Southwest Iowa fishing report: Crappie bites picking up in Viking Lake
In the DNR’s weekly fishing report, bites are increasing all over Southwest Iowa because of warm temperatures.
That includes rappie bites in nearby Viking Lake, especially early in the campground arm and by the pontoons boats.
Banner Lake (south)
Rainbow Trout - Excellent: Trout were stocked on 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 (Stratford to Saylorville Lake)
Walleye - Slow: River flows have dropped, making for better fishing conditions. White bass and walleye are running. Popular areas to target first are the Fraser Dam and Boone Waterworks. Use slow presentations of jigs tipped with twisters, paddle tails, or live minnows.
Des Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock)
Walleye - Slow: River levels have dropped making for better fishing conditions. Walleye fishing has been fairly slow so far this spring. Good areas to target are below the Saylorville spillway and Scott Street Dam. Use slow presentations of jigs tipped with twisters, paddle tails or live minnows. 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.
Boone District Farm Ponds
Black Crappie - Fair: The crappie bite in small urban and farm ponds is picking up. Fish the wind-blown side of the ponds with small tube jigs under a bobber or live minnows under a bobber on sunny days when the air temperature is at least into the 50s.
River and small pond fishing is the best bite right now in Central Iowa as the larger lakes warm up. The pre-spawn crappie bite will pick up with the warm weather. More fishing reports will resume when lake fishing picks up. For information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers, contact Andy Otting or Ben Dodd at 515-432-2823.
Greenfield Lake
Greenfield Lake is a good spot to try some early spring catfishing and crappie fishing. Black Crappie - Fair: Crappies can be caught along the dam and around jetties on warm days during early spring. Fish will average 9 inches. Channel Catfish - No Report: Greenfield is a good lake for early spring catfishing. Cast shad sides or cut bait around jetties to catch fish averaging two pounds.
Meadow Lake
Meadow Lake has a good bluegill and crappie population and is a good spot for early spring fishing. White Crappie - No Report: 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 - No Report: Fish surveys indicate a large year class of black crappie in Meadow Lake. They will average 8.5 inches. Bluegill - No Report: Meadow bluegill will average 8.5 inches.
Mormon Trail Lake
There is a big year class of 9 inch black crappies in Mormon Trail Lake that is expected to provide some good spring fishing. Black Crappie - Fair: Anglers reported catching a few fish along the dam.
Littlefield Lake
Littlefield is a good spot for early spring catfishing action. Channel Catfish - Slow: Anglers are catching catfish in the upper ends of the lake where water warms first. Use cut bait or shad sides.
Lake Anita
Fishing starts early at Lake Anita as crappies and bluegills move into the east arm on the warm sunny days. Black Crappie - Fair: Fish in the pontoon area of the lake with jigs and minnows 2 feet under a bobber. Sorting is necessary for 10 inch fish. Bluegill - Slow: Cast small jigs tipped with power bait to catch bluegills up to 9.5 inches.
Viking Lake
Viking 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 - No Report: 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 Manawa
Anglers are catching crappies in the canals on the north side of the lake on warm sunny days. 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 1
Anglers 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 Ponds
Farm 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.