Southwest Iowa fishing report for 4/26

Don Williams LakeBlack Crappie - Good: Crappies can be found in high numbers in Don Williams this spring. Their sizes are on the smaller end yet, but with selection a decent bag can be caught. They are starting to bite on minnows near large trees that have fallen on shorelines with deep water close to shore. Try also slowly trolling or drifting small twister tails mid-lake. Rock Creek LakeBlack Crappie - Good: Crappie fishing has picked up. Anglers fishing in four to six feet of water with jigs tipped with live minnows or minnows under a bobber are doing well. The jetties around the SE boat ramp are good areas for shore anglers to target first. Hickory Grove LakeBlack Crappie - Fair: A fair to good pre-spawn crappie bite has started. The first area to see a good bite is along the shore at the tubes on the upper end of the lake. Cast bright-colored chartreuse panfish jigs or live minnows under a bobber. Red Rock ReservoirBlack Crappie - Good: Anglers should begin to test the waters at Red Rock for crappies. Numbers of large 11-14 inch crappies are the highest they’ve been in recent years, which should make for excellent spring crappie fishing, if water levels cooperate. Start by fishing minnows near rock and wood in bays off the main lake and Whitebreast arm. Try also drifting or trolling minnows and panfish jigs in these bays prior to the spawn. Banner Lake (south)Rainbow Trout - Excellent: Trout were stocked April 9. Cast small in-line spinners, small tube or twister jigs or live bait such as wax worms or live minnows under a bobber. Des Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock)Channel Catfish - Good: Anglers fishing between Saylorville and Birdland and below Center Street dam in Des Moines have been doing well catching channel catfish slowly retrieving large plastic swim baits or still fishing with dead gizzard shad. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair: Anglers fishing large plastic swim baits for catfish and walleyes below the dams in Des Moines are occasionally hooking into some good-size hybrid striped bass. White Bass - Good: White bass are being caught below the dams in Des Moines casting twister tails and shad imitating plastic swim baits. Pre-spawn crappie fishing has picked up in many Central Iowa lakes. For information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers, contact Andy Otting or Ben Dodd at 515-432-2823. Greenfield LakeGreenfield Lake is a good spot to try early spring catfishing and crappie fishing. Black Crappie - Good: Crappies can be caught along the dam and around jetties on warm days. Fish will average nine inches. Channel Catfish - Slow: Greenfield is a good lake for early spring catfishing. Cast shad sides or cut bait around jetties to catch fish averaging 2 pounds. Meadow LakeMeadow Lake has a good bluegill and crappie populations and is a good spot for early spring fishing. White Crappie - Slow: Meadow has a small population of large white crappie. Fish around the jetties and underwater reefs to catch fish up to 14 inches. Black Crappie - Slow: Fish surveys indicate a large year class of black crappies. They will average 8.5 inches. Bluegill - Slow: Meadow bluegill will average 8.5 inches. Mormon Trail LakeThere is a big year class of nine inch black crappies in Mormon Trail Lake that is expected to provide some good spring fishing. Black Crappie - Good: Anglers reported catching crappies around the jetties and along the dam. Bluegill - Slow: A few eight inch bluegills are being caught. Littlefield LakeLittlefield is a good spot for early spring catfishing action. Channel Catfish - Fair: Anglers are catching catfish in the upper ends of the lake where water warms first. Use cut bait or shad sides. Black Crappie - Fair: A few crappies are being caught with minnows. Fish will average 10 inches. Lake AnitaFishing starts early at Lake Anita, as crappies and bluegills move into the east arm on the warm sunny days. Black Crappie - Good: Fish in the pontoon area of the lake with jigs and minnows two feet under a bobber. Sorting is necessary for 10-inch fish. Bluegill - Fair: Cast small jigs tipped with power bait to catch bluegills up to nine and a half inches. Viking LakeViking Lake has a good channel catfish population and is a good spot to try early spring catfishing. The crappie bite also turns on early in the campground arm and behind the pontoon boats. Channel Catfish - Slow: Cast shad sides around structure to catch early spring catfish. Fish will average two pounds. Black Crappie - Fair: The crappie bite has picked up in the campground arm. Lake ManawaAnglers are catching crappies in the canals on the north side of the lake on warm sunny days. Sorting is necessary for larger fish. White Crappie - Fair: Cast jigs or minnows under a bobber on warm sunny days to catch crappies in the canals. Fish will range in size up to 12 inches. Anderson Area Pond 1Anglers have reported good catches of crappie along the dam on warm sunny days. Black Crappie - Good: Cast jigs two feet under a bobber along the dam or in the upper end by the parking area to catch crappie averaging 10 inches. Cold Springs District Farm PondsFarm ponds warm before lakes and provide good spring fishing. Always get permission before fishing private ponds. Black Crappie - Good: Anglers reported large catches of crappies using jigs and minnows under a bobber. Bluegill - Fair: Cast tear drops or very small jigs with wax worms or power bait under a slip bobber to find early spring bluegills. Channel Catfish - Fair: Cast shad sides or cut bait in the upper ends of ponds. Crappies are moving closer to shore in the southwest district. Concentrate close to rocky shorelines for pre-spawn crappies. For more information, call the Cold Springs District Office at 712-769-2587Lake IcariaBlack Crappie - Fair: Crappies up to 10 inches have been caught using jigs or minnows fished near cedar tree brush piles. Little River Watershed LakeWalleye - Good: Walleye up to 20 inches have been caught on minnows and twister tail jigs fished along the dam and rock fields in the evening. Green Valley LakeLargemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth bass up to 18 inches have been caught using jigs fished near cedar tree brush piles.For more information on fishing in Iowa, go to iowadnr.gov.