northeast iowa By Bill Kalishek, Regional Fisheries Supervisor able populations are present down- Volga River, Fayette – Small stream smallmouth bass stream through Pool 13. Fish along that can be fi shed by fl oating or wad- shoreline rock protection, rocky day ing; public access at the Volga River Cedar River, Bremer – Decent num- markers, and wingdams, especially Recreation Area and the town of bers of smallmouth bass between during low water conditions. Good Fayette. Waverly and Janesville. numbers of 10- to 13-inch fi sh but fi sh up to 4 pounds are routinely Wapsipinicon River, Buchanan – A Cedar River caught. lot of fi sh in the 10- to 15-inch range. Floyd and Fish rocky shorelines or fallen woody Mitchell Turkey River, structure with both live baits or artifi - – Good popula- Clayton, Fayette, cial lures. Recent fi sh surveys show tions throughout Winneshiek, and improved numbers. both counties; catch- Howard) and-release from Hal- – You channel catfi sh verson Park to the dam at Otranto. can fi nd smallmouth Big Woods Lake, Black Hawk – Big Maquoketa River catch-and-release just about fi sh and lots of them. The connection area, Delaware – Classic rock habi- anywhere in this river. with the Cedar River pumps catfi sh tat in this stretch makes for excellent Try wading the portion in Howard into this lake. smallmouth bass fi shing. Better than County during the summer. average reproduction during early Casey Lake, Tama – Local favorite. 2000s has resulted in good numbers Upper Iowa River, Allamakee, Good shoreline access. Catfi sh of all of fi sh exceeding 12 inches avail- Winneshiek, and Howard – Good sizes available. able. smallmouth numbers throughout this river. Float the upstream areas in Cedar River, Bremer – 2005 fi sh Maquoketa River, Jones – Anglers Howard County during higher fl ows survey indicates excellent numbers of fi shing from Monticello dam down- in the spring. “cats” available. stream through Pictured Rocks area will fi nd fair numbers of smallies. Cedar, Floyd and Mitchell – Very good numbers Mississippi River, Pools 9 through from the Mitchell dam 13 – Better numbers of smallmouths downstream with 20- to can be found in Pools 9 and 25-inch fi sh present. 10, but fi sh- Greenbelt Lake, Black Hawk – Good access for family outings and lots of catfi sh in the 11- to 15- inch range. Lake Ensign Hollow, Clayton – This Richmond Springs, Delaware Hendricks, catch-and-release-only stream – Stocked with catchable-size rain- Howard – Good bow trout both during the week and population of 15- on Saturdays, this is a popular place to 20-inch catfi sh for family fi shing. with some up to 25. Sny Magill Creek, Clayton – In- Maquoketa River, Delaware creased brown trout population due – Good numbers and size to fi ngerling stockings; stocked regu- of catfi sh available. Early larly with rainbows and brooks. morning and late evening is best. Best fi shing from Spring Branch, Delaware – Strong Manchester to Lake Delhi dam. population of brown trout 12 inches and greater. Three continuous miles Mississippi River, Pools 9-15 of coldwater stream open to fi sh- – Excellent reproduction past few provides ing. Good insect hatches on this years has produced huge numbers of the op- stream. channel cats in the Mississippi. Try portunity fi shing fl owing water along second- to catch Swiss Valley, Dubuque – Three ary channels near brush piles. Size trophy-sized brown trout. consecutive years of fi sh habitat of catfi sh varies from fi ddlers to 4 work helps support trout year pounds. Grannis Creek, Fayette – Stocked round in this county park. with rainbow and brook trout weekly Volga Lake, Fayette – Excellent from April through October; greatly Trout Run, Winneshiek – Improve- population of all sizes with very improved habitat and universal fi sh- ments in trout habitat has resulted in abundant 15- to 20-inchers; fi sh the ing access. excellent survival of rip-rap along the dam in mid-sum- weekly stocked rain- mer. Paint bows and brook Creek, trout; some wild Wapsipinicon River, Buchanan Allama- – Good numbers of 3- to 5-pound kee – Major catfi sh between Otterville and Little- habitat improve- ton. ment proj- ect trout brown trout also inhabit this stream. Waterloo Creek, Alla- makee – Excellent population of wild brown trout in lower reaches; com- pleted in upper segments stocked with rain- Dalton Pond, Jackson – Physical im- 2005; stocked with rainbows and bow and brook trout weekly. provements to this small area create brooks; wild brown trout also pres- a park-like atmosphere. Easy, laid- ent. back pond fi shing with close access. Lake Hendricks, bluegills Howard – Lots of fi sh up to 8 inches with a 9-inch bluegill Bergfeld Pond, Dubuque – Located a possibility; try poppers along the in Dubuque industrial park. This edge of the submerged vegetation in lake is easy for families to fi sh for crappies the summer. abundant 6- to 7-inch bluegills. Big Woods Lake, Mississippi River, Pools 9 – 14 – Al- Black Hawk – A lot of though the backwater habitats are 8-inch crappies for the deteriorating from siltation, many taking. good habitats have been re- stored into ideal bluegill Lake Delhi, Delaware – Consistent habitat. Try concen- producer of 8- to 10-inch crappies. trating on Am- Lake Hendricks, Howard – Lots of 8- to 10-inch fi sh; fi sh the outer edge and small pockets in the abundant submerged vegetation. Martens Lake, Bremer – This segment of Sweet Marsh provides abundant 8- to 9-inch black crappies; white crappies much fewer but larger. Eurasian water milfoil pres- ent so remove all aquatic vegetation from boats and trailers before leaving. Casey Lake, Tama – A consistent pro- Mississippi River, Pools 9-14 brough Slough and Bussey ducer of 8-inch bluegills. – Crappie populations remain strong Lake in Pool 10, Sunfi sh Lake Look for these “gills” on in the Mississippi. Best times are and Bertom Lake in Pool 11, Browns beds in May or drift the main lake early morning and late afternoon. Lake and Pomme de Terre Lake in during the summer months. Concentrate on the deeper backwater Pool 13. areas or low current sloughs near Lake Delhi, Delaware – Good num- woody structure and brushpiles. Volga Lake, Fayette – Good num- bers of bluegills in the 7- to 8-inch bers of 6-8 inch bluegills; the face of range. Fish the fallen woody struc- Volga Lake, Fayette – Fish the rip- the dam (especially in early spring) ture along rocky shorelines. Fish rap on the dam in spring for 9- to 11- and submerged brush piles on the early morning or late afternoon to inch fi sh; work the large submerged south shore are good areas. avoid heavy boat traffi c on this nar- brush piles in summer. row Maquoketa River impoundment. overlook this fi ne river shorelines. Fish early morning and when planning your next late afternoon to avoid heavy boat traf- walleye outing. Good fi c on this narrow Maquoketa River numbers up to 24 inches. impoundment. Turkey River, How- Lake Hendricks, Howard – High num- ard, Winneshiek bers of bass up to 16 inches. and Fayette – Numbers Mississippi River, Pools 9-14 of wall- – Strong numbers of largemouth bass exist in the Mississippi River. Bigmouths often change locations throughout the year. Bass reside in low current backwaters in the cold walleyes seasons and many move into fl owing eyes have increased greatly sloughs and channels and even onto Cedar River, since fi ngerling stockings were near-channel wingdams in the warmer Black Hawk – Good walleye initiated in 2000. months. fi shing below the dam in Waterloo in fall and early winter. Trophy-size Wapsipinicon River, Buchanan Martens Lake, Bremer fi sh caught every year. – Annual stockings have made this – These bass river a consistent producer of abun- grow large Cedar River, Bremer – Fisheries dant and quality-size fi sh. and surveys indicate good survival of stocked walleyes from recent years. fast Good numbers of 15-inch-plus wall- largemouth bass in this shal- eyes available. low water lake; George Wyth Lake, fi sh the struc- Cedar River, Floyd and Mitchell – A Black Hawk – What ture along the consistent producer for quality wall- this popula- dike. Eurasion eye angling; populations maintained tion lacks in milfoil present so through annual fi ngerling stockings. numbers it remove all veg- Mississippi River, Pools 9-15 – The etation from 2005 walleye fi shery was slower boat and trailer before leaving. than 2004, but the population is still good. Strong year classes of northern pike young walleyes com- ing on bodes Mississippi River, Pools 9-11 – Robust well for fu- populations, but can be hard to locate; ture years. work the back-waters right after ice- makes up for out; in the hot summer months, they Shellrock in size. Bass 18 to 19 seek out springs or coldwater tributar- River, But- inches available. ies and loaf in these cooler waters. ler – Don’t Lake Delhi, Delaware – There Turkey River, Howard – Annual fi n- is a good year-class of bass 12 gerling plants are producing a quality to 15 inches present. Fish the population. Some big fi sh are caught fallen woody structure along rocky annually. hiddenjewel 2006 adjacent to the lake is northeast managed by the Lyon By Bill Kalishek, biologist County Conservation The Cedar River in Mitchell Board and provides County, from the town of Mitchell many amenities, downstream, offers excellent angling including camping for native populations of smallmouth pads, cabins, trails, a bass and channel catfi sh. Annual beach, playgrounds, stockings of fi ngerling walleye and boat rentals and a northern pike also provide great covered fi shing pier.