| Most area lakes have 14 or more inches of ice, but many lakes still have areas of open water that have persisted throughout the winter. Permanent Ice shelters must be removed from lakes and state property beginning February 20th unless occupied overnight. The Walleye season on the IGL's is now closed until May 3rd. For the most up to date information, call 712-330-2542 |
| Caution: The lake aerator is currently in operation. The lake has over 15 inches of ice. |
| Walleye - Fair: The bite has been hit or miss. |
Anglers will continue to enjoy another excellent season with good numbers of 14- to 17-inch walleye to provide plenty opportunities for consistent fishing during the upcoming 2017 season. Anglers will also note the influx of small walleye in the catch that with continued good growth, will sustain the walleye fishery in the next few years. Panfish anglers should approach the fishery with guarded optimism during 2017. Silver Lake anglers fishing the submerged shoreline timber in April through May will harvest bluegill and black crappie. Persistence and patience will produce nice catches of angler acceptable size black crappie and bluegill. Anglers will continue to catch the occasional large yellow perch approaching 12 inches. Catfish will continue to provide ample opportunities for anglers during the 2017 season. Anglers will be quite satisfied as numbers of large angler acceptable sized catfish will comprise the majority of the catch. Bullhead anglers will continue to “fill the bucket” at Silver Lake with good numbers of large plump fish that will provide quality angling during 2017. (2017)
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 .