Iowa DNR Fishing Report for Week of October 23, 2025

Mark Pitz October 23, 2025Last Updated: October 23, 2025

Click on “View entire message” at the bottom of this email so you can view all fisheries regions and management district reports.

Mississippi River

Bellevue Management District

Contact Person: Dave Bierman – 563-872-5495

Water levels are low and forecast to hold steady; use caution when navigating in off channel areas. Main channel temperatures are in the mid to upper 50s across the district and are steadily dropping. Last updated on 10/22/2025

Pool 12, Mississippi River (Dubuque)

Water Temperature (°F): 54.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Water level is around 5.0 feet at the Dubuque tailwater and holding steady. Water temperatures are steadily dropping. Water clarity is fair. Use caution when navigating in off channel areas.

Black Crappie – Fair: Use a minnow or small plastic on a crappie rig in the tree piles in sloughs and backwater areas. Crappie will move to overwintering areas soon.
Bluegill – Fair: Look for bluegill in backwaters and side channels around brush piles. Use a simple bobber and worm rig. Jigging a worm with a split shot rig can also be effective. Bluegill will move into overwintering areas soon.
Channel Catfish – Good: Use nightcrawlers or blood baits in areas with moderate current and hard bottoms.
Freshwater Drum – Slow: Use a simple nightcrawler rig with a sinker in moderate current areas.
Largemouth Bass – Good: Try spinnerbaits along dying weed edges or crankbaits along rocky structures or edges of dredge cuts in backwater areas. Also try pitching jigs into woody structure.
Northern Pike – Good: Cast spoons, spinnerbaits or inline spinners at the mouth of tributary streams or along dying vegetation edges.
Sauger – Fair: Saugers are biting in the tailwaters of the Lock and Dam. Vertical jig live minnows or twister tails.
Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Cast inline spinners or crankbaits as close as possible to rock piles or shoreline rip-rap.
Walleye – Good: Try wing-dams throughout Pool 12; fishing has improved with stable water levels. Troll crankbaits or crawlers on a three-way rig. Hair jigs have been effective. Anglers are catching some fish in the tailwaters.
White Bass – Fair: Look for feeding schools of white bass in the tailwaters or along rocky shorelines.
Yellow Perch – Status Unsure

Pool 13, Mississippi River (Jackson)

Water Temperature (°F): 56.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Water level is around 4.9 feet at the Bellevue tailwater and holding steady. Water temperatures are steadily dropping. Water clarity is fair. Use caution when navigating in off channel areas.

Black Crappie – Fair: Use a minnow or small plastic on a crappie rig in the tree piles in sloughs and backwater areas. Most crappie will move to overwintering areas soon.
Bluegill – Fair: Look for bluegill in backwaters and side channels around brush piles. Use a simple bobber and worm rig. Jigging a worm with a split shot rig along channel borders can also be effective. Bluegill will move into overwintering areas soon.
Channel Catfish – Good: Use nightcrawlers or blood baits in areas with moderate current and hard bottoms.
Freshwater Drum – Fair: Use a simple nightcrawler rig with a sinker in moderate current areas.
Largemouth Bass – Good: Try spinnerbaits along dying weed edges or crankbaits along rocky structures or edges of dredge cuts in backwater areas. Also try pitching jigs into woody structure.
Northern Pike – Good: Cast spoons, spinnerbaits or inline spinners at the mouth of tributary streams or along dying vegetation edges.
Sauger – Fair: Reports of saugers biting in the tailwaters of the Lock and Dam. Vertical jig live minnows, nightcrawlers or twister tails.
Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Cast inline spinners or crankbaits as close as possible to rock piles or shoreline rip-rap in areas with stronger current.
Walleye – Good: Wing-dam fishing has improved with the stable water levels. Troll crankbaits or crawlers on a three-way rig on the upstream side of wing dams. Anglers are catching fish in the tailwater on jig and minnow rigs.
White Bass – Good: Look for feeding schools of white bass in the tailwaters or along rocky shorelines. Watch for them to start breaking water; cast your rig into the area. Use a small inline spinner or small white jig with a twister tail.
White Crappie – Fair: Use a minnow or small plastic on a crappie rig in the tree piles in sloughs and backwater areas. Expect the bite to pick up as water temperatures continue to fall; most crappie will move into overwintering areas soon.
Yellow Perch – Status Unsure

Pool 14, Mississippi River (Clinton)

Water Temperature (°F): 55.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Water level is around 4.9 feet at Lock and Dam 13 and is forecast to remain fairly steady. Water temperatures are steadily dropping. Water clarity is fair. Use caution when navigating in off channel areas.

Bluegill – Fair: Look for bluegill in backwaters and side channels around brush piles. Use a simple bobber and worm rig. Bluegill will move into overwintering areas soon.
Channel Catfish – Good: Try a nightcrawler or blood bait rig on the upstream side of brush piles/snags along the main channel border or in side channels.
Flathead Catfish – Status Unsure
Freshwater Drum – Fair: Use a simple nightcrawler rig in moderate current areas.
Largemouth Bass – Good: Try spinnerbaits along weed edges or crankbaits along rocky structures or edges of dredge cuts in backwater areas. Find clearer water within vegetation beds, which are dying off. Also try pitching a jig into wood piles and snags.
Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Find smallmouths along rock lines with moderate current; use small crankbaits or spinners.
Walleye – Fair: Wing-dam fishing has improved with stable water levels. Troll crankbaits or crawlers on a three-way rig on the upstream side of wing-dams. Also try a jig and minnow/plastic rig in the tailwater.
White Bass – Fair: Try small inline spinners or small white jigs with twister tails in the tailwaters. Rocky points with current can hold schools of white bass; look for them to start breaking water and cast your rig into the area.
White Crappie – Fair: Look for crappies in the backwaters and side channels around brush piles and snags; use minnows or plastics under a bobber. Crappie will move into overwintering areas soon.

Pool 15, Mississippi River (Scott)

Water Temperature (°F): 59.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Tailwater stage is 4.5 feet at Lock and Dam 14 and is forecast to remain fairly stable. Water temperature has cooled off considerably in the past week; look for the bite to pick up for several different species.

Channel Catfish – Fair: Use a nightcrawler and sinker or dip baits in moderate current areas with hard bottoms.
Freshwater Drum – Fair: Use a simple nightcrawler rig in moderate current areas.
Sauger – Fair: Try a jig and minnow rig or a jig and twister tail in the tailwaters.
Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Try spinners or crankbaits along shoreline rip-rap and lateral rock.
Walleye – Fair: Try a jig and minnow rig or a jig and twister tail in the tailwaters.

Fairport Management District

Contact Person: Andy Fowler – 563-263-5062

Tailwater stages are forecast to stay fairly steady. Main channel water clarity is fair. Water temperature is around 65-67 degrees. River conditions are low; use caution when boating. Last updated on 10/16/2025

Pool 16, Mississippi River (Scott)

Water Temperature (°F): 66.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Tailwater stage is 4.62 feet at Lock and Dam 15 in the Quad Cities and forecast to stay fairly steady. Flood stage is 15 feet.

Bluegill – Status Unsure: Look for bluegills in the backwaters and side channels around brush piles. Fish with pieces of worm under a bobber.
Walleye – Slow: Look for walleyes on the wing-dams. Cast crankbaits, jigs with minnows or plastics or troll crankbaits on the wing-dams. Tailwater fishing for walleyes has been slow; expect fishing to pick up as water temperatures drop.
White Crappie – Status Unsure: Look for crappies in the backwater and side channels around brush piles. Try vertical jigging with minnows/plastics or minnows under a bobber.

Pool 17, Mississippi River (Muscatine)

Water Temperature (°F): 65.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Tailwater stage is 3.5 feet at Lock and Dam 16 in Muscatine and forecast to stay fairly steady. Flood stage is 15 feet.

Bluegill – Status Unsure: Try pieces of worm under a bobber in the backwaters and side channels around brush piles.
Walleye – Status Unsure: Cast jigs and minnows/plastics on the wing-dams. Cast or troll crankaits on the upstream side of the wing-dam. We have not received any reports of tailwater fishing for walleyes. Expect the tailwater bite to improve as water temperatures start to fall.
White Crappie – Good: Use jigs and minnows/plastics or minnows under a bobber in the backwaters and side channels around brush piles. Places to try are Big Timber and Cleveland Slough.

Pool 18, Mississippi River (Louisa)

Water Temperature (°F): 66.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Tailwater stage is 3.93 feet at Lock and Dam 17 at New Boston and forecast to stay fairly steady. Flood stage is 15 feet. The outlet at Odessa has been closed.

Bluegill – Status Unsure: Try pieces of worm under a bobber in the backwaters and side channels around brush piles. Places to try are the Huron Island complex.
Walleye – Slow: Cast jigs and minnows/plastics on the wing-dams. Cast or troll crankaits on the upstream side of the wing-dam. We have not received any reports of tailwater fishing for walleyes. Expect the tailwater bite to improve as water temperatures start to fall.
White Crappie – Status Unsure: Vertical jig with minnows or plastics or fish with minnows under a bobber in the backwaters and side channels around brush piles. Places to try are the Huron Island complex.

Pool 19, Mississippi River (Lee)

Water Temperature (°F): 67.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Tailwater stage is 1.60 feet at Lock and Dam 18 above Burlington and forecast to stay fairly steady. Flood stage is 10 feet.

Bluegill – Status Unsure: Try pieces of worm under a bobber in the backwaters and side channels around brush piles.
Walleye – Status Unsure: Cast jigs and minnows/plastics on the wing-dams. Cast or troll crankaits on the upstream side of the wing-dam. We have not received any reports of tailwater fishing for walleyes. Expect the tailwater bite to improve as water temperatures start to fall.
White Crappie – Status Unsure: Vertical jig with minnows/plastics or minnows under a bobber in the backwaters and side channels around brush piles.

Guttenberg Management District

Contact Person: Karen Osterkamp – 563-252-1156

Water temperatures are cooling to the mid-50s. Water levels remain stable. Fish are feeding to prepare for colder weather and are staging toward their over-wintering areas. Last updated on 10/23/2025

Pool 09, Mississippi River (Allamakee)

Water Temperature (°F): 57.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Water level is 7.9 feet at Lansing and remains stable. Water clarity is slightly stained.

Black Crappie – Good: Fall is one of the best times to catch crappie on the river. Drop small jig and minnow combos into snags in running sloughs near backwater areas.
Bluegill – Good: Look for bluegills near the mouth of backwaters and sloughs. Use a small piece of worm under a bobber.
Channel Catfish – Fair: Catfishing will be shutting down with colder weather. A last bite on stink bait is working for some anglers with reports of nice fish.
Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth will be moving into overwintering areas. Look for fish on woody structures near backwaters.
Northern Pike – Good: Cast blade baits along the receding vegetation beds and on the edge of openings to backwater lakes where pike lay waiting for bait fish.
Sauger – Good: Sauger bite should improve in tailwaters as colder weather moves in.
Smallmouth Bass – Good: Good fall feed is on. Look for bass on rocky shorelines and near wing-dams.
Walleye – Fair: Walleye fishing is starting to pick up at the dams. Try vertical jigging with a minnow. A crankbait or crawler on a three-way rigs on closing dams down river are still successful.

Pool 10, Mississippi River (Clayton)

Water Temperature (°F): 57.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Water level is 613.2 feet at the Lynxville Dam and expected to remain stable. Water clarity is slightly stained.

Black Crappie – Good: Fall is one of the best times to catch crappie on the river. Drop small jig and minnow combos into snags in running sloughs near backwater areas.
Bluegill – Good: Look for bluegills near the mouth of backwaters and sloughs. Use a small piece of worm under a bobber.
Channel Catfish – Fair: Catfishing will be shutting down with colder weather. A last bite on stink bait is working for some anglers with reports of nice fish.
Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth will be moving into overwintering areas. Look for fish on woody structures near backwaters.
Northern Pike – Fair: Cast blade baits along the receding vegetation beds and on the edge of openings to backwater lakes where pike lay waiting for bait fish.
Sauger – Fair: Sauger bite should improve in tailwaters as colder weather moves in.
Smallmouth Bass – Good: Good fall feed is on. Look for bass on rocky shorelines and near wing-dams.
Walleye – Fair: Walleye fishing is starting to pick up at the dams. Try vertical jigging with a minnow. A crankbait or crawler on a three-way rigs on closing dams down river are still successful.

Pool 11, Mississippi River (Clayton)

Water Temperature (°F): 57.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Water level is 5.0 at Lock and Dam 10 at Guttenberg and expected to remain stable. Water clarity is slightly stained.

Black Crappie – Good: Fall is one of the best times to catch crappie on the river. Drop small jig and minnow combos into snags in running sloughs near backwater areas.
Bluegill – Good: Look for bluegills near the mouth of backwaters and sloughs. Use a small piece of worm under a bobber.
Channel Catfish – Fair: Catfishing will be shutting down with colder weather. A last bite on stink bait is working for some anglers with reports of nice fish.
Largemouth Bass – Good: Largemouth will be moving into overwintering areas. Look for fish on woody structures near backwaters.
Northern Pike – Fair: Cast blade baits along the receding vegetation beds and on the edge of openings to backwater lakes where pike lay waiting for bait fish.
Sauger – Fair: Sauger bite should improve in tailwaters as colder weather moves in.
Smallmouth Bass – Good: Good fall feed is on. Look for bass on rocky shorelines and near wing-dams.
Walleye – Fair: Walleye fishing is starting to pick up at the dams. Try vertical jigging with a minnow. A crankbait or crawler on a three-way rigs on closing dams down river are still successful.

Northeast

Decorah Management District

Contact Person: Caleb Schnitzler – 563-382-8324

Weekend temperatures in the 50s to 40s at night with a chance of showers through Saturday. Water levels on many area rivers and streams are normal for this time of year. Water clarity is excellent. Last updated on 10/23/2025

Cedar River (above Nashua) (Floyd)

Water Temperature (°F): 55.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Water levels are stable with good to excellent clarity. Try fishing overcast days and at dawn or dusk.

Smallmouth Bass – Good: Use crank baits or jigs tipped with plastic tails in back eddies or off channel areas.
Walleye – Good: Find walleye in deeper holes; use jigs tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers.

Lake Hendricks (Howard)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Water clarity is improving as water temperatures fall.

Black Crappie – Slow: Try a small minnow fished about a foot from the bottom under a bobber or a small bladed lure slowly retrieved.
Bluegill – Slow: Many shoreline anglers are finding success. Use a small piece of worm on a hook under a bobber.
Channel Catfish – Slow: Find catfish near woody debris. Use a hook tipped with a full worm near the bottom.

Lake Meyer (Winneshiek)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Water clarity is improving with about 3 feet visibility.

Bluegill – Fair: Use a jig tipped with small piece of worm or waxworm under a bobber in about 6 feet of water or shallower.

Trout Run (Winneshiek) (Winneshiek)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Trout stocking continues in all streams through the end of October though specific dates are not announced. Many trout streams are in wildlife management areas where hunting seasons are now. Anglers may notice increased activity on these lands. Dress appropriately for safety. Please respect all users of these shared natural resources.

Brook Trout – Fair: Hatches of mayflies and midges are common on warm, sunny afternoons. Use flies imitating small minnows on pre-spawn brookies looking to bulk up. Avoid walking in clear gravelly spots; these are trout nests or redds.
Brown Trout – Good: Brown trout are building nests or redds in the stream bottom. Walk around these clean, gravelly spots. They might be a bit finicky during the spawn. Be ready for a challenge. Don’t be afraid to try something different if one approach isn’t working,.
Rainbow Trout – Excellent: Freshly stocked fish await you. Use spinner baits, hair jigs, or hooks tipped with a small piece of worm, bread, or cheese floated through deeper holes.

Upper Iowa River (above Decorah) (Winneshiek)

Water Temperature (°F): 55.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Water levels are stable with excellent clarity. Try fishing overcast days or at dawn and dusk due to clear water.

Smallmouth Bass – Good: Use jigs tipped with a worm or plastic tails near rocky outcroppings or ledges.
Walleye – Fair: Try using a crank or spinner bait through a deeper hole.

Volga Lake (Fayette)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Water clarity is improving with cooler temperatures. Try fishing along rocky shoreline.

Black Crappie – Fair: Use a tube jig tipped with a minnow under a bobber. Find submersed trees to fish around.
Bluegill – Fair: A small piece of worm or waxworm on a small jig works well.
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use a crankbait or spinner bait with a slow retrieve along a sharp depth contour.

Manchester Management District

Contact Person: Dan Kirby – 563-927-3276

Most interior rivers are providing fair to good walleye and smallmouth bass fishing. Lakes in and around Cedar Falls/Waterloo have been slow for panfish; focus your efforts in deeper water near structure as water temperatures cool quickly. Contact your local bait shops for the most recent hot spots. Last updated on 10/23/2025

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City) (Black Hawk)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Smallmouth Bass – Good
Walleye – Good

Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock) (Butler)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Smallmouth Bass – Good
Walleye – Good

Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills) (Buchanan)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Smallmouth Bass – Good: Cast crankbaits or a jig tipped with a nightcrawler or float a nightcrawler under a slip bobber.
Walleye – Good: Use live or artificial baits; fish are very susceptible with low river levels.

Northwest

Black Hawk Management District

Contact Person: Ben Wallace – 712-657-2638

Water temperatures have dropped into the low 50s. Last updated on 10/23/2025

Black Hawk Lake (Sac)

Water Temperature (°F): 53.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Boat ramp courtesy docks are still in.

Black Bullhead – Fair: Use nightcrawlers fished on or near bottom from shore. Most bullheads are 10- to 12-inches.
Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers have had some luck from the fish house in Town Bay and near the stone piers. Most fish are smaller; a few keepers are being picked up.
Channel Catfish – Fair
Walleye – Fair: Anglers are starting to pick up more walleye from shore.

North Twin Lake (Calhoun)

Water Temperature (°F): 53.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Black Bullhead – Fair: Use a piece of crawler fished on the bottom near shore. Most fish are 11-inches.
Yellow Bass – Fair: Use a piece of crawler on a small hook or a jig under a bobber near shore. Catch bass up to 8-inches.

Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake) (Buena Vista)

Water Temperature (°F): 52.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Channel Catfish – Fair: Try crawlers or cut bait on the bottom fished from shore in 2-8 feet of water.
Walleye – Slow: Shore fishing action will likely pick up as water temperature drops.
White Bass – Fair
Yellow Perch – Fair: Keepers are in the 9-inch range.

Swan Lake (Carroll)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Black Crappie – Fair
Bluegill – Slow: Fish are 7- 8 inches.

Clear Lake Management District

Contact Person: Scott Grummer – 641-357-3517

For additional information, contact Clear Lake Fisheries Office. Last updated on 10/23/2025

Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo)

Water Temperature (°F): 50.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Lake level is 1.5 inches below crest.

Walleye – Fair: Use crankbaits and live bait rigs near vegetation.
White Bass – Fair: Use your electronics to find the fish.
Yellow Bass – Fair: Try small jigs tipped with with a piece of crawler or cut bait in areas with submerged vegetation.

Crystal Lake (Hancock)

Ramp Condition: Useable

The courtesy dock at the boat ramp has been removed.

Black Crappie – Fair: Drift fish or troll small jigs or live bait in 8-12 feet of water.
Bluegill – Fair

Rice Lake (Winnebago)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Any water west of the north boat ramp is a waterfowl refuge and is closed to all activities from September 1st through the final day of the duck season.

Bluegill – Good

Yellow Perch – Fair: Try a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler fished in 3-6 feet of water.

Silver Lake (Worth) (Worth)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Bluegill – Fair: Use a small jig tipped with a piece of crawler near submerged vegetation.
Yellow Perch – Fair

Winnebago River (Cerro Gordo)

Ramp Condition: Useable

River level is 5 feet.

Smallmouth Bass – Fair

Spirit Lake Management District

Contact Person: Jed Siegwarth – 712-330-2542

Water temperatures are dropping with consistent cooler weather; most areas are in the low 60s and upper 50s. Fishing is picking up for many species. Fish are moving shallower as the weed line dies back. Docks and hoists have started to be pulled from the lake. All boat ramps are still open for use. Last updated on 10/23/2025

East Okoboji Lake (Dickinson)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Water temperature is in the low 60s. Anglers are catching many panfish species.

Black Crappie – Fair
Bluegill – Good
Yellow Bass – Good
Yellow Perch – Fair: Many fish have been observed; sorting will most likely be needed.

Ingham Lake (Emmet)

Ramp Condition: Useable

The lake is clearing up for the fall.

Walleye – Fair: Best bite is morning and afternoon.

Silver Lake (Dickinson) (Dickinson)

Water Temperature (°F): 60.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

The lake has started to clear up with the cooler weather.

Spirit Lake (Dickinson)

Ramp Condition: Useable

The walleye, crappie and perch bite is picking up.

Black Crappie – Excellent: Anglers are catching crappie on jigs with minnows or plastics in 8-12 feet of water.
Bluegill – Fair
Muskellunge – Good
Walleye – Good: Anglers are using crawlers and following weed lines.
Yellow Perch – Good: Sorting is needed; anglers are finding many acceptable-size fish.

West Okoboji Lake (Dickinson)

Water Temperature (°F): 62.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Black Crappie – Fair
Bluegill – Good
Largemouth Bass – Fair

Southeast

Lake Darling Management District

Contact Person: Vance Polton – 319-694-2430

For more information on these lakes and rivers call the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at (319) 694-2430. Last updated on 10/16/2025

Big Hollow Lake (Des Moines)

Water Temperature (°F): 68.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Water clarity remains very good; still plenty of duckweed on the lake.

Black Crappie – Fair: A few crappie are starting to move into shallower water, especially on the north side. Look for them along the edges of the weed beds and around the edges of the islands and off the ends of the jetties.

East Lake Park Pond (Henry)

Water Temperature (°F): 65.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

The fall community trout stocking at East Lake Park Pond (Mount Pleasant) and associated fishing events are postponed until Nov. 14 due to warm water temperatures. The East Lake fishing event is planned for Nov. 14 at 10 a.m.

Rainbow Trout – Status Unsure: The fall community trout stocking scheduled for the Saturday, Oct. 25 has been moved to Nov. 14 at 10 a.m. due to warm water temperatures in the mid-60s.

Iowa River (Columbus Junction to Mississippi R) (Louisa)

Water Temperature (°F): 62.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

A lot of sandbars are showing as river levels continue to drop. Boating with anything with out a shallow drive/jet drive or a paddle is will be difficult.

Channel Catfish – Good: Catfishing is picking back up for the shoreline anglers. Try minnows or nightcrawlers along the rocky banks. They are starting to fatten up for the winter migration.
White Bass – Fair: Anglers are picking up some white bass below Wapello using nightcrawlers.

Lake Belva Deer (Keokuk)

Water Temperature (°F): 64.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

The water continues to have a green tint from the phytoplankton; expect that to clear up as the water continues to cool.

Black Crappie – Fair: Crappie fishing continues to slowly improve. Most crappies remain out in 10 to 12 feet deep habitat; some have finally started to move in shallow. Look for them off the ends of the jetties and points sticking out into the lake.

Lake Darling (Washington)

Water Temperature (°F): 62.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

The water continues to cool down slowly. The fall turnover has given the water a green tint (phytoplankton) from top to bottom. Water is clear other than the dispersed phytoplankton green.

Black Crappie – Fair: More 9- to 10-inch crappies are moving into shallower water, especially around the tree falls and docks. Cast small jigs parallel to structures and retrieve slowly back to shore.
Bluegill – Fair: Bluegill fishing Has picked up a little despite the high winds of the last few days. Bluegills are moving into the rock piles closer to shore. The tops of the rock piles are about 4 feet down. Try a worm and bobber or a small jig tipped with a piece of worm over the top of the rock piles.
Largemouth Bass – Fair: More bass are working their way into the shallow water around the tree falls and rock piles in 4 to 5 feet of water.

Lake Geode (Henry)

Water Temperature (°F): 70.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

The fall turnover thoroughly mixed the lake water. The water isn’t as green as it had been, but it is green from top to bottom now. That will clear also as the lake water continues to cool and the phytoplankton dies.

Black Crappie – Fair: Crappies are starting to move into shallower water to feed up for the fall. Look for them along the edges of the water willow beds and tree falls. Small jigs cast parallel to these should earn you some bites.

Lake of the Hills (Scott)

Water Temperature (°F): 58.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

The water continues to cool very slowly; still hitting about 60 degrees in the afternoons.

Bluegill – Fair: Bluegills are still a little small, only having been first stocked a little over three years ago. There are increasing numbers of 7- to 8-inch fish.
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Look for bass on the ends of the brush piles and trees sticking out from the edges of the coontail weed beds. Jigs pitched back into this structure should get you some bites.
Rainbow Trout – Status Unsure: The fall community trout stocking scheduled for this Saturday, Oct. 25 has been postponed until Nov. 14 at noon due to the warm water temperatures (in the low 60s).

Lost Grove Lake (Scott)

Water Temperature (°F): 60.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Water clarity is around 4 feet. Look for the water temperature to rise during the next couple of days. Eurasian Watermilfoil has returned to the lake. Please make sure to clean off your boat and trailer before leaving.

Black Crappie – Fair: Most crappie continue to hold tight to woody habitat in deeper water; a few are starting to move into the shallower 8 to 10 feet deep habitat, and a few even a little shallower. As the water continues to slowly cool, try a small jig over the top of the cedar trees in front of the fishing piers.
Bluegill – Fair: Bigger bluegills are holding firm to their habitat spots in 6-7 feet of water as the water temperature rollercoaster ride continues. Expect them to start feeding actively again if water temperatures stablilize. Angler reports received Friday that there is a batch of bigger bluegills also holding tight to the bottom in 16 to 25 feet of water along the flooded trees.
Largemouth Bass – Fair: More bigger bass are slowly moving into shallower water. Work the edges of the weed beds with crankbaits; slow down your retrieval, especially in the morning.

Railroad Lake (Scott)

Water Temperature (°F): 61.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Water clarity is good at about 30 inches.

Largemouth Bass – Fair: Look for bass in the outer edges of the weedbeds in 5-6 feet of water where they are hunting bluegills and out in the tree piles sticking out of the water in the middle of the lake. Use crankbaits along the weedbeds and jigs out amongst the trees.

Skunk River (Rose Hill to Coppock) (Washington)

Water Temperature (°F): 60.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

The bases of the old bridge abutments at Coppock are well above the top of the water . There is still a fairly good current going down the river; should be more than enough to help the fish on their way to their overwintering spots in the next week or two.

Channel Catfish – Good: Catfish are starting to feed a little more heavily as they get ready to migrate to their overwintering spots. Minnows and nightcrawlers work best.

Wilson Lake (Lee)

Water Temperature (°F): 67.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

The fall community trout stocking scheduled for this Saturday, Oct. 25 has been rescheduled for Nov. 14 at noon due to continued warm water temperatures in the upper 60s.

Rainbow Trout – Status Unsure: The fall community trout stocking scheduled for this Saturday, Oct. 25 has been rescheduled for Nov. 14 at noon due to continued warm water temperatures in the upper 60s.

Macbride Management District

Contact Person: D. J. Vogeler or Chris Mack – 319-624-3615

Water temperatues in the district are cooling to below 60 degrees. Last updated on 10/22/2025

Cedar River (La Porte City to Cedar Rapids) (Linn)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Channel Catfish – Slow
Smallmouth Bass – Fair
Walleye – Fair

Central Park Lake (Jones)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Bluegill – Fair
Largemouth Bass – Fair

Coralville Reservoir (Johnson)

Water Temperature (°F): 60.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Black Crappie – Fair: Try fishing in brush piles and along rock ledges.
Channel Catfish – Slow
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try fishing in brush piles and rocks.
Spotted bass – Fair: Try fishing in brush piles and rocks.
Walleye – Slow
White Crappie – Fair

Ewalt Pond (Johnson)

Ramp Condition: Not applicable

Largemouth Bass – Fair

Iowa Lake (Iowa Co.) (Iowa)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Black Crappie – Fair
Bluegill – Fair
Channel Catfish – Slow
Largemouth Bass – Fair

Iowa River (Coralville Lake to River Junction) (Johnson)

Water Temperature (°F): 60.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Channel Catfish – Fair
Sauger – Slow
Saugeye – Slow
Walleye – Slow
White Bass – Slow
Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Slow

Iowa River (Marshalltown to Coralville Lake) (Iowa)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Channel Catfish – Slow

Lake Macbride (Johnson)

Water Temperature (°F): 60.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Largemouth Bass – Fair
Spotted bass – Fair
Walleye – Slow: Try fishing along wind-blown points and rock areas after sunset.
White Crappie – Fair: Try fishing in brush piles located in less than 12 feet of water.
Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Slow

North Ridge Park Pond (Johnson)

Ramp Condition: Not applicable

Bluegill – Fair
Largemouth Bass – Fair

Pleasant Creek Lake (Linn)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Walleye – Fair: Try fishing along wind-blown shorelines after sunset.
Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Slow: Fish have been scattered.

Union Grove Lake (Tama)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Bluegill – Fair
Largemouth Bass – Fair
Walleye – Slow

Wapsipinicon River (Troy Mills to Oxford Junction) (Jones)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Channel Catfish – Slow
Northern Pike – Slow: Anglers are catching a few pike while fishing for smallmouth and walleye.
Smallmouth Bass – Good
Walleye – Fair

Rathbun Management District

Contact Person: Rathbun Fish Hatchery personnel – 641-647-2406

Hawthorn Lake (Mahaska)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Black Crappie – Slow: Try small jigs around the submerged structure and around the jetties.
Bluegill – Fair: Use small jigs along the shorelines and in openings in the vegetation.
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try plastics around the jetties and along the face of the dam.

Lake Keomah (Mahaska)

Ramp Condition: Closed

Lake Keomah is drained for a lake restoration project. Please stay out of the lakebed.

Lake Miami (Monroe)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Black Crappie – Slow: Try small jigs along the face of the dam and around the docks.
Bluegill – Slow: Use small jigs around the cedar trees piles or along the shoreline.
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Target areas of the lake with rip-rap such as the jetties and along the face of the dam.

Lake Sugema (Van Buren)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Black Crappie – Fair: Try jig and minnow combos. Look for suspended fish in 6-8 feet of water. Crappies should start to move shallow as the water cools.
Bluegill – Fair: Use small jigs in the open areas around the vegetation.
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Try plastics around the fishing jetties and along any rip-rapped shoreline.

Lake Wapello (Davis)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Black Crappie – Fair: Use jigs around the cedar tree piles or target suspended fish in 6-8 feet of water.
Bluegill – Fair: Look for bluegills around structure; use small jigs.
Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use spinnerbaits and plastics around the cedar tree piles.

Rathbun Reservoir (Appanoose)

Water Temperature (°F): 63.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Lake level is 904.79 msl; recreation pool is 904 msl. Lake Rathbun contains zebra mussels; clean, drain and dry your boat before going to another water body.

Black Crappie – Slow: Target brush piles and other underwater areas with structure.
Channel Catfish – Fair: Try chicken liver or cut bait.
Walleye – Slow: Use crankbaits around rock piles and the old river channel.
Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair: Try vertically jigging over rock piles or trolling crankbaits.

Red Haw Lake (Lucas)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Black Crappie – Fair: Try small jigs along the shoreline and around the jetties.
Bluegill – Fair: Use small jigs around the shallows and on the edge of the lily pads.
Channel Catfish – Fair: Use nightcrawlers along rocky shorelines and fishing jetties.
Largemouth Bass – Good: Try spinners or plastics along shore and the edge of the lily pads.

Southwest

Boone Management District

Contact Person: Andy Otting – 515-204-5885

October is good time to catch crappies in Central Iowa’s lakes and large reservoirs and walleye in the rivers. Last updated on 10/15/2025

Big Creek Lake (Polk)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Walleye – Fair: Try jigging or trolling nightcrawlers or shad imitating plastics off jetties and around points and humps deeper during the day at depths of 8 to 15 feet and shallower in the evenings at 3 to 10 feet deep.
White Crappie – Good: Try small panfish plastics or live minnows suspended above sunken cedar trees. Use the same baits in the evenings just before dark on the rock jetties to catch crappies feeding shallow.

Des Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock) (Marion)

Ramp Condition: Useable

Walleye – Good: Catch walleyes below the dams and in deeper water with slow current near rip-rap or wood. Cast 1/8 to 1/2 ounce jigs tipped with minnows, twister tails or swim baits that imitate small shad or shiners.

Des Moines River (Stratford to Saylorville Lake) (Polk)

Ramp Condition: Useable

The boat ramp at Ledges State Park will be closed beginning Monday, Oct. 27 for repairs.

Walleye – Good: Catch walleye through the fall jigging 1/16 to 1/4 ounce jigs with twister tails, swim baits or live minnows on current seams in depths greater than 5 feet. Look for deep outside bends, and where ravines have deposited large amounts of cobble into the river channel.

Red Rock Reservoir (Marion)

Ramp Condition: Useable

White Crappie – Fair: Try slowly trolling panfish plastics in coves off the main lake or still fishing over artificial structure. Find a map of the structures on the Army Corps of Engineer’s Lake Red Rock Homepage under Fishing Information.

Cold Springs Management District

Contact Person: Mark Boucher or John Lorenzen – 712-769-2587

Big Lake (Including Gilbert’s Pond) (Pottawattamie)

Water Temperature (°F): 60.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Rainbow trout will be stocked on Oct. 29 at 3 p.m.

Farm Creek Lake (a.k.a. Young’s Pond) (Pottawattamie)

Water Temperature (°F): 59.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Largemouth Bass – Fair

Greenfield Lake (Adair)

Water Temperature (°F): 59.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Black Crappie – Good: Sorting is needed for larger fish.
Largemouth Bass – Good

Lake Anita (Cass)

Water Temperature (°F): 57.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Bluegill – Fair: Catch bluegills around the roadbeds and deep tree piles.
Largemouth Bass – Fair

Prairie Rose Lake (Shelby)

Water Temperature (°F): 64.0
Ramp Condition: Useable

Alum is being applied to the lake this week. Boat ramps are available for the public.

Black Crappie – Status Unsure: Target the tree piles to catch 10-inch black crappie.
Bluegill – Slow: Anglers report nightcrawlers are the best bait to catch bluegill right now.
Largemouth Bass – Good

Riepe Pond (Pottawattamie)