Fishing Report for the Weekend of 6/30/17

There's some GREAT fishing, especially largemouth bass, to be had this weekend due to the recent heavy rains. Add some decent weather to the weekend and you have an opportunity to enjoy some exciting fishing. The Iowa DNR tosses out some help with their fishing report for this weekend (6/30/17 - 7/3/17).

Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water clarity is decreasing and water levels are rising with recent rainfall events. Temperatures are in the mid 70's. Visit https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ia/nwis/rt for current water level information. Walleye - Fair: Try a jig tipped with a minnow or crawler for 10 inch fish. Troll the main channel or find deeper holes. Channel Catfish - Excellent: Use dead chubs or stink bait fished from shore under a bobber in the evenings. Find fish in brush piles and backwater areas. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Smallmouth are hitting a variety of lures. Black Crappie - Slow: Use a jig tipped with a minnow around brush piles.

Decorah District Streams
Streams with better water quality will clear quicker. Wild parsnip is in full bloom. Wear light clothing to protect exposed skin from this plant's effects. Call 563-927-5736 for catchable trout stocking locations. Use jigs tipped with twister tails, feathered spinnerbaits, or flashy spoons. Use a nightcrawler to catch a freshly stocked fish. Brook Trout - Good: With grasses and other forbs in full bloom, consider switching to terrestrial insects - ants, flies, caddis, and small gnat imitations for insects falling or flying around the water. Brown Trout - Good: Catch has been variable lately. Off color water is a great time to fish for brown trout. Try caddis fly and mayfly imitations hatching off the water. Use leach or streamer patterns for more aggressive fish. Rainbow Trout - Good: Scuds, stonefly, and common garden hackle imitations should turn a rainbow head.

Lake Hendricks
Clean off your boat trailer before you leave the boat ramp. Boat anglers are finding fish over structure in deeper water. Bluegill - Good: Use a small jig tipped with a small piece of crawler fished under a bobber. Channel Catfish - Good: Crawlers or stink bait work best as water temperatures rise. Fish around stumps and other woody structures. Black Crappie- Slow: Use a hook tipped with a minnow under a bobber. Largemouth Bass - Good: Try a jig tipped with a plastic twister or top water lure.

Lake Meyer
Water clarity is 2.5 feet. Water temperatures are in the low 70's. Clean off your boat trailers and drain boats before you move to another water body. Find the latest hot spots on the Iowa DNR's fishing atlas. Set your GPS coordinates to WGS84 to key in to your structure preference. Bluegill - Fair: Use a small jig tipped with a small piece of worm under a bobber in shallow water. Channel Catfish - Good: Use stink baits with warmer temperatures or a crawler fished on the bottom. Dawn and dusk are best. Largemouth Bass - Good: Use frog or mouse topwater lures fished along the weed beds. Overcast, windy days are best. Black Crappie - Slow: Catch crappie in the evening in shallow water along a rocky shoreline. Try deeper water in the daytime. A minnow or artificial scented baits fished under a bobber will catch a nice fish. Northern Pike - Fair: Try a spinnerbait for a pike hanging in 1 to 4 feet of water.

Turkey River (above Clermont)
Water levels are quickly rising with recent rain and visibility is poor. Water temperatures are in the low 70's. Smallmouth Bass - Slow. Walleye - Slow.

Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Water levels are on the rise with temperatures in the low 70's. Visibility is poor. Visit https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ia/nwis/rt for current water level information. Walleye - Fair: Try a jig tipped with natural colored twister tails or small crankbait near coldwater tributaries. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Catch smallies in the off channel areas. A variety of lures are working now. Channel Catfish - Good: Shoreline anglers using stinkbait will catch catfish.

Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
Water levels are falling with temperatures in the low 70's. Visibility is poor. Bank anglers should toss a lure upstream and let it float through the current along a ledge or current seam.  Walleye - Fair: Use jig tipped with a plastic twister tail fished through deeper holes or tributary mouths. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Use a variety of artificial lures. Anglers are catching many pound to 2 pound fish. White Sucker - Good: Try a hook with a worm and enough weight to get the worm to the bottom. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfish are actively seeking food with rising muddy water; use crawlers and stink baits.

Volga Lake
Find fish attracting structure locations on the Iowa DNR's fishing atlas. Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs tipped with small piece of nightcrawler or red worm fished deep. Black Crappie- Fair: Find crappie hovering over submersed trees or cruising open water. Use a hook tipped with a small minnow under a bobber. Channel Catfish - Good: Start using stink baits as temperatures rise. Late evenings are best. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass fishing has been hit and miss. Try a spinnerbait or a top water lure.

Typical summer weather will play a part in weekend activities, but temperatures will be comfortable through the holiday. Rainfall amounts over saturated soils are causing area rivers and streams to rise. Many are off color. Watersheds with best management practices applied will clear faster. For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
The Cedar River has been producing catches of walleye, smallmouth bass and channel catfish. River conditions may change for the worse heading into the weekend due to rainfall events. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Try live bait or artificial crankbaits on areas of rock habitat. Walleye - Fair: Use a jig tipped with a night crawler or artificial crankbaits in eddies or current breaks below fallen trees or log jams. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try dead cut baits or stink baits.

Manchester District Streams
Trout streams remain in excellent condition as long as heavy rains hold off for the upcoming weekend.

Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
The Maquoketa River has been producing catches of walleye, smallmouth bass and channel catfish. River conditions may change for the worse heading into the upcoming weekend due to rainfall events. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Try live bait or artificial crankbaits in areas of rock habitat. Walleye - Fair: Use a jig tipped with a nightcrawler or artificial crankbaits in eddies or current breaks below fallen trees or log jams. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try dead cut baits or stink baits.

Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
The Shell Rock River has been producing catches of walleye, smallmouth bass and channel catfish. River conditions may change for the worse heading into the upcoming weekend due to rainfall events. Smallmouth Bass - Fair: Try live bait or artificial crankbaits in areas of rock habitat. Walleye - Fair: Use a jig tipped with a nightcrawler or artificial crankbaits in eddies or current breaks below fallen trees or log jams. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try dead cut baits or stink baits.

Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
There have been no reports for the Wapsipinicon River this week, but should provide good opportunities for smallmouth bass, walleye and channel catfish. River conditions may change for the worse heading into the upcoming weekend due to rainfall events.

Interior river levels are on the rise with the recent rainfall events. Lake fishing has slowed as most fish species have completed spawning. Trout streams may rise quickly with area rainfall, you may want to call ahead to check on local trout stream conditions. Contact the N.E. District Office at 563-927-3276 for more information.