Where in Iowa Are the Fish Biting this Weekend?

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issues a weekly fishing report on Thursdays. The weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys, and county and state parks staff.

The DNR reminds those boating to be cautious of the low weather because of the recent drought.

Before you head out make sure you stop by for all your fishing needs!

Here are some central Iowa locations: 
Saylorville Reservoir
Reservoir fishing is very good right now for white bass, wipers, and channel catfish. Channel Catfish - Excellent: Good size channel cats are being caught drifting cut baits. The old river channel north of the mile long bridge is a good starting point.
White Bass - Good: The white bass are active are can be caught around the Cherry Glen and Sandpiper areas using spoons, lipless and squarebill crankbaits.

Clear Lake
Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish are slowing down but some are still being caught with live bait fished over the rock reefs.
Walleye - Fair: Walleye are being caught while drifting or trolling with live bait over rock reefs and also in areas of 8 to 10 feet of water in the little lake.
Yellow Bass - Fair: Anglers are picking up yellow bass while drifting live bait and cut bait in 10 to 12 ft of water around the rock reefs and in areas north of the island. A few are being caught in the little lake using the same method.
Note: The lake level is 14 inches below crest. Due to these low water conditions, boaters are reminded to use caution in near-shore areas of the lake.

Big Creek Lake
Bluegill - Good: Decent bluegill fishing success is coming from fishing crawlers over the brushpiles or drifting over the roadbeds. Bluegill can also be caught fishing the edges of the deeper weed beds at many locations along the west shoreline as you work south of the West boat ramp.
White Bass - Good: Anglers wanting to target white bass should fish the upper end and the beach area casting crankbaits or topwater poppers. Trolling small jigs has also been effective. Work the wind blown shoreline on breezy days.

Lake Ahquabi
Bluegill - Good: Anglers drifting or slowly retrieving small pieces of crawler or small tube jigs in 4 to 7 foot of water are picking up good size bluegill.

Red Rock Reservoir
White Bass - Excellent: White bass are hitting now with the heat. Troll lipless or shallow diving crankbaits to find the schools. Some good areas have been the shoreline going north from the Marina point and the northeast corner of the dam. Also look for gulls feeding on shad pushed to the surface by feeding white bass.
Channel Catfish - Good: Drifting cut bait or stink baits is producing some good catches of channel catfish.

Greenfield Lake
Bluegills and crappies can be caught drifting and around cedar tree piles. Catfish are close to shore.
Bluegill - Fair: Drift open water with small jigs to catch 7-8 inch fish.
Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish are being caught around the jetties using shrimp.
Crappie - Fair: Crappies are being picked up in the brush piles using minnows.
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Spinnerbaits and plastics are catching largemouth bass along the dam and jetties. Most of the fish are 12 to 15 inches.

Lake Anita
Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills can be caught drifting tube jigs 6-8 feet below the surface.
Crappie - Fair: Crappies are being caught vertical jigging the brush piles using minnows.
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Anglers are having success fishing shallow coves with spinner baits and a slow retrieve. Many of the fish caught are in the 14 to 19 inch range.
Aquatic vegetation is abundant because of the good water clarity.

Rathbun Reservoir
Channel catfish have been very active. Anglers have had good success along rocks as these fish are in spawning mode. Worms and stink baits have been the most productive. Walleye fishing has picked up somewhat this past week, depsite high temperatures. Most fish are being captured in 5 to 15 feet of water. Worms fished over humps and points, particularly on the north shore, have been most productive.