| 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 a few reports of anglers catching a few quality sized bluegill out of South Prairie Lake. |
| Bluegill - Fair: Try locating structure and use a ice jig tipped with a waxworm off of the bottom. |
South Prairie Lake offers good fishing opportunities for black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish and largemouth bass in the Cedar Falls/Waterloo metro. A recent 2023 electrofishing survey show that most crappies are exceeding nine inches or greater. Bluegills are of quality size with some over eight inches in length. South Prairie offers excellent shoreline access, a floating fishing dock, and a hard-surfaced boat ramp.(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 .