By the Iowa DNR

These are the area fishing reports for April 16, 2020

Clear Lake
The water temperature is in the low forties. Channel Catfish – Good: Use chicken liver or cut bait fished on the bottom where water is following into the lake. Walleye – Good: Pitch a jig and minnow in 3 to 6 feet of water along the east shore and around the island. Fish are biting throughout the day, but the best bite is late afternoon. Yellow Bass – Fair: Yellow bass are being caught from the jetties. Boat anglers should try fishing the edge of the vegetation on the north shore.Yellow Perch – Slow: Yellow perch are being caught from the jetties. Black Crappie – Slow.

Cedar River (above Nashua)
Water levels are stabilizing with improving clarity. Walleye – Good: Anglers are finding good numbers of fish below dams and along current breaks. A variety of lures and baits are working. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Use dead chubs and worms fished on the bottom.

Decorah District Streams
All streams are being stocked. All trout stream stockings are unannounced due to COVID-19 precautions. Hatchery grounds are open to the public, but feeders and other conveniences are temporarily closed for prevention precautions. Hatchery visitors must be mindful of one another’s safety and keep at least 6 feet of distance between you and others. Currently, DNR wildlife management areas are open to normal recreational uses. Brook Trout – Good: When fishing private property open to angling, leave that property as was or better by picking up trash. Close gates if you opened them; be considerate. Brown Trout – Good: Blue-winged olive and caddisfly hatches are good to excellent. An excellent time to fish for browns is when the water gets cloudy. Use hair jigs or spinners for aggressive fish. Rainbow Trout – Excellent: Stocked fish and hold-overs are biting well. Use a worm or cheese floated through a pool under a bobber. Use an ultra-light pole and reel for fun action.

Lake Hendricks
Hit and miss fish activity. Water temperatures are in the upper 40’s. Black Crappie – Good: Find crappie suspended over brush piles or submersed structure. Use a minnow and drift over structure. Bluegill – Good: Try a small piece of nightcrawler or waxworm under a bobber. Channel Catfish – Fair: Fish the windrow shoreline with a dead chub or minnow or worm on the bottom. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use a crankbait or jerk bait over structure.

Lake Meyer
Water temperatures are in the low 50’s. Turnover is occurring, so the water looks scummy. Black Crappie – Fair: Use a minnow fished over brush piles. Bluegill – Fair: Try a small piece of worm or waxworm fished under a bobber along a sunny shoreline. Northern Pike – Slow: Find pike in the shallows spawning. Use a spoon with a steel leader to prevent line cuts. Largemouth Bass – Good: Try a jerk bait or crankbait fished along a brush pile or rock structure.

Turkey River (above Clermont)
Water levels are falling with improved clarity. Water temperatures are in the upper 40’s. Walleye – Good: Find walleye in runs and along current breaks. Use hair jigs and spinners. White Sucker – Excellent: Suckers are starting to bite. Use a nightcrawler fished on the bottom.

Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)
Water levels are stabilizing with improved clarity. Use care on the water; strong currents present. Water temperatures are in the 40’s. Walleye – Good: : Use minnows or hair jigs fished in runs and around current breaks. White Sucker – Excellent: Sucker activity is picking up. Try nightcrawlers fished on the stream bottom.

Upper Iowa River (below Decorah)
Water level are stabilizing with good water clarity. Water temperatures are in the upper 40’s. If paddling, dress for water temperatures. The current is strong. Walleye – Good: Anglers are finding fish in eddies and runs. Use crankbaits and spinners. White Sucker – Excellent: Try a hook tipped with a nightcrawler fished on the bottom. Yellow Perch – Fair: Use a hook tipped with a crawler fished below the dams or find areas with slack current.

Volga Lake
Anglers are finding fish. Bluegill – Good: Use a small hook tipped with waxworm or small piece of nightcrawler fished around brush piles and rocky shores. Black Crappie – Good: Try a minnow suspended over brush piles or other structure. Largemouth Bass – Fair: Use a jerk bait fished over structure with a slow retrieve. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try a dead minnow or nightcrawler fished along windrow shore. Trophy catfish are abundant in Volga Lake.

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)
Reports of anglers catching a few walleye and northern pike on the Cedar River. Walleye – Fair: Cast and retrieve plastics tipped with or without a minnow or crankbaits; walleye have moved out of over-wintering areas. Northern Pike – Fair: Try a live chub or shiner fished under a bobber near slack water areas off of main current or cast and retrieve large plastics or spinners.

Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock)
Anglers are catching some walleye on the Shell Rock River. Walleye – Fair: Cast and retrieve plastics tipped with or without a minnow or crankbaits; walleye have moved out of over-wintering areas.

Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)
A recent electrofishing survey revealed numerous year classes of walleye. Walleye – Fair: Cast and retrieve plastics tipped with or without a minnow or crankbaits; walleye have moved out of over-wintering areas.

Most reports come from the Cedar River where anglers are catching some walleye and a few pike. Walleye and pike should also be biting on the Shell Rock, Wapsipinicon and Maquoketa rivers. There are few reports of panfish on the area Black Hawk County lakes. Trout stocking season is in full swing, but all stockings are unannounced due to COVID-19 precautions. All state fish hatcheries are closed to the public. Call the Manchester Hatchery at 563-927-3276 for more information.