Fishing Report for Weekend of 10/28

Here is your DNR Fishing Report for the weekend of 10/28.

Cedar River (above Nashua)
Cedar River water levels are rising. Clarity is poor. Visit http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ia/nwis/rt for information on water levels. Walleye - No Report: With this cold snap, fish are actively looking for prey fish. Use a jighead tipped with nightcrawler or minnow. Channel Catfish - Fair: A few anglers are using stink bait, but try a frog or cut bait for good results. Northern Pike - No Report: Crankbaits are working, but try using a dead chub fished under a bobber. Black Crappie - Slow: Use a jig tipped with a minnow in the off current areas or along brushy edges.

Decorah District Streams
Trout streams should be fishable by the weekend. It is hunting season; be courteous to other recreational users. All catchable stockings are unannounced through October. All streams continue to be stocked. There have been good hatches of small mayflies and caddis flies midday.  Brook Trout - Good: Use flies or lures that look like sculpins or suckers in flood ravaged streams where there is no aquatic vegetation. Brown Trout - Good: Brown Trout are beginning their pre-spawn activities. Anglers should start to see small indentations in the stream bottom called redds. Try not to step in these areas. Rainbow Trout - Good: Find rainbow trout hiding in the upper and lower ends of pools. Dance a meaty looking fly or lure in these areas and wait.

Lake Hendricks
The restrooms are closed and the water has been turned off for the year. Anglers and boaters are welcome. A fishing jetty project will begin soon. Fish are becoming more aggressive as water begins to cool down. Fish when the sun is overhead for best luck. Bluegill - Good: Use a small jig tipped with a wax worm fished under a slip bobber about 2 feet off the bottom. Largemouth Bass – Fair. Black Crappie – Fair.

Lake Meyer
The lake is in good condition and anglers are catching fish. The dock will be in through this weekend. Look for fish in the shallow bays in the afternoons and evenings. Bluegill - Good: Tip a small jig with a wax worm then cast out and slowly reel in. Anglers are catching a variety of sizes including some 9 inchers. Largemouth Bass – Fair. Black Crappie – Fair.

Turkey River (above Clermont)
Water levels on the Turkey River have gone up about 3 feet and are slowly rising. Clarity is poor. Canoe accesses faired pretty well with the flooding that occurred late August and September. Smallmouth Bass - No Report: Use rubber skirted jigs. Black Crappie - No Report: Try fishing along the brushy edges for best luck.

Turkey River (below Clermont)
Water levels are rising and clarity is poor. Visit http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ia/nwis/rt for information on water levels.  Smallmouth Bass - No Report. Walleye - No Report.

Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Water levels are rising and clarity is poor. Visit http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ia/nwis/rt for information on water levels. Smallmouth Bass - No Report: Use a jig tipped with a nightcrawler. Walleye - No Report: Walleye are becoming more aggressive and are hitting live baits well.

Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
Water levels are on the rise and clarity is poor. Walleye - No Report: Anglers bank fishing and floating were having success using a jig tipped with a nightcrawler or plastic twister tail. Fish are starting to move into their winter holes. Smallmouth Bass - No Report: Try a jig tipped with a nightcrawler.

Volga Lake
Water clarity is good. Try along the rocky shoreline in the afternoon and evenings.  Bluegill – Good. Largemouth Bass – Fair.

After Wednesday night’s rainfall event, many streams are off color and flows are up. Most streams should clear and flows should level off by the weekend. Temperature highs will be in the 50's during the day to low 40's at night. For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.

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

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
The Cedar River has been producing catches of 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: Cast crankbaits or fish a jig twister tipped with a minnow. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Cast crankbaits or fish a jig tipped with a nightcrawler. Black Crappie - Good: Try fishing a crappie minnow under a slip bobber near structure or cast and retrieve tube jigs.

Heritage Pond
Heritage Pond located in Dubuque County will be stocked with trout this Saturday, October 29th. In conjunction with this stocking, Dubuque County Conservation Board will host a family event. The forecast for Saturday looks beautiful, bring the entire family. Rainbow Trout - Good: Cast and retrieve flashy spinner baits.

Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
The Maquoketa River is in good condition. The watershed received a few inches of rainfall Tuesday evening, but should not greatly impact angling. Walleye and smallmouth bass fishing has been good. Walleye - Good: Cast crankbaits or fish a jig/twister tipped with a minnow. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Cast crankbaits or fish a jig/twister tipped with a minnow.

Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
The Shell Rock River is in excellent condition; walleye fishing has been fantastic. Walleye - Good: Cast crankbaits or fish a jig twister tipped with a minnow. 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 night crawler a couple feet under the surface with a bobber or small 1/16 ounce hair jigs. Bluegill here to tend to run in the 6-7 inch size range. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Cast crankbaits, spinner baits or top water baits. Northern Pike - Fair: Troll or cast spoons along weed edges.

Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
There have been reports of anglers catching walleye, smallmouth bass and northern pike on the Wapsipinicon River in Bremer and Buchanan Counties. Walleye - Good: Cast crankbaits or fish a jig tipped with a nightcrawler. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Cast crankbaits or fish a jig tipped with a nightcrawler. Northern Pike - Good: Cast spinner baits near woody structure for these elusive pike.

Interior river levels are in excellent condition. Anglers are reporting good to excellent catches of walleye and smallmouth bass once again on the interior rivers. Recent surveys on the Wapsipinicon River in Buchanan County have found good numbers of quality size northern pike. Heritage Pond in Dubuque will be stocked with trout this coming Saturday, October 29th. Trout streams remain in excellent in the Manchester District. For further information, call the N.E. District Office at 563-927-3276.