DNR fishing report- week ending July 25, 2018

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DES MOINES - The following is the weekly fishing report for southeast Iowa provided by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Central Park Lake The lake is currently drainedas a renovation project is finishing up.

Coralville Reservoir The lake is atnormal summer pool.Channel Catfish-Fair:Best action is drifting or trolling cut bait in the channel.BlackCrappie –Slow:Fish steep rock banks for suspended fish.

Diamond Lake No minnows are allowed here. The fish cleaning station is open.Black Crappie -Fair: Try small jigs fished around the brush pilesor drift the basin. Most fish are 7-9 inches.Bluegill -Fair: Use small jigs or worms around shallow rock or brush.Many fish are around 6-7 inches.Channel Catfish -Good: Catfishing has picked up over the past week.

Iowa Lake (Iowa County) Largemouth Bass - Fair. Bluegill -Good.Black Crappie -Good.Channel Catfish-Good.

Kent Park Lake The lake is drained for a lake renovation projectcurrently underway. It is scheduled to be completed next spring.

Lake Macbride Only motors under 10hp may be used at no-wake speed.Water temperatures are in the 80's.Black Crappie -Slow:Fish deeper brush or look for suspended fish off breaks. Walleye -Fair:Troll crankbaits or jig live bait.Most fish are in 8-13 inches.Largemouth Bass -Fair:Some fish are still shallow while other fish have pulled off to deeper rock for the summer.Best bite is early in the day.Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) –Slow:Look for schools roaming over deep water feeding on juvenile shad.Early and late in the day are best.Bluegill -Fair:Some are shallow in pockets while others have moved to deeper rock.Size is marginal at best. Channel Catfish - Fair: Evenings are best.

Pleasant Creek Lake The lake is still 5 feet low from the restoration project. The main ramp is usable, but it is shallow; use caution. There is a boat dock in on the east lane. Be cautious when boating as new structures have started to be submerged.Check your boat and trailer for the invasive plant, Brittle Naiad; it is abundant here.White Bass –Fair: Fish windblown shores or look for schools in open water.Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) –Fair: These are mixed in with the white bass.Mornings and evenings are best.Bluegill –Slow: Fish weed edges.Channel Catfish –Fair: Use chicken liver or shrimp. Walleye - Slow.

Rodgers Park Lake Largemouth Bass – Fair.

Wapsipinicon River (Troy Mills to Oxford Junction) River levels are finally receding. Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs or worms in the backwaters. Black Crappie - Fair: Try jigs or minnows around brush in the backwaters.

For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.

Des Moines River (Ottumwa to Farmington)

Channel Catfish - Fair: Target log jams and rockedshorelines.Watch for water levels to change with the recent rains.

Hawthorn Lake Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use spinnerbaits along the rocky shorelines and rubber worms around the deeper structure. Bluegill - Fair: Try small jigstipped with live baitalong the rocky shorelines andthe weed line.Channel Catfish - Fair: Usechicken liver or stinkbaitin areas with4-6 feet of water.

Lake Keomah Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigstipped with live baitnear shorelineand around the fishing jetties.Black Crappie - Fair:Try fishing deep structure with a jig and minnow. Channel Catfish - Fair:Use stinkbait or chicken liver.Largemouth Bass - Fair: Cast spinnerbaits or crankbaits around the fishing jetties and along the dam. Switch to rubber worms and deeper structure as the day heats up.

Lake Sugema Largemouth Bass -Fair: Target deeper structure with rubber worms or jig-n-pig combos.Black Crappie - Slow: Use tube jigs or jig and minnows indeeper water structure.Bluegill - Fair: Try small jigs tipped with live bait around the shorelines andfishing jetties.Channel Catfish - Fair: Use dead chubs orstinkbaitalong the dam or around the fishing jetties.

Lake Wapello Channel Catfish -Fair:Usechicken liver or stinkbaitaround areas withrip-rapped shorelines or rock piles. Largemouth Bass -Good:Fish deeper structurewith rubber worms or crawdad imitations.Bluegill - Fair: Use small jigs tipped with a chunk of night crawler inareas around aquatic vegetation or near the fishing jetties.White Crappie-Slow: Try minnows or jig and minnows in deeper structure and the outer edge of the weed line.

Rathbun Reservoir The current lake level is905.02msl. Normal operating elevation is 904.0 msl. Lake Rathbun has zebra mussels, so make sure to properly drain, clean, and dry equipment before transporting to another water body.Channel Catfish -Good: Usestinkbait or chicken liver in areaswith water running into the lake. White Crappie -Fair:Use minnows around deeper structure.Trolling small crankbaits can also catch suspended crappies.Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair: Troll crankbaits along rocky shorelines and around rock piles. Try alsovertical jigging in the same areas. Walleye -Fair:Walleye bite has slowed from earlier in the year.Use night crawler rigs or troll crankbaits around rock piles and submerged points.Leeches can also be productive this time of year.

Red Haw Lake Largemouth Bass -Good:Cast the shorelines in the early part of the day and then fish deeper structure as the day warms up.Black Crappie - Fair: Try tube jigs along the shorelines.Bluegill -Fair: Use small jigs tipped with live bait around the shorelines andfishing jetties.Channel Catfish - Fair: Try night crawlers around the fishing jetties or along the dam.

The district includes Mahaska, Lucas, Wayne, Monroe, Appanoose, Wapello, Davis and Van Buren counties. Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions about fishing in south central Iowa.

Mississippi River Pool 19 Tailwater stage is8.22feet at Lock and Dam 18above Burlingtonand isfalling.Flood stage is 10 feet. Riverlevelis13.34feetat Burlington and is falling. Flood stage is 15 feet.River level at Fort Madison is527.02feet and flood stage is 528 feet.Fishing has been slow with the high and muddy water conditions.Channel Catfish - No Report: Try fishing above brush piles and snags along the side channels and main channel; use stinkbait or shad. Bluegill - No Report: Look for bluegills in the backwaters around brush piles. Try fishing with worms under a bobber.

River stages are still high, but have been falling. Fishing is being reported as slow. Main channel water temperature is around 82 degrees.If you have questions on fishing Pools 16-19, contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.

fishing, fort madison, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Mississippi River, Pen City Current, southeast iowa

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