| Most area rivers remain low and mostly ice covered. The majority of lakes and ponds still have 12 inches covered with 1 to 3 inches of snow. Ice conditions can change rapidly with warmer temperatures. A cloudy weekend with highs in upper 20's and teens for lows. For fishing information, please call the Chuck Gipp Decorah Fish Hatchery at 563-382-8324. |
| Three inches snow covering 12-13 inches of ice. Few anglers out. |
| Bluegill - Slow: |
| Black Crappie - Slow: |
Over the last several years, volunteers and park and fisheries staff have installed cedar tree clusters and rock piles to provide more habitat diversity and cover to enhance fish populations. Volga Lake is the place to go for trophy channel catfish with fish up to 31 inches. Black Crappie numbers in the 8 inch range remain high but a few 10 inchers are out there. Bluegill 7 inches are common. A nice population of Largemouth Bass are available.(2022)
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 .