Bass fishing good on upper Iowa River

Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)

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Water levels are stable with improved clarity. Use caution when on the water.

Smallmouth Bass — Good: Find smallmouth in eddies or near rock ledges; use spinnerbaits.

Walleye — Good: Find walleye in deeper holes and off channel areas. Afternoon bite is best.

Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)

Water levels are stable. Water clarity has improved greatly. Use caution as snags and debris move through the system.

Smallmouth Bass — Good: Try spinners near rock ledges or snags.

Walleye — Good: Use spinners or crankbaits near rock ledges, eddies, or deeper holes. Evening bite is best.

Cedar River (above Nashua)

Water levels are stabilizing, but are up about 2.5 feet with good clarity. Visit the National Water Prediction Service website for more information.

Channel Catfish — Good: Try worms or chubs fished on the bottom in calm water or the edge of current.

Smallmouth Bass — Good: Find bass in slack water areas. Use a spinner or crankbait.

Walleye — Good: Find walleye in off channel areas or eddies. Use minnows or jigs tipped with plastics.

Decorah District Streams

Water levels are slightly elevated at most locations. Stream clarity is highly variable depending on where rain fell, but most are clear. Use caution when wading streams with elevated flows.

All streams were stocked last week. Gnats and no-see-ums are out in force. Wild parsnip is starting to bloom. Don't touch this plant; it can cause painful blisters.

Brook Trout — Slow: Brook trout take more persuasion to bite in off-color water. Sneak up on brook trout for a better chance to catch one of these beauties. Good hatches of gnats, mayflies, caddis flies, and midges.

Brown Trout — Good: Try fishing near or around logs or undercut banks. Spinnerbaits work well. Also try streamers on larger waterbodies. Brown trout like cloudy water.

Rainbow Trout — Excellent: Use spinnerbaits, hair jigs, or hooks tipped with a small piece of worm, bread, or cheese floated through deeper holes.

Lake Hendricks

Water clarity is about 4-5 feet. Water temperature is in the 70s.

Black Crappie — Fair: Try small jigs under a bobber from shore near woody debris.

Bluegill — Good: Bluegills are in shallow; use a small piece of worm or waxworm.

Channel Catfish — Good: Try a nightcrawler or squashed minnow on a hook near the bottom.

Largemouth Bass — Good: Use spinnerbaits or crankbaits along the edge of vegetation.

Lake Meyer

Water is stained with about 2 feet visibility. Water temperature is in the 70s.

Black Crappie — Slow: Use spinnerbaits or a jig tipped with a minnow near structure.

Bluegill — Slow: Try small hooks tipped with a waxworm or a small piece of worm under a bobber.

Channel Catfish — Good: Try a nightcrawler on a hook fished at the bottom.

Largemouth Bass — Slow: Use a spinnerbait fished along the edge of vegetation. Reports of anglers catching quite a few small bass.

Turkey River (above Clermont)

Water levels up about 1.5 feet, but are stable with good clarity. Use caution when on the water. Visit the National Water Prediction Service website for more information.

Smallmouth Bass — Good: Find bass in eddies or slack water areas. Try a jig tipped with a plastic tail.

Walleye — Good: Evening bite is best.

Turkey River (below Clermont)

Water levels are stable with improved clarity. Use caution when on the water. Visit the National Water Prediction Service website for more information.

Smallmouth Bass — Good: Find smallies in deeper holes or near rock ledges.

Walleye — Good: Use crankbaits or jigs tipped with plastics in off channel areas.

Volga Lake

Water clarity is improving. Water temperature is in the 70s.

Black Crappie — Slow.

Bluegill — Fair. Channel Catfish — Good: Use a squished minnow or worm fished on bottom.

Largemouth Bass — Good: Use spinners or crankbaits along jetties or drop-offs.

Volga River

Water levels are stabilizing, but remain about a foot high. Water clarity is good.

Smallmouth Bass — Good: Find bass in deeper holes or off channel areas. Use a spinner or crankbait.

Yellow River

Water levels are stabilizing with improved water clarity. Use caution as snags and debris move through the system.

Brown Trout — Good: Find trout below or just off riffles. A spinner or shallow running crankbait should interest a hungry mouth.

Area rivers and streams are high due to recent rainfall events.

Big Woods Lake

Anglers are catching bluegill and crappie.

Black Crappie — Good: Try a minnow under a slip bobber near structure.

Bluegill — Excellent: Use a piece of nightcrawler under a slip bobber off shore; bluegills are spawning and on are beds.

Brinker Lake

Anglers are catching bluegill and crappie.

Black Crappie — Good: Try a minnow under a slip bobber near structure.

Bluegill — Good: Use a piece of nightcrawler under a slip bobber off shore; bluegills are spawning and on are beds.

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)

Anglers are catching channel catfish with the rise and fall of river levels.

Channel Catfish — Good: Try stink baits, dead cut baits, and chubs.

Walleye — Fair: Anglers are now picking up a few walleye again; best baits are leeches and crawlers.

George Wyth Lake

Anglers are catching crappie and bluegill; some sorting may be needed.

Black Crappie — Fair: Try a minnow under a slip bobber near structure or lily pads on the west end of the lake.

Bluegill — Fair: Use a piece of nightcrawler under a slip bobber off shore; bluegills are spawning and on are beds.

Largemouth Bass — Good: Try artificial baits early morning or later evening.

Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)

Anglers are catching channel catfish with the rise and fall of river levels.

Channel Catfish — Good: Use stink baits, dead cut baits, and chubs.

South Prairie Lake

Anglers are catching crappie and bluegill.

Black Crappie — Good: Try a minnow under a slip bobber near structure.

Bluegill — Excellent: Use a piece of nightcrawler under a slip bobber off shore; bluegills are spawning and on are beds.