by Iowa DNR
December 17, 2010
Beaver Lake Fishing Report
Bluegill - Good: Beaver Lake is producing some decent bluegills through the ice this year. The larger ones being caught are 8 to 9 inches. Anglers are having success in 15 to 20 foot of water out from the dam and on the 9 to 15 foot ridge that runs south of the 40 foot hole across the lake from the boat ramp. Fish are being caught using wax worms and spikes. Crappie - Fair: With the bluegills, anglers are picking up a few decent crappies up to 11 inches.
Jacob Krumm Nature Preserver Lake Fishing Report (west)
Bluegill - Good: Good bluegills up to 8.5 inches are being caught on wax worms. Best luck has been near the edges of the standing timber in the deeper water. Crappie - Good: Good numbers of crappie are also being caught near the standing timber. The crappie are averaging 8 to 9 inches.
Rock Creek Lake Fishing Report
Bluegill - Fair: Anglers are doing well late in the afternoon and into the evening. Fish have moved to the structure in the deepest water, which is 14 to 16 feet. Crappie - Fair: Crappie are being caught along with the bluegills in 12 feet of water or more. The better crappie bite is in the evening. Pink and white with wax worm is working well. The average size of fish caught is 7 to 9 inches.
Roberts Creek Lake Fishing Report
Crappie - Slow: A few crappies are being caught in the deeper water out from the east access.
Big Creek Lake Fishing Report
Bluegill - Good: Anglers are catching some good bluegills from 7 to 9 inches mostly midday through late afternoon. They are being caught off sunken brush in the main lake and in front of the deeper coves. Depths around 20 feet or greater have been best. Both wax worms and spikes have been working. Crappie - Good: Crappie are being caught near the roadbed in 30 to 40 feet of water off the east roadbed out from the Ensign shelter and into the handicap pier bay. Live minnows have been working best but glow jigs with wax worms have also been working. The bite has been best from 5:30 to 10 p.m.
Hickory Grove Lake Fishing Report
Bluegill - Good: The bluegill bite is good late in the afternoon and especially just before and after sunset near sunken habitat. This habitat can be found in most of the coves and in deeper water out from the points. The bluegills are around 8 inches and are being caught using both wax worms and maggots. Crappie - Fair: A few crappies are being pulled off the same sunken habitat as the bluegills. Better crappie are being caught suspended in the deeper water in the evenings, with some measuring 10 to 11 inches.
Hooper Area Pond Fishing Report
Crappie - Fair: There are reports of anglers doing well on crappie.
Lake Ahquabi Fishing Report
Bluegill - Slow: The bluegill bite is still slow. Out from the steep shoreline across from the beach area can be a good location. There are several large brush piles sunk in the deeper water here that anglers have been catching fish off. Ahquabi can produce some large bluegills over 9 inches.
Lake Petoka Fishing Report
Rainbow Trout - Good: Rainbow trout will be stocked through the ice in conjunction with a kid’s ice fishing event on Saturday, January 16. The event will begin at 10 a.m. with trout being stocked around noon.
Banner Lake Fishing Report (south)
Rainbow Trout - Good: Rainbow trout were stocked through the ice on Jan. 14.
As of Jan. 13, most central Iowa lakes have 13 plus inches of ice. Fishing success is picking up with the stable weather. Most fish are being caught in the afternoon and evenings. Contact Ben Dodd or Andy Otting at 515-432-2823 for information on the above area lakes and rivers.
Greenfield Lake Fishing Report
Greenfield lake has a consistent 12 inches of ice. Greenfield is a popular ice fishing lake because of the quality panfish fishery. Bluegill - Slow: Bluegills have been slow using wax worms.
Nodaway Lake Fishing Report
Nodaway Lake should offer good crappie fishing this winter with a large year class in the 8 to 9-inch range. Bluegills are 7 inches.
Littlefield Lake Fishing Report
Spring sampling showed a large year class of crappies that should be in the 8 to 9-inch range this winter. Roads in the park have been plowed.
Lake Anita Fishing Report
Lake Anita will offer excellent ice fishing opportunities this year. Fall samples show that bluegills and crappies experienced good growth in 2009. Anita has 12 to 14 inches of ice. Bluegill - Fair: The bluegill bite is much better the last hour of daylight. Anglers are catching many fish exceeding 8 inches using wax worms. Crappie - Fair: The best success has been fishing with minnows in the evening. Best success is late afternoon to after dark. Crappies are running 9 to 10 inches.
Lake Manawa Fishing Report
Manawa has 14 inches of ice. Crappie - Slow: Crappies have slowed but anglers are still catching a few. Jigs with small spinner tipped with a live minnow is working best.
Anderson Area Pond 1 Fishing Report
Anderson Area Pond 1 is very susceptible to runoff. The road to the pond has been plowed. Bluegill - Slow: Anglers are catching 8-inch bluegill on tear drops tipped with wax worms. Crappie - Slow: Anglers are catching 10-inch fish in late afternoon using minnows.
Cold Springs District Farm Ponds Fishing Report
Farm ponds offer excellent opportunity for quality ice fishing in southern Iowa . Remember to always ask permission before fishing a private pond. Bluegill - Fair: Typically bluegills can be found in the deepest part of the pond. Tip small jigs with wax worms and start fishing a foot off the bottom. Crappie - Fair: Fish the larger farm ponds using wax worms or minnows. Fish different depths in the water column as crappie can be suspended.
Temperatures are expected to warm in the coming week making an ice fishing trip more enjoyable. Anglers can expect to find 14 to 18 inches of ice on most lakes in southwest Iowa .
Lake Icaria Fishing Report
Ice is 12 to 14 inches thick in most areas. Recent open portions could have ice less than 2 inches. Bullhead - Good: Anglers have been catching bullheads on wax worms from most areas. Bluegill - Good: Most bluegills have been caught from flooded timber and brush piles using wax worms. Crappie - Good: Crappies have been caught from the flooded timber and along creek channel. Both wax worms and minnows have been productive. Walleye - Fair: Wax worms and small minnows have been successful for small and mid-sized walleyes in the flooded timber and near creek channel.
Fogle Lake S.W.A. Fishing Report
Ice thickness is 12 to 14 inches, and some thinner areas may exist. Bluegill - Fair: Several mid-sized bluegills have been caught from the deeper flooded timber.
Lake of Three Fires Fishing Report
Ice is 12 to 14 inches in most areas, but some thinner areas may exist. Bluegill - Fair: A few fish have been caught from the deep brush pile north of the center of the dam. Crappie - Fair: A few crappies have been caught from the deep brush pile north of the center of the dam.
Three Mile Lake Fishing Report
Ice thickness varies. Most ice is 12 to 14 inches thick. Bluegill - Fair: Anglers are having some success fishing the creek channels near flooded timber. Most fish are 12 to 20 feet in depths. Crappie - Fair: Some crappie are being caught in 14 to 20 feet of water near the rock piles and in flooded timber. Yellow Perch - Fair: Large numbers of perch have been caught in the main lake if anglers can find a school. Wax worms and minnows are working once they are found. Walleye - Fair: Some large walleyes with one over 10 pounds have been caught near the creek channel. Minnows are working the best.
Twelve Mile Creek Lake Fishing Report
Ice thickness varies. Reports indicate that the ice is 12 to 14 inches in most areas. Bluegill - Good: Several mid-sized and large fish have been caught from the creek channel areas near flooded timber. Most fish are coming from 10 to 16 feet down. Crappie - Fair: Crappies have been caught from flooded timber and rock piles in water from 10 to 25 feet down. Minnows have been working best. Walleye - Fair: Several mid-sized walleye have been caught from deeper rock areas, creek channel, and old road bed. Minnow have been working best.
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