Outside of some expected rainfall, this weekend may be a great weekend to grab the kids and throw a few lines in. To help with that mission, here is the Iowa DNR Fishing Report for the weekend of 4/14/17.

Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water levels have stabilized. Visit the USGS Current Water Data website for more information. Fish should become more active as water temperatures warm. Walleye - Excellent: Try a jig tipped with a minnow or nightcrawler below dams in the pockets. Channel Catfish - Excellent: Shore anglers are using dead chubs or shad fished under a bobber. Smallmouth Bass - Excellent: Smallmouth bass are taking everything, but prefer a jig tipped with a crawler. Northern Pike - Fair: Pike are being caught while fishing for other species.

Decorah District Streams
All catchable trout streams are stocked; check the proposed stocking schedule. Streams are in excellent condition. Use jigs tipped with twister tails, feathered spinnerbaits, or flashy spoons. Try a nightcrawler to catch a freshly stocked fish. Brook Trout - Good: Use scuds or stonefly imitations for fish not rising to the surface. Brown Trout - Good: Try caddis fly and midge larvae imitations hatching off the water. Nice hatches of blue wing olives and dark hendricksons are occurring on warmer sunny afternoons. Rainbow Trout - Excellent: Fish for rainbow trout in the head end of riffles. Slowly pull a black bead head fly with a light colored scud or midge dropper through the upper and lower ends of pools for trout in deeper water.

Lake Hendricks
Boat anglers are finding fish in deeper water. Please stay off jetties until further notice; County Conservation Board Staff are establishing grassed walkways. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use a nightcrawler on a hook in shallower water on windblown rocky shorelines. Black Crappie – Slow. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try a jerk bait fished slowly over rock piles.

Lake Meyer
Cedar tree piles were recently added to the lake. All docks are in. Channel Catfish - Slow: Try a dead chub or crawler in a rocky windblown shoreline. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Try a jig tipped with a nightcrawler or bright colored plastic tail. Use a slow retrieve in cooler water.

Turkey River (above Clermont)
Water levels are stabilizing and temperatures are in the low 50's. Water clarity is improving.  Smallmouth Bass - Good: Try a jig tipped with a minnow or feathered spinnerbait around a current break.  White Sucker - Excellent: The sucker bite is on. Use a hook tipped with a nightcrawler fished off the bottom.

Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Water levels are stable and temperatures are on the rise. Visit the USGS Current Water Data website for more information. Walleye - Fair: Use a blade bait or bigger crankbait near coldwater tributaries. Brown Trout - Fair: Try spinnerbaits near the mouths of coldwater tributaries. White Sucker - Good: Use a worm with enough weight for it to sit on the bottom. Watch your rod tip. When it bends, set the hook.

Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
Water levels are stable and temperatures are rising. Catch a nice trout near cold water tributaries. The sucker bite is on. Anglers floating are doing better than shore anglers. Walleye - Good: Floating from Iverson access to Highway 76 bridge is good. Try spinnerbaits and jerk baits along rocky shorelines. Smallmouth Bass - Excellent: Use jigs tipped with nightcrawlers or ringworms. Try also bright colored twister tails. White Sucker - Excellent: Use a hook tipped with a nightcrawler fished on the bottom. Northern Pike - Good: Anglers are catching pike around tributary mouths on anything thrown.

Volga Lake
The boat docks are in.  Bluegill - Slow: Use small jigs tipped with waxworm along a sunny shoreline.  Channel Catfish - Fair: Use dead minnows or other dead fish along windblown shores to attract a cruising cat. Largemouth Bass - Good: Use a jerk bait over rocky structure. Give two to three good pulls then let it set. Get ready to hook a nice bass.

Wapsipinicon River (state line to Tripoli)
Popular areas to fish are around North Washington, Frederika, and Independence. Northern Pike - Good: Use spoons or hook tipped with a chub.

Temperatures will be in the mid 60's. Thunderstorms and showers are forecast through Saturday. Enjoy the weekend with family and go fishing. You must get a landowner's permission to fish private property, even if it can be accessed through public property. For current fishing information, please call the Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.


Brinker Lake
There have been reports of some anglers catching crappie on Brinker Lake. Black Crappie - Fair: Drift a minnow under a slip bobber for good crappie action.

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
Walleye - Fair:  Use jig and minnow combinations in eddies or slack water areas off of main flow. Smallmouth Bass - Excellent: Try jig and minnow combinations in rip-rap or rocky shoreline areas. Many anglers will catch smallmouth while fishing for walleye. Channel Catfish - Good: Use dip baits and cut baits fished on the bottom. Northern Pike - Fair: Try bucktail spinners or live bait fished under a bobber.

Manchester District Streams
Trout stockings are under way in the Manchester District area trout streams. Check the proposed stocking calendar.

Maquoketa River (above Monticello)
Walleye - Good: Use jig and minnow combinations in eddies or slack water areas off of main flow. Smallmouth Bass - Good: Try jig and minnow combinations in rip-rap or rocky shoreline areas. Many anglers will catch smallmouth while fishing for walleye.

North Prairie Lake
Rainbow Trout - Fair: Use spinnerbaits or lures that create a "flashy" appearance. Try also a minnow or other trout baits fished under a bobber.

Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
Walleye - Fair: Try jig and minnow combinations in eddies or slack water areas off of main flow. Smallmouth Bass - Excellent: Use jig and minnow combinations in rip-rap or rocky shoreline areas. Many anglers will catch smallmouth while fishing for walleye.

South Prairie Lake
There have been reports of some anglers catching crappie on South Prairie Lake. Black Crappie - Fair: Use a minnow under a bobber or cast small tube jigs retrieved slowly along the edges of weed beds.

Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
Walleye - Fair: Try jig and minnow combinations in eddies or slack water areas off of main flow. Northern Pike - Fair: Cast bucktail spinnerbaits or float a live shiner or chub under a bobber. Smallmouth Bass - Excellent: Use jig and minnow combinations in rip-rap or rocky shoreline areas. Many anglers will catch smallmouth while fishing for walleye.

Angling reports remain good to fair for walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike and channel catfish on the interior rivers. Black Hawk County lakes are providing some crappie also. Heritage Pond in Dubuque County will be stocked with trout on Saturday April, 22nd.  Area trout streams are in excellent condition, contact the N.E. District Office at 563-927-3276 for more information.

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