| Most ice in the district is anywhere from 5 to 9 inches thick and covered with several inches of snow. Even with the recent cold weather, ice conditions have not improved and many lakes have open water pockets. Use caution if venturing out. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638. |
| Most ice is around 8-10 inches. Even with the recent cold weather, conditions are variable and there are still large open areas and seams to watch out for. Use caution; check ice thickness often as you make your way out. |
| Walleye - Slow: Some fish are being picked up along the dredge cuts. |
| Yellow Bass - Fair: |
| Yellow Perch - Fair: |
There is a strong year class of 21 to 23 inch walleye. These fish are protected by the slot regulation until 22.1 inches, but should provide fun catch and release fishing. Target the shorelines and rocky points where the wind is blowing in throughout April. Popular (and publicly accessible) shore fishing spots include the east shore from the boat ramp at Sunset Park on north to King’s Pointe, and the north shore from the Chautauqua jetty working westward along the high bank. Into May and early June anglers have better success fishing from boats. Trolling crank baits and slow death rigs are among the most popular methods. Target the dredge cuts (new and old) and troll across the points on the southern part of the lake including, Stoney, Schaller and Cassino. Channel catfish numbers are strong with many of the fish ranging from 2 to 5 pounds. Fish windy shorelines after ice out, target rock piles in June, and drift fish later in the summer. The size structure of the white bass population has improved and anglers can expect to find many white bass over 14 inches. White bass are commonly caught while targeting walleye, but anglers can look for baitfish breaking the surface on calm evenings in the summer and cast into those areas to target white bass.(2020)
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 .