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.

Lake Geode 16 min (10 mi): Water temperature is holding in the mid-80s. Water remains green in color. Bluegill — Fair: Bluegills are out at their deep water spots. Try slow trolling (drifting) with a small jig tipped with bait until you find them and then vertically jigging. Channel Catfish — Good: Try fishing around the riprap shoreline. Use stink bait and cut bait; good numbers of pan-sized fish. Largemouth Bass — Fair: Some are being caught on the quiet mornings with topwater baits along the edges of water willows and riprap.

Big Hollow Lake 21 minutes (18 mi): Water temperature is in the low 80s. Water is fairly clear; more duckweed. Black Crappie — Fair: Anglers are picking up a few crappies by slowly trolling along the outer edges of the trees. Try fishing down about 6 to 8 feet. Bluegill — Fair: Work the edges of the flooded trees in 6 to 7 feet of water. The 6 feet depth is their perennial sweet spot during the summer.

Cedar River (Moscow to Columbus Junction): The lower end of the Cedar River is forecast to hold steady for at least a few more days at about 3 feet below bank full level.

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River): 40 min (30 mi): The Iowa River is holding steady in this section at about 3 feet below bank full. A pulse of higher water will be coming down from Iowa City in the next couple of days.

Lake Darling 46 min (40 mi): Water temperature is close to 80 degrees. Water is less green, but muddier from the high winds and heavy rains. Bluegill — Fair: some nice bluegills are working the surface on still mornings without the slightest breeze. Try a flyrod and a popper. Channel Catfish — Good: The lake is stratified; don't fish below 10 feet with little to no oxygen below that. Find catfish around the rocks on the in-lake silt dams and the culvert piles just out from the shoreline between the lodge and the point.

River stage is below flood stage for Pools 16-19. River level is falling and forecast to keep falling over the weekend. Water clarity is fair. Main channel water temperature is around 80 degrees. We have not received many fishing reports. Boat ramps are opening back up. If you have questions about fishing Pools 16-19, contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.

Mississippi River Pool 18 33 min (30 mi): Tailwater stage is falling to 11.0 feet at Lock and Dam 17 at New Boston. Flood stage is 15 feet. Tailwater stage is forecast to fall over the weekend. The gates are out of the water at the Lock and Dam. River stage is 10.90 feet at Keithsburg; flood stage is 14 feet. The Toolsboro ramp is closed due to water over the road. We have not received much for fishing reports for this pool this week. Black Crappie — No Report: Look for crappies around brush in the backwaters and side channels. Try with minnows under a bobber or jigs and plastics. Bluegill — No Report: Look for bluegills around brush piles in the backwaters.

Mississippi River Pool 19: Tailwater stage is falling to 8.20 feet at Lock and Dam 18 above Burlington. Flood stage is 10 feet at Lock and Dam 18. Tailwater stage is forecast to fall over the weekend. River stage is 13.50 feet at Burlington; flood stage is 15 feet. We have not received much for fishing reports for this pool this week. Bluegill — No Report: Look for bluegills around brush piles in the backwaters. Try pieces of worm under a bobber. Channel Catfish — No Report: Look for channel catfish around brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels. Use cut shad, stink bait or night crawlers upstream of the snag.