Local fishing reports heating up in SE Iowa

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The following is the weekly report from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources on the fishing activity at area lakes and ponds.

Big Hollow Lake 
Water temperature is in the low 70's. Bluegill - Good: Bluegill are not in real shallow, but you can find them out in 4 to 5 feet of water. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfish should soon be looking to start their fall feeding rush. Largemouth Bass - Good: Bass are leaving the deeper water and moving into the shallows for more than the overnight hours.

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi River)
The Iowa River is back to the level where the really big "mid-channel" sandbars are up out of the water. Channel Catfish - Good: Look for catfish in the deeper holes and brush piles as the water levels continue to drop back down.

Lake Belva Deer 
Water temperature is in the low 70's. Bluegill - Good: Bluegills are coming to shallow water, but are hung up at 4-6 feet depths. A few more cool nights should finish the transition. Channel Catfish - Fair: It's about time for catfish to fatten up for the fall and winter. Try chicken liver and cut bait in above 8 feet of water. Largemouth Bass - Good: Bass are in the mid-depth ( 5-6 feet of water) with an occasional trip into shallower water.

Lake Darling 
Water temperature is 70 degrees. Water still has a green cast, but is fairly clear. Black Crappie - Fair: Crappie fishing is picking up as they start to move from deeper water to the shallower water brush piles and trees.  Bluegill - Good: Find bluegills in the  shallower rock piles and downed trees in 2-5 feet of water. Channel Catfish - Good: Catfishing picked up a little bit last week. They are still in the culvert piles near shore.  Use chicken liver. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Bass are starting to move in shallow as they follow the small fish in

Lost Grove Lake 
Water temperature is just above 70 degrees. Water clarity is good with a little green to the water.  Bluegill - Good: Bluegill fishing continues to be decent; anglers are starting to pick up more fish during "business" hours. Channel Catfish - Fair: Slow troll cut bait along the face of the dam and out around the deeper brush piles in 6 to 8 feet of water. Largemouth Bass - Good: Best bite is late afternoon or evening; should move more into the daytime hours as it continues to cool down.

Skunk River (Coppock to Mississippi River)
The Skunk River's water level dropped more last week. Navigation limited to canoes and kayaks; canoes are going to be dragging bottom some. Channel Catfish - Fair: Catfish are back to hiding in the deep water pocket.

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


Hawthorn Lake
Bluegill - Slow: Try small jigs tipped with live bait fished around the rip-rapped shorelines. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use night crawlers in 6-8 feet of water. Largemouth Bass- Fair: Try spinnerbaits and crankbaits fished along rocky shorelines and fishing jetties.

Lake Miami
Bluegill - Fair: Drift small jigs in deeper water to catch suspended fish. Bluegills should start to move shallower as the water cools  Channel Catfish – Fair: Use night crawlers or cut bait. Largemouth Bass- Fair: Try spinnerbaits and rubber worms fished along the dam and around the fishing jetties.

Lake Sugema
Bluegill – Fair: Use small jigs fished along the edge and in openings of the vegetation. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try night crawlers in about 4-6 feet of water. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Use spinnerbaits and crankbaits fished along the fishing jetties and other rocky shorelines. Topwater lures can also be good early and late in the day.

Lake Wapello
Black Crappie- Slow: Look for suspended crappies in 6-8 feet of water. Try drifting or slow trolling in these areas. Crappies will move into shallow water as the water starts to cool. Bluegill- Fair: Use small jigs around the shorelines and the submerged structure. Channel Catfish- Fair: Try night crawlers or cut bait along shorelines in 4-8 feet of water. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use spinnerbaits or crankbaits fished around submerged structures. Try topwater lures in the mornings and evenings. 

Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 904.34 feet msl; recreation pool is 904 feet msl. Lake Rathbun has zebra mussels so make sure to properly drain, clean and dry equipment before transporting to another waterbody. Black Crappie - Good: Try trolling for suspended crappies over rock piles using small crankbaits. Jigging around submerged structure can also be productive. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use cut bait or night crawlers. Walleye - Fair: Troll crankbaits or night crawler rigs over rock piles and near lake depth changes such as the old river channel. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Good: Try minnows and jigs fished over rock piles or trolling crankbaits.

Red Haw Lake
Bluegill - Slow: Try small jigs under a bobber. Channel Catfish – Fair: Use night crawlers around the fishing jetties. Largemouth Bass- Fair: Try crankbaits, plastics or topwater lures in areas along the shorelines and the dam early and late in the day.

Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions about fishing in south central Iowa.

Department of Natural Resources, fishing, lakes, Pen City Current, ponds, southeast iowa

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