DNR Fishing Report for New London area

Sites selected to report are within a one-hour drive from New London. Information is taken from the DNR Iowa Fishing Report. For more information on the following lakes and rivers call the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at 319-694-2430.

Lake Geode 16 min. (10 mi): Water temperature is 73 degrees. Water clarity is 6 feet. Black Crappie — Good: Find crappies in the habitat in 8 to 19 feet of water; try vertically jigging. Bluegill — Fair: Bluegills are starting to return to the spawning beds after a brief break. Use a worm and bobber or a small jig tipped with a waxworm. Largemouth Bass — Good: Bass are looking for young bluegills and crappies to feed on.

Big Hollow Lake 21 minutes (18 mi): Water temperature is 73 degrees. Black Crappie — Fair: Find crappie on the edge of the flooded timber on the south side of the lake in 9-10 feet of water up a foot or so off the bottom. Bluegill — Fair: Some are starting to sneak back onto the spawning beds; many are still out in 6 to 7 feet of water. Use a worm and slip bobber to clear the water so you can vertically jig over top of them. Largemouth Bass — Fair: Bass have recovered from the spawn. The bigger the bass the farther they are back in the trees.

Lake Darling 46 min. (40 mi): Water temperature is 71 degrees. Water clarity is good at 50-60 inches. The water has a green tint; it’s starting to clear again. Black Crappie — Fair: Look for crappies down by the dam in brush piles in deep water out from the high riprap bank or on the rock pile field on the ends of the dam. Bluegill — Fair: Bluegill fishing slowed with most bedding areas vacant. They may start to come in as the water warms into the 70s. Anglers are catching most in 6-8 feet of water.

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River): Recent rains are forecast to keep the river levels stable until middle of next week before falling again. Channel Catfish — Good: Try cut bait in the backends of the sandbars or stink baits behind brush piles.

Mississippi River Pool 18: Tailwater stage is 8.71 feet at Lock and Dam 17 at New Boston and is forecast to fall over the weekend. Flood stage is 15 feet. Bluegill — No report: Look for bluegills up shallow in the backwaters. Use pieces of worm under a bobber in the Huron Island complex. Channel Catfish — No report: Try around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. Use stink bait, cut shad or night crawlers upstream of the brush. Float leeches or crawlers under a bobber along riprap shorelines with current. Walleye — No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing-dams. Cast crankbaits or jigs with plastic or night crawlers on the upstream side of the wing-dams or troll crankbaits. Fishing may be tough with the dirtier water conditions due to recent rains. White Bass — No report: Cast crankbaits, inline spinners, or jigs and twister tails in areas with current around rocky points or water discharges. White Crappie — No Report: Use minnows under a bobber or vertical jig minnows or plastics around brush piles in the backwaters and side channels in the Huron Island complex.

Mississippi River Pool 19: Tailwater stage is 5.60 feet at Lock and Dam 18 above Burlington and is forecast to fall over the weekend. Flood stage is 10 feet. Bluegill — No report: Bluegills are up shallow in the backwaters. Try pieces of worm under a bobber along brush piles. Channel Catfish — Try around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. Use stink bait, cut shad or night crawlers upstream of the brush. Float leeches or crawlers under a bobber along riprap shorelines with current. Walleye — No Report: Look for walleyes on the wing-dams. Cast crankbaits or jigs with plastic or night crawlers on the upstream side of the wing-dams or troll crankbaits. Fishing may be tough with the dirtier water condition due to recent rains. White Bass — No Report: Cast crankbaits, inline spinners, or jigs and twister tails in areas with current around rocky points or water discharges. White Crappie — No Report: Use minnows under a bobber or vertically jig minnows or plastics around brush piles in the backwaters and side channels

Tailwater stages have risen with recent heavy rains. Main channel water clarity is poor. Main channel water temperature is 71 degrees. If you have questions on fishing Pools 16-19, contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.