Recent trout stock leaves plenty of good fishing

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DES MOINES - The following is the weekly fishing report from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for the week ending Wed. April 7, 2021 for southeast Iowa lakes and waterways.

Discovery Park Pond
Rainbow Trout
 - Good: The trout are getting used to their new home and are switching to more live baits and power bait. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.

East Lake Park Pond
This city park pond is on the east side of Mount Pleasant by the airport. Rainbow Trout - Good: This 6.5 acre pond was stocked for the first time with rainbow trout last week. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.

Lake Belva Deer
Water temperature is in the low 40's. Cold weather and wind has kept angler numbers down this week. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catch catfish near where the marsh dumps in and in the campground arm of the lake.

Lake Darling
Water temperature are in the upper 30's to low 40's.Water temperatures should be in the mid-40’s next week with the warmer weather forecast.Channel Catfish- Good: Lots of rain last weekend brought the catfish into shallow water up by honey creek to feed. They went back out after the water level up there dropped.

Wilson Lake
Rainbow Trout - Good: Trout were stocked last week. Plenty of nice rainbow trout are waiting to be caught. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.

For more information on the above lakes, call the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at 319-694-2430.

Cedar River (La Porte City to Cedar Rapids) 
Walleye - Fair: Anglers are catching mostly males. Northern Pike – Slow.

Coralville Reservoir 
The lake level is 683.3 feet. Docks are in at the Macbride State Park ramp and the Corps ramps. Channel Catfish - Good: Catch catfish with cut bait around and above the 380/965 bridges. Try shallow windblown flats at the upper end as well.

Diamond Lake
Little fishing activity yet. A year round boat dock is in and the fish cleaning station is open.

Lake Macbride
Water temperatures are in the mid-40's. The boat docks are in.Black Crappie- Fair: Try minnows over brush in 10-15 feet of water.Channel Catfish- Fair: Some big fish were caught this week in the upper arms; use cut bait.Walleye- Fair: Use jigs and plastic/minnow in 10-20 feet of water. As the water warms, look for spawning fish in the shallows at sunset and after dark.

Hawthorn Lake
Target channel catfish with nightcrawlers.

Lake Sugema
Target channel catfish with nightcrawlers or cut bait.

Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 906.72 msl. Recreation pool is 904 msl. Lake Rathbun has zebra mussels, so make sure to properly drain, clean, and dry equipment before transporting to another waterbody. Channel Catfish - Fair: Target windblown shorelines with shad sides or nightcrawlers.

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

Department of Natural Resources, DNR, fishing, Pen City Current, sports

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