit Lake
The water temperature is 77 degrees. The yellow perch bite has improved with the walleye bite starting to slow down. Walleye – Fair: Bite is hit-or-miss at dusk, but the day bite is improving. Many anglers have started to fish in shallower with slip bobbers along weed edges. Yellow Perch – Fair: Best bite is morning till 11:00 and mid-afternoon. Depths vary depending on the time of day. Move often to find fish – schools are smaller and sporadic.

West Okoboji Lake
The water temperature is 76 degrees. Many anglers have been most successful with trolling, but jigging and casting has also been very good. Offshore fishing for bass has been great. Black Crappie – Good: Crappie have been very picky lately, but can be easily caught if you aren’t afraid to switch things up. Can also be caught frequently while picking through other panfish or have been found around weed edges. Bluegill – Good: Bluegill are biting like crazy with fish up to 10 inches seen. Jigging, casting, and slip bobbers are working well. Leeches or worms and a simple bobber setup work well. Walleye – Fair: Walleye have been hard to target, but many anglers have been catching them while fishing for other species.

Offshore fishing for bass has been very good lately. The panfish/perch bite has been excellent. Area lake levels are lower, making launching and loading boats more difficult. Be careful when backing trailers down ramps as many boaters have been backing off the end of ramps with longer trailers. If at all possible, attempt to load your boat without power loading it onto the trailer. The forecast calls for temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s with chances of rain. Lake temperatures are in the 70’s. For current conditions, call the Spirit Lake District Office at 712-336-1840.

Northwest Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has released their weekly fishing report for northwest Iowa. This weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys and county and state parks staff. You can check the activity of your favorite lake or stretch of river, including which species are being caught, a rating of the bite (slow, fair, good or excellent), as well as a hot bait or lure pattern.

NORTHWEST
Beeds Lake
Black Crappie – Slow: Drift fish a small minnow or tube jig. Best bite is early morning. Bluegill – Fair: Use a small piece of crawler fished under a bobber near shore. Yellow Bass – Fair.

Clear Lake
Water temperature is in the mid-70’s. The lake is 5.3 inches low. Water clarity is 27 inches. Walleye – Slow: Use a jig tipped with a minnow or crawler fished near vegetation along the north shore. Also try slip bobber fishing a minnow on the rock reefs. Best bite is at first light or after sunset. Yellow Bass – Fair: Use a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler or cut bait fished on the rock reefs or near vegetation. Shore anglers are having success fishing from the jetties. Bluegill – Slow: Try a small piece of crawler below a bobber in open areas of vegetation or near the rocks by the jetties. Channel Catfish – Good: Use stink bait or chicken liver on the wind swept shore after sunset.

Crystal Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Drift fish tube jigs in the dredge cut.

Lake Cornelia
Channel Catfish – Good: Try crawlers and chicken liver. Best bite is after sunset. Yellow Bass – Fair.

Lower Pine Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Use a small tube jig or minnow from the jetty. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Bass are biting on a variety of baits.

Silver Lake (Worth)
Use a kayak to access open areas in the vegetation. Bluegill – Fair: Try a small piece of crawler under a bobber fished in open areas near shore. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use topwater lures.

For information on the lakes and rivers in north central Iowa, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.

East Okoboji Lake
The water temperature is 78 degrees. Many anglers have had success with slip bobbers/spoons and vertical jigging and drop shot fishing. A great bluegill/crappie/yellow bass bite can be found trolling weed lines. Many anglers have observed high catch rates with a lot of sorting. Black Crappie – Fair: Crappie are hard to target specifically, but can be caught mixed with other panfish. The bite has improved in and around docks and hoists. Bluegill – Good: Bluegill have been biting like crazy recently. Leeches or worms and a simple bobber setup work well. Pumpkinseed – Good: Fun and easier to catch from most docks. Use a small hook, bobber and piece of worm.

Lost Island Lake
Black Crappie – Fair. Bluegill – Fair. Walleye – Fair. Yellow Perch – Fair.

Minnewashta Lake
Panfishing has been good for anglers trolling weed lines. Vertical jigging is improving. Black Crappie – Fair: A nice crappie bite can be found with a little movement around the lake. Bluegill – Fair. Pumpkinseed – Good.

Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Walleye – Fair: Try using slip bobbers and finding weed lines.

Spirit Lake
The water temperature is 77 degrees. Fishing has been hit-or-miss lately. Perch and panfish bites have been good. Yellow Perch – Fair: Best bite is morning till 11:00 and mid-afternoon. Depths vary depending on the time of day. Walleye – Fair: Bite is hit-or-miss at dusk, but the day bite is improving. Many anglers have started to fish in shallower with slip bobbers along weed edges.

West Okoboji Lake
The water temperature is 76 degrees. Many anglers have been most successful with trolling, but jigging and casting has also been very good. Offshore fishing for bass has been great. Bluegill – Good: Bluegill have been biting like crazy recently with fish up to 10 inches seen. Jigging, casting, and slip bobbers are working well. Leeches or worms and a simple bobber setup work well. Black Crappie – Good: Have been very picky lately, but can be easily caught if you aren’t afraid to switch things up. Can also be caught frequently while picking through other panfish or have been found around weed edges. Walleye – Fair: Walleye have been hard to target, but many anglers have been catching them while fishing for other species.

Offshore fishing for bass has been very good lately. The panfish/perch bite has been excellent lately. The extended forecast calls for temperatures in the 70’s and lower 80’s. Most lake temperatures are in the upper 70’s to 80’s. For current conditions, call the Spirit Lake District Office at 712-336-1840.

Northwest Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has released their weekly fishing report for northwest Iowa. This weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys and county and state parks staff. You can check the activity of your favorite lake or stretch of river, including which species are being caught, a rating of the bite (slow, fair, good or excellent), as well as a hot bait or lure pattern.

NORTHWEST
Arrowhead Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Try minnows on a small jig fished in deeper water near structure. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try a variety of bass baits along weed edges. Also try topwaters on calm evenings. Bluegill – Fair: Look for bluegills in deeper water near structure or try drifting down the middle to find suspended fish.

Black Hawk Lake
Water temperature is around 80 degrees. Lake level is about 2 inches below the crest of the spillway. Black Crappie – Fair. Bluegill – Slow. Walleye – Slow: If fishing from boat, try near the rock pile off Cottonwood Point, along the dredge shelf out in front of Denison Beach, and the steeper contours out from shore near Lakewood Point. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try traditional bass baits fished along shore in areas with rocks or vegetation or along docks. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try cut bait or dip baits around the inlet bridge.

Brushy Creek Lake
Largemouth Bass – Good: Try weedless lures along vegetation edges and traditional bass lures anywhere with woody structure. Walleye – Slow. Yellow Perch- Fair: Use a small jig and crawler or minnow near structure in 10-15 feet of water. Bluegill – Fair: Pick up fish in 10-15 feet of water. Black Crappie – Fair: Try a small jig tipped with a small minnow in about 15 feet of water.

Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
Water temperature is around 80 degrees. Water clarity has lessened this week due to an increase in algae growth. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use cut bait or dip baits fished on the bottom along shore and near rocky structure. Walleye – Fair: Pick up walleye mid-lake while trolling along the dredge cuts using crankbaits or bottom bouncers. If fishing the dredge cuts that have vegetation on the bottom, use planer boards to pull crawler harnesses along or just above the weed lines. If fishing from shore, try a leech or crawler fished under a bobber in areas with a rocky substrate. White Bass – Fair: Troll along the dredge cuts with crankbaits and spinners with crawlers. Anglers are also picking up fish from shore with crawlers fished under a bobber. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Pick up largemouth bass along shore in areas with vegetation and along docks with traditional bass lures or weedless lures.

Swan Lake (Carroll County)
Water temperatures are in the low 80’s. Bluegill: Fair: Fish are 7- to 8-inches. Use a small jig fished under a bobber in areas around the fishing shelter and jetties. Also drift in deeper water with a small jig to target suspended fish. Black Crappie: Fair: Fish are 6- to 10-inches. Try in 4-6 feet of water in rocky areas near the jetties and along vegetation edges. Largemouth Bass: Fair.

Water temperatures are around 80 degrees in most district lakes. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.

Beeds Lake
Black Crappie – Slow: Drift fish a small minnow or tube jig. Best bite is early morning. Bluegill – Fair: Use a small piece of crawler fished under a bobber near shore.

Clear Lake
Water temperature is in the mid-70’s. The lake is 5.6 inches low. Water clarity is 25 inches. Walleye – Slow: Use a jig tipped with a minnow or crawler fished near vegetation along the north shore. Also try slip bobber fishing a minnow on the rock reefs. Best bite is at first light or after sunset. Yellow Bass – Fair: Use a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler or cut bait fished on the rock reefs or near vegetation. Shore anglers are having success fishing from the jetties. Bluegill – Fair: Try a small piece of crawler below a bobber in open areas of vegetation or near the rocks by the jetties. Channel Catfish – Good: Use stink bait or chicken liver on the wind swept shore after sunset.

Lake Cornelia
Channel Catfish – Good: Try crawlers and chicken liver. Best bite is after sunset. Yellow Bass – Fair.

Lower Pine Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Use small tube jigs from the jetty. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Bass are biting on a variety of baits.

Silver Lake (Worth)
Use a kayak to access open areas in the vegetation. Bluegill – Fair: Try a small piece of crawler under a bobber fished in open areas near shore. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use topwater lures.

Upper Pine Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Use your electronics to find suspended fish or drift fish a tube jig or small minnow. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try topwater baits.

For information on the lakes and rivers in north central Iowa, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.

East Okoboji Lake
The water temperature is 78 degrees. Many anglers have had success with slip bobbers/spoons and vertical jigging and drop shot fishing. A great bluegill/crappie/yellow bass bite can be found trolling weed lines. Many anglers have observed high catch rates with a lot of sorting. Black Crappie – Fair: Crappie are hard to target specifically, but can be caught mixed with other panfish. The bite has improved in and around docks and hoists. Bluegill – Good: Bluegill have been biting like crazy recently. Leeches or worms and a simple bobber setup work well. Pumpkinseed – Good: Fun and easier to catch from most docks. Use a small hook, bobber and piece of worm.

Lost Island Lake
Black Crappie – Fair. Bluegill – Fair. Walleye – Fair. Yellow Perch – Fair.

Minnewashta Lake
Panfishing has been good for anglers trolling weed lines. Vertical jigging is improving. Black Crappie – Fair: A nice crappie bite can be found with a little movement around the lake. Bluegill – Fair. Pumpkinseed – Good.

Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Walleye – Fair: Try using slip bobbers and finding weed lines.

Spirit Lake
The water temperature is 76 degrees. Fishing has been hit-or-miss lately. Perch and panfish bites have been good. The walleye bite is improving. Yellow Perch – Fair: Best bite is morning till 11:00 and mid-afternoon. Depths vary depending on the time of day. Walleye – Fair: Bite is hit-or-miss at dusk, but the day bite is improving. Many anglers have started to fish in shallower with slip bobbers along weed edges.

West Okoboji Lake
The water temperature is 76 degrees. Many anglers have been most successful with trolling, but jigging and casting has also been very good. Offshore fishing for bass has been great. Bluegill – Good: Bluegill have been biting like crazy recently with fish up to 10 inches seen. Jigging, casting, and slip bobbers are working well. Leeches or worms and a simple bobber setup work well. Black Crappie – Good: Have been very picky lately, but can be easily caught if you aren’t afraid to switch things up. Can also be caught frequently while picking through other panfish or have been found around weed edges. Walleye – Fair: Walleye have been hard to target, but many anglers have been catching them while fishing for other species.

Offshore fishing for bass has been very good lately. The panfish/perch bite has been excellent lately. The extended forecast calls for higher temperatures again, with highs in the 80’s and lower 90’s. Fish are under more stress with warmer water temperatures; if you plan to catch and release, try to release the fish as quickly and gently as possible. For current conditions, call the Spirit Lake District Office at 712-336-1840.

Northwest Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has released their weekly fishing report for northwest Iowa. This weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys and county and state parks staff. You can check the activity of your favorite lake or stretch of river, including which species are being caught, a rating of the bite (slow, fair, good or excellent), as well as a hot bait or lure pattern.

NORTHWEST
Arrowhead Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Try minnows on a small jig fished in deeper water near structure. Bluegill – Fair: Look for bluegills in deeper water near structure or try drifting down the middle to find suspended fish. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try a variety of bass baits along weed edges. Also try topwaters on calm evenings.

Black Hawk Lake
Water temperature is in the low 80’s. Water clarity is around 2 feet. Lake level is about 2 inches below the crest of the spillway. Black Crappie – Fair. Bluegill – Slow. Channel Catfish – Fair: The inlet bridge area is a good place to focus efforts on catfish. The pump at the inlet bridge is running and catfish may gather around the flow. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try traditional bass baits fished along shore in areas with rocks or vegetation or along docks. Walleye – Slow: If fishing from boat, try near the rock pile off Cottonwood Point, along the dredge shelf out in front of Denison Beach, and the steeper contours out from shore near Lakewood Point.

Brushy Creek Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Try a small jig tipped with a small minnow in about 15 feet of water. Bluegill – Fair: Pick up fish in 10-15 feet of water. Largemouth Bass – Good: Try weedless lures along vegetation edges and traditional bass lures anywhere with woody structure. Walleye – Slow. Yellow Perch – Fair: Use a small jig and crawler or minnow near structure in 10-15 feet of water.

Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)
Water temperature is in the low 80’s. Water clarity is around 2 feet in most areas. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use cut bait or dip baits fished on the bottom along shore and near rocky structure. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Pick up largemouth bass along shore in areas with vegetation and along docks with traditional bass lures or weedless lures. Walleye – Fair: Pick up walleye mid-lake while trolling along the dredge cuts using crankbaits or bottom bouncers. If fishing the dredge cuts that have vegetation on the bottom, use planer boards to pull crawler harnesses along or just above the weed lines. If fishing from shore, try a leech or crawler fished under a bobber in areas with a rocky substrate. White Bass – Fair: Troll along the dredge cuts with crankbaits and spinners with crawlers. Anglers are also picking up fish from shore with crawlers fished under a bobber.

Swan Lake (Carroll County)
Water temperatures are in the low 80’s. Bluegill: Fair: Fish are 7- to 8-inches. Use a small jig fished under a bobber in areas around the fishing shelter and jetties. Also drift in deeper water with a small jig to target suspended fish. Black Crappie: Fair: Fish are 6- to 10-inches. Try in 4-6 feet in rocky areas near the jetties and along vegetation edges. Largemouth Bass: Fair.

Water temperatures are in the low 80’s in most district lakes. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.

Beeds Lake
Black Crappie – Slow: Drift fish a small minnow or tube jig. Best bite is early morning. Bluegill – Fair: Use a small piece of crawler fished under a bobber near shore. Yellow Bass – Slow: Drift fish a tube jig.

Clear Lake
Water temperature is in the low 80’s. The lake is 4.3 inches low. Water clarity is 25 inches. Bluegill – Fair: Try a small piece of crawler below a bobber in open areas of vegetation near shore. Channel Catfish – Good: Try stink bait or chicken liver on the wind swept shore after sunset. Walleye – Slow: Use a jig tipped with a minnow or crawler fished near vegetation along the north shore. Also try slip bobber fishing a leech or crawler on the rock reefs. Best bite is at first light or after sunset. Yellow Bass – Fair: Use a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler or cut bait fished on the rock reefs or near vegetation. Best bite is early morning.

Lake Cornelia
Channel Catfish – Good: Try crawlers and chicken liver. Best bite is after sunset.

Lower Pine Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Use small tube jigs from the jetty. Largemouth Bass – Fair.

Silver Lake (Worth)
Use a kayak to access open areas in the vegetation. Bluegill – Fair: Try a small piece of crawler under a bobber fished in open areas near shore. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use topwater lures.

Upper Pine Lake
Black Crappie – Fair: Use your electronics to find suspended fish or drift fish a tube jig or small minnow. Largemouth Bass – Fair.

For information on the lakes and rivers in north central Iowa, contact the Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife office at 641-357-3517.

East Okoboji Lake
The water temperature is 82 degrees. Many anglers have had success with slip bobbers/spoons and vertical jigging and drop shot fishing. A great bluegill/crappie/yellow bass bite can be found trolling weed lines. Black Crappie – Fair: Crappie are hard to target specifically, but can be caught mixed with other panfish. The bite has improved in and around docks and hoists. Bluegill – Good: Bluegill have been biting like crazy recently. Leeches or worms and a simple bobber setup work well. Pumpkinseed – Good: Fun and easier to catch from most docks. Use a small hook, bobber and piece of worm.

Lost Island Lake
Black Crappie – Fair. Bluegill – Fair. Walleye – Fair. Yellow Perch – Fair.

Minnewashta Lake
Panfishing has been good for anglers trolling weed lines. Vertical jigging is improving. Black Crappie – Fair: A nice crappie bite can be found with a little movement around the lake. Bluegill – Fair. Pumpkinseed – Good.

Silver Lake (Dickinson)
Walleye – Fair: Try using slip bobbers and finding weed lines.

Spirit Lake
Spirit lake has been experiencing natural turnover recently, stressing and killing some smaller fish when the cold anoxic water mixes with the warmer oxygenated water. Deeper water has been going anoxic lately, leaving it devoid of fish. The water temperature is 80 degrees. Fishing has been hit-or-miss lately. Perch and panfish bites have been good. Walleye – Fair: Bite is hit-or-miss at dusk, but the day bite is improving. Many anglers have started to fish in shallower with slip bobbers along weed edges. Yellow Perch – Fair: Best bite is morning till 11:00 and mid-afternoon. Depths vary depending on the time of day.

West Okoboji Lake
The water temperature is 80 degrees. Many anglers have been most successful with trolling, but jigging and casting has also been very good. Offshore fishing for bass has been great. Bluegill – Good: Bluegill have been biting like crazy recently with fish up to 10 inches seen. Jigging, casting, and slip bobbers have been working very well. Leeches or worms and a simple bobber setup work well. Black Crappie – Good: Have been very picky lately, but can be easily caught if you aren’t afraid to switch things up. Can also be caught frequently while picking through other panfish or have been found around weed edges. Walleye – Fair: Walleye have been hard to target, but many anglers have been catching them while fishing for other species.

Offshore fishing for bass has been very good lately. The panfish/perch bite has been excellent lately. The extended forecast calls for a slight break in the heatwave, with highs in the 70’s and 80’s.Most lake temperatures are in the 80’s. Fish are under more stress with warmer water temperatures; if you plan to catch and release, try to release the fish as quickly and gently as possible. For current conditions, call the Spirit Lake District Office at 712-336-1840.