DNR releases fishing report for Southeast Iowa

Lake Geode

Channel catfish ? good: catfishing has been good along the face of the dam and worth a try in the creek channel at the upper end of the lake. Bluegill ? fair: with the sudden drop in temperature, look for bluegills to move shallow to feed. Work the edge of the waterwillow beds this time of year with a small jig tipped with a piece of worm.

Lake Belva Deer

Channel catfish ? excellent: Chicken liver is the bait to use. Try the rock mounds at the upper end of the lake. Bluegill ? good: after acclimating to cooler weather, look for bluegills to move back into shallow water. Crappie ? good: the cooler weather is bringing crappies to shallower water to feed. Look for them back in the trees. Use small jigs to coax them out. They?re also along the face of the dam in about eight feet of water. If they?re not there with the cooler weather, look in the same areas but in much closer to shore.

Pollmiller Park Lake

Channel catfish - good: catfishing has been good with some fish up to 10 pounds caught. Bluegill ? good: bluegill fishing has been picking up. Worm and bobber fished around the brush piles or along the flooded stumps in the upper bays are the best.

Lake of the Hills

Lake of the Hills is the only lake in West Lake Park where live minnows are allowed for bait. Channel Catfish ? excellent: lots of catfish are being caught on stinkbait and chicken liver. Chicken liver seems to be the current favorite. Early and late are the times to fish. Bluegill ? good: fishing a worm and bobber set at three to four feet down seems to be working best. Largemouth bass ? excellent: bass fishing remains hot in shallow water, along the rocky areas, and around the logs and stumps. Use white spinnerbaits in the morning and plastics the rest of the day. Crappie ? good: crappies are on the brush piles. The ones just off the fishing pier seems to be angler favorites. Also look for them to be in the rocks along the dam. The cooler weather has cooled off the rocks, and it is going to bring crappies and bluegills back to shallow water.

Railroad Lake

The old creek channel is probably the first place to look for fish, and then move to the brush piles along the south side in the shallower water. Live minnows as bait are not allowed in Railroad Lake. Bluegill ? good: look for most of the bluegills to have moved back over to the north side and along 110th. Largemouth bass ?excellent: in this lake the bass are around the rock. Working spinnerbaits in the morning and plastics along the deeper edge of the rocks is working best. Crappie ? good: crappies are still in the brush piles and tree along the old creek channel. Look for them to move shallow with the cooler temperatures.

Skunk River (Coppock to Mississippi River)

The Skunk River continues to fall. The water is fairly clear right now. Channel catfish ? good: catfishing remains fairly good. Wet wading the river is a good way to find the holes and the fish.

For more information on the above lakes and rivers call the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at 319-694-2430.

Lake Macbride

The 10 h.p. motor restriction is no longer in place. All motor sizes are allowed to run at nowake speed (5 mph). There has been little activity on the lake recently and no reports are available.

Diamond Lake

No minnows are allowed here. Channel catfish ? good: chicken liver and stinkbait are working best. Most action has been occurring early and late in the day while fishing from the jetties. Bluegill ? fair: fish deep brush with a small jig/worm or just a small worm. Crappie ? fair: fish deep brush or drift open water with a small jig.

Otter Creek Lake

Channel catfish ? good: evenings have been best with stinkbait or chicken liver. Yellow bass ? good: mornings have been best with small jigs or spinners.

Union Grove Lake

Channel catfish ? good: stinkbait and chicken liver have been working best. Bluegill ? fair: drift small jigs in open water or fish around deeper wood. Crappie ? fair: drifting small jigs or minnows in open water has been producing some fish.

Coralville Reservoir

The lake is at normal summer pool of 683.3 feet. Channel catfish ? fair: fresh cut shad being slowly drifted or trolled has been working best. Crappie - good: some crappies are being caught off brush piles and rock walls with jigs or minnows.

Iowa River (Marshalltown to

Coralville Lake)

Channel catfish ? good: cut bait and stinkbait have been working best.

Maquoketa (Hopkinton to Canton)

Smallmouth bass ? good: try spinners and crankbaits. Walleye - fair: crankbaits have been working best.

For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.

Lake Wapello

Channel catfish ? good: try areas off the fishing jetties or around the rip rapped shorelines. The best bait has been nightcrawlers. Largemouth bass ? fair: try using spinnerbaits around the submerged structure along the shorelines. Top water lures can also be productive in the early morning and late evening.

Red Haw Lake

Channel catfish - fair: use nightcrawlers around the rock jetties and near the dam. Bluegill ? fair: try areas near shoreline structure and off the rock jetties. Use small jigs in less than six feet of water. Largemouth bass ? good: anglers have been successful using rubber worms fished along the dam and the rock jetties. Some anglers are reporting catching bass over 20 inches. Also try top water lures fished in the early mornings and at sunset.

Lake Sugema

Fishing has been slow. Try top water lures for largemouth bass in the mornings and evenings and crankbaits or spinnerbaits throughout the day. Try using nightcrawlers for channel catfish. Try areas along the dam or other rip rapped shorelines.

Rathbun Reservoir

Lake level is at 904.01 feet with 904.00 feet being normal pool. The surface water temperature is 74 degrees. Channel catfish ? excellent: nightcrawlers have been the bait of choice. Anglers have been trolling or drifting submerged points and underwater rock piles. Also try areas with the wind blowing into the shore. Walleye ? slow: anglers have been having some success trolling nightcrawlers around underwater rock piles. If nightcrawlers aren?t working try crankbaits that mimic shad trolled over the same areas. Lake Rathbun contains zebra mussels so make sure to clean, drain, and dry boats before transporting them to another water body. Spray boats and trailers with high pressure hot water (above 104 degrees) or let them dry for at least 10 days (5 days in the sun).

For other questions regarding fishing in south central Iowa call 641-647-2406.