Fishing Report for Weekend of 10/14

Here is your Iowa DNR Fishing Report for the weekend of 10/14.

Cedar River (above Nashua)
Cedar River water levels have stabilized but flows remain elevated. Use caution when going on water after flooding as the streambed and banks may have changed. Clarity is good and fishable. Visit http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ia/nwis/rt for information on water levels. Walleye - Good: Use a jig tipped with a minnow. Smallmouth Bass - Excellent: Try a crayfish crankbait or flashy spinnerbait.

Decorah District Streams
Trout streams are fishable and the fish are hungry. Many roads and parking lots sustained some damage with the high waters. All catchable stockings are unannounced through October. All streams continue to be stocked. There have been nice hatches of small mayflies and caddis flies midday. Bring lots of bug spray as mosquito hatches are incredible.  Brown Trout - Good: Anglers may start to see more color on trout; the kype on male becomes more pronounced as brown trout spawning seasons gets closer. Brook Trout - Good: Watch the stream bottom as brookies begin to build their nests or redds in the stream bottom. Rainbow Trout – Good.

Lake Hendricks
More anglers have been out this week. Fish are becoming more aggressive as water begins to cool down. Fish mid-day for best luck. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use jigs tipped with a variety of soft plastics. Bluegill - Good: Find bluegills near shore and in vegetation edges.

Lake Meyer
The lake is in excellent condition and anglers are catching fish. Find the habitat and you'll find fish. Bluegill - Good: Use a hook tipped with a small piece of worm under a bobber. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass can be found cruising the weed edges. Try a jig tipped with a long plastic tail. Black Crappie - Good: Be ready for a light bite. Use a small hook tipped with a minnow.

Rudd Lake
Anglers have excellent shore and boat access. Channel Catfish - Good: Use a nightcrawler fished on the bottom just out past shoreline vegetation. Bluegill - Fair: Try along the rockier shoreline.

Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Water levels have stabilized and clarity is good. Use caution if floating as hazards are present. Many access points and campgrounds were affected by the high water. Please call local city or county conservation board offices for more information. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Smallies are hitting crankbaits and spinner baits. Focus efforts on seams and back eddies. Walleye - Good: Use a jig tipped with a minnow or a variety of plastic tails.

Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
Water levels have stabilized and clarity is good. Use caution when floating in elevated flows; snags and submersed logs may have moved. Continually read the river and be prepared to adjust your track. Smallmouth Bass – Good. Walleye – Fair.

Volga Lake
Anglers drifting over rock or brush piles will find fish. Shoreline access is excellent with many submerged cedar trees within casting distance. Black Crappie - Good: Use small jigs with flat tailed plastic body. Bluegill - Good: Fish will be in shallow with cooling water temperatures. Channel Catfish - Slow: Try chicken liver or crawlers. Volga Lake has a very nice population of catfish awaiting the patient angler.

Stream conditions continue to improve. Water levels have stabilized and clarity is excellent. For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.

Big Woods Lake
Anglers are reporting catches of both largemouth bass and crappie. Black Crappie - Fair: Float a crappie minnow under a slip bobber at various depths to locate fish.

Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)
Anglers have been catching largemouth bass and channel catfish. Channel Catfish - Good: Try fishing from the beach and west. Use chicken livers fished on the bottom of the lake. Numerous 3-10 pound cats have been taken recently. Afternoon through the early evening hours are best. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Cast crankbaits, spinner baits or top water baits.

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
The Cedar River has been producing catches of both walleye and smallmouth bass now that the river has receded from recent flooding. Backwater areas with structure have been producing some crappie as well. Walleye - Good: Casting crankbaits or fishing a jig twister tipped with a minnow is productive for walleye this time of year. Smallmouth Bass - Excellent: Casting crankbaits or fishing a jig tipped with a nightcrawler is productive for smallmouth bass this time of year. Black Crappie - Good: Try fishing a crappie minnow under a slip bobber near structure or casting and retrieving tube jigs.

Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
The Maquoketa River continues to fall from recent flooding and is in good condition. Walleye - Good: Casting crankbaits or fishing a jig/twister tipped with a minnow is productive for walleye this time of year. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Casting crankbaits or fishing a jig/twister tipped with a minnow is productive for smallmouth bass this time of year.

Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
The Shell Rock River is producing some catches of walleye after the recent high water levels. Walleye - Good: Casting crankbaits or fishing a jig twister tipped with a minnow is productive for walleye this time of year. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Cast artificial crankbaits.

Silver Lake (Delaware)
Anglers are reporting catches of bluegill, largemouth bass and northern pike. Bluegill - Good: Try fishing a piece of worm or nightcrawler a couple feet under the surface with a bobber or small 1/16 ounce hair jigs. Bluegills here to tend to run on the small side. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Cast crankbaits, spinner baits or top water baits. Northern Pike - Fair: Troll or cast spoons along weed edges.

South Prairie Lake
Anglers are reporting catches of crappie. Black Crappie - Good: Float a crappie minnow under a slip bobber at various depths to locate fish.

Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
There have been reports of anglers catching walleye on the Wapsipinicon River in Buchanan County. Walleye - Good: Casting crankbaits or fishing a jig tipped with a nightcrawler is productive for walleye this time of year. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Casting crankbaits or fishing a jig tipped with a nightcrawler is productive for smallmouth bass this time of year. Channel Catfish - Slow: Try stink baits, cut baits and chicken livers in areas of snags and fallen trees.

Interior river levels continue to fall and are beginning to clear up. Anglers are reporting good to excellent catches of walleye and smallmouth bass once again on the interior rivers. Trout streams remain in excellent condition in the Manchester District. For further information, call the N.E. District Office at 563-927-3276.