| Next weeks forecast calls for temperatures in the forties. As of this morning there have been a few reports of anglers catching some panfish in the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area. Ice conditions remain around the six to eight inches of good ice on most area lakes, as always use extreme caution. For more information contact your local area bait and tackle shop for further information. |
| There have been reports of anglers taking a few crappie out of Brinker Lake this past week. |
| Black Crappie - Fair: Use electronics to locate structure and suspended fish in deep water for best success. |
Brinker Lake provides a good fishery for channel catfish, crappie, northern pike, largemouth bass, walleye and possibly even a trophy wiper that is easily accessible by boat within the Cedar Falls/Waterloo metro. Shoreline fishing opportunity is limited at this location. Brinker Lake is popular for recreational boating during the summer season and anglers should plan accordingly.(2025)
In nearly all cases, Iowa fish are safe to eat. Cleaning and/or preparing the meal causes most of the problems regarding taste or color of fish. Like all living creatures, fish are susceptible to diseases, parasites, and other naturally occurring conditions in the water. If you suspect your fish is affected by any of these conditions, do not eat it. Consider eating smaller and younger fish which usually have lower levels of contaminants than larger ones. Most contaminants accumulate in larger, older fish. For additional information, check out our resources for eating and cooking Iowa caught fish.
To learn more about fish tissue monitoring, visit our Fish Tissue Monitoring page .