NORTHWEST IOWA

Many lakes in northwest Iowa have deteriorating ice conditions and others have little fishing activity. Channel catfish should start biting any day as soon as the ice goes out.

Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo): The ice has started to deteriorate, especially around the aeration systems and north shore. A slow presentation, using a jig and minnow, will provide some early season walleye action.

For more information on fishing in northwest Iowa, call the regional office in Spirit Lake at (712) 336-1840.

NORTHEAST IOWA

Mississippi River Pools 9 to 15: River levels in Dubuque are 10.68, Bellevue are 9.3 and Camanche are 12.07 feet and rising. River levels are forecast to continue to rise for the next six days. Water temperature is in the low 40s. Most of the ice is out; however, there are some patches of poor ice still on some of the backwater areas.

Walleye and sauger fishing has been good in the tailwaters of the dams in Pools 9-15, on jigs tipped with a minnow or three-way rigs with floaters. Anglers are also catching walleye and sauger using small crankbaits and plain minnows. If the tailwater areas are too crowded, good numbers of walleyes are also being caught along the wing dams.

Some crappies are being taken in the backwater areas and sloughs. Use small jigs or just a bare hook baited with a minnow and fish around snags for crappies in Pools 9-15.

Yellow perch are biting along the edges of the channels in Pools 10 and 11. Use small jigs and wax worms or small minnows.

Paddlefish snagging from boats has been good in Bellevue (Pool 13) and Clinton (Pool 14). Use a fish finder to locate schooled fish and then hold on. Fifty to 60-pound fish are not uncommon, but most paddlefish run around 25 pounds or less.

Ice conditions: Ice remains on many lakes and backwater areas in northeast Iowa; however, the ice is of very poor quality. Anglers are encouraged to stay off of the ice.

Cedar River (Mitchell, Floyd, Chickasaw, Bremer and Black Hawk): Some anglers are catching channel catfish. Before the last heavy rain, walleye fishing was excellent around the dams with jigs and minnows, or jigs tipped with a night crawler. Quite a few northern pike were biting on minnows. Water levels and clarity should continue to improve this weekend and fishing is expected to be good.

Turkey River (Fayette and Clayton): Water levels and clarity should be good this weekend. Try using jigs tipped with live bait fished in deeper holes to catch larger walleye.

Upper Iowa River (Winneshiek and Allamakee): Walleye fishing was excellent prior to the last rain event. The river looks to clear up this weekend and walleye should respond with a good bite. Try using jigs tipped with light-colored twister tails. After casting your jigs, give the tip of the rod a couple of jerks during the retrieval along with a slight, one second pause.

Wapsipinicon River (Buchanan): Walleye fishing was very good prior to the recent rains. As the river conditions improve, walleyes will start biting again. Northern pike are fair to good on spoons and chubs.

Hendricks Lake (Howard), Lake Meyer (Winneshiek) and Volga Lake (Fayette): Ice conditions are extremely poor. These lakes are starting to open up; however, fishing is expected to stay slow this coming week.

North Prairie Lake (Black Hawk): Fishing is excellent for rainbow trout. North Prairie will receive the last plant of trout on April 5; however, anglers are still having good success fishing for trout which were planted earlier in the winter.

Trout stocking had a bumpy start this year. Snow and ice conditions have made road and stream access difficult in some areas; however, overall streams conditions are very good. Mayflies and gnats are getting off excellent hatches and this surface activity has the trout hammering dry flies.

Anglers are encouraged to call the trout stocking recording at (563) 927-3276 if they have a question about whether their favorite stream has been stocked. The stocking calendars can be printed off the DNR's website by going to www.iowadnr.gov and following the menus through the fish and fishing pages.

For information on fishing in northeast Iowa, call the regional office in Manchester at (563) 927-3276.