For current fishing information, please call the Chuck Gipp Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324.

Cedar River (above Nashua)

Water levels are stable, but low. Use caution accessing some boat ramps. Water temperatures are in the 70s.

Channel Catfish – Good: Try a dead chub or stink baits fished in slack water areas. 

Smallmouth Bass – Good: Try fishing eddies and current breaks. 

Walleye – Good: Use a jig tipped with a minnow or worm below dams. Try using a 3-way with enough weight to keep it on the bottom.

Cedar River (Nashua to La Porte City)

Cedar River level has fallen and is providing catches of smallmouth bass, walleye, and channel catfish; bite is hit-and-miss.

Channel Catfish – Good: Use dead chubs or cut baits fished on the bottom.

Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Try fishing plastics with a jig or cast and retrieve spinnerbaits.

Walleye – Fair: Try fishing plastics with a jig.

Decorah District Streams

Area streams are in good condition, but are low. Yellow wild parsnip is blooming. Wash your skin immediately if you come in contact with this plant. It is photo reactive and will cause painful blisters. 

Brook Trout – Fair: Good hatches of a variety of gnats, mayflies, caddis flies, and midges.

Brown Trout – Good: Try fishing near or around logs or undercut banks. Spinnerbaits work well. Try using streamers on larger waterbodies. 

Rainbow Trout – Excellent: Use spinnerbaits, hair jigs, or hooks tipped with a small piece of worm, bread, or cheese floating through deeper holes. Freshly stocked fish are waiting to take your bait. 

Lake Hendricks

Water clarity is great. Water temperature is in the 70s.

Black Crappie – Good: Find crappie suspended in deeper water. Try trolling across the lake.

Bluegill – Good: Anglers fishing near shore are finding gills. Use a small chunk of worm fished under a bobber.

Largemouth Bass – Good: Bass are starting to spawn in shallow water. Bass are guarding nests. 

Lake Meyer

Water clarity is about 3 feet. Water temperature is in the 70s.

Black Crappie – Good: Crappie are suspended in deeper water. Try fishing deeper with a small jig.

Bluegill – Fair: Use a small piece of worm under a bobber. 

Largemouth Bass – Excellent: Try a spinnerbait fished in 3-4 feet of water. 

Turkey River (below Clermont)

Water clarity is good to excellent. Water levels are stabilizing, but are low. Water temperature is in the 70s.

Smallmouth Bass – Good: Use a jig with a twister tail fished in the eddies and off channel areas.

Walleye – Good: Early morning or late evening bite is best. Try fishing the deeper holes with a crank or spinnerbait.

White Sucker – Good: Try fishing the deeper holes with a worm fished near bottom.

Upper Iowa River (above Decorah)

Water temperatures are in the 70s. Water clarity is good to excellent. Water levels are stabilizing, but are low.

Smallmouth Bass – Good: Try fishing near undercut banks and current breaks. A flashy jig works well. Fly anglers using streamers are picking up some action.

Walleye – Good: Angling for walleye is picking up below the dams. Use a jig tipped with a plastic tail or crankbait.

Volga Lake

Water temperature is in the upper 70s. Fish activity is improving, especially near shore rocky areas. 

Black Crappie – Good: Troll the deeper open areas of the lake. Crappies are out deep.

Bluegill – Fair.

Channel Catfish – Good: Trophy catfish are plentiful in this lake. Use a large crawler fished under a bobber in the evening. 

Largemouth Bass – Good: Find bass in the shallow bays; use a crank or spinnerbait.

Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)

Anglers are catching bluegill, largemouth bass, crappie, and channel catfish. 

Black Crappie – Good: Find structure; best bite is early morning at daybreak.  

Bluegill – Excellent: Cast lighter jigs or a small piece of crawler under a slip bobber. 

Channel Catfish – Good: Use livers or stink baits fished on the bottom off the jetties or in front of the lodge.

Largemouth Bass – Good: Use topwater artificial lures or spinnerbaits.

Shell Rock River (Greene to Shell Rock) 

The Shell Rock River level has fallen and is providing catches of walleye, smallmouth bass, and channel catfish.

Channel Catfish – Good: Use dead chubs or cut baits fished on the bottom.

Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Try fishing plastics with a jig or cast and retrieve spinnerbaits.

Walleye – Fair: Use plastics with a jig.

Wapsipinicon River (Tripoli to Troy Mills)

The Wapsipinicon River level is falling and is providing catches of smallmouth bass, walleye, and channel catfish.

Channel Catfish – Good: Use dead chubs or cut baits fished on the bottom.

Smallmouth Bass – Fair: Try fishing plastics with a jig or cast and retrieve spinnerbaits.

Walleye – Fair: Use plastics with a jig.