Fish Iowa - Fishing Report

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This page includes current fishing reports by fisheries region and management district. Lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams are listed by name and county, and can be easily searched using the search-and-filter tool below. Explore by location name, fish species, and various amenities available at the location to help you find your next fishing adventure!

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Pool 09, Mississippi River (Allamakee)

Water Temperature (°F): 59.0
Ramp Condition: Useable
Comments: River level is 8.3 feet and expected to rise slightly to 8.5 feet at Lansing. Look for fish along the weed-lines in backwaters. Try fishing along rock and woody structure adjacent to the deep water refuge as fall progresses to winter. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Black Crappie - Fair Comment: Crappie bite is improving. Use light tackle in 4-6 feet of water in trees and stumps in slight current. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Bluegill - Good Comment: Bluegill and other panfish are making their transition to the deeper backwater lakes. Look for fish in 6-10 feet of water in the brush piles and emergent vegetation. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Sauger - Excellent Comment: The bite is picking up as fish move upstream toward the Lock & Dam tailwaters. Vertical jigging with a live minnow has been effective. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Walleye - Good Comment: The bite is picking up as fish move upstream toward the Lock & Dam tailwaters. Vertical jigging with a live minnow has been effective. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Yellow Perch - Fair Comment: Jig small lures or drop shot live bait along wood structure and weedlines. Fish are moving off current to deeper water side channels. . Last updated on 11/05/2026

Pool 10, Mississippi River (Clayton)

Water Temperature (°F): 60.0
Ramp Condition: Useable
Comments: Water level has risen to 614 feet below Lock and Dam 9, Lynxville and expected to reach 615 feet. Water clarity is diminished. Try fishing the mouths of backwater lakes and sloughs or try the tailwaters of the Lock & Dam. Fall fishing is in full force. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Black Crappie - Fair Comment: Crappie bite is improving. Use light tackle in 4-6 feet of water in trees and stumps in slight current. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Sauger - Excellent Comment: The bite is picking up as fish move upstream toward the Lock & Dam tailwaters. Vertical jigging with a live minnow has been effective. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Walleye - Good Comment: The bite is picking up as fish move upstream to the Lock and Dams. Vertical jigging with a live minnow has been effective. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Yellow Perch - Fair Comment: Jig small lures or drop shot live bait along wood structure and weedlines. Fish are moving off current to deeper water side channels. . Last updated on 11/05/2026

Pool 11, Mississippi River (Clayton)

Water Temperature (°F): 59.0
Ramp Condition: Useable
Comments: Water level has risen to 5.7 feet at Guttenberg, Lock & Dam10 tailwaters and is expected to rise another foot. Water clarity is diminished. Fishing in the tailwaters of the Lock and Dam has been consistent this week. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Black Crappie - Fair Comment: Crappie bite is improving. Use light tackle in 4-6 feet of water in trees and stumps in slight current. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Sauger - Excellent Comment: The bite is picking up as fish move upstream toward the Lock & Dam tailwaters. Vertical jigging with a live minnow has been effective. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Walleye - Good Comment: The bite is picking up as fish move upstream toward the Lock & Dam tailwaters. Vertical jigging with a live minnow has been effective. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Yellow Perch - Fair Comment: Jig small lures or drop shot live bait along wood structure and weedlines. Fish are moving off current to deeper water side channels. . Last updated on 11/05/2026

Pool 12, Mississippi River (Dubuque)

Water Temperature (°F): 58.0
Ramp Condition: Useable
Comments: Water level is around 5.8 feet at the Dubuque tailwater and is slowly rising. Water temperatures remain in the upper 50s, but should drop over the coming week. Water clarity is fair. Call your local DNR Fisheries office or local bait shops for the latest information. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Black Crappie - Fair Comment: Use a small jig and plastic combination or a live minnow rig in backwater areas with woody structure or along dying vegetation lines, or in side channels where there is a little bit of flow. Crappie should be staging to move into backwater areas as water temperatures drop. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Bluegill - Fair Comment: Try a piece of nightcrawler under a bobber or a small jig in areas with woody structure in backwater areas or slide channels with little flow. Bluegill should be staging to move into backwater areas soon. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Freshwater Drum - Fair Comment: Use a simple sinker and nightcrawler rig in areas with moderate current or in the tailwater. Anglers are catching freshwater drum on crankbaits and blade baits. Last updated on 10/08/2026

Sauger - Fair Comment: Try a three-way rig with live bait or blade baits in the tailwaters. Anglers are catching mostly smaller sauger, but a few keepers can be found. Expect the sauger bite to continue to improve. Last updated on 10/29/2026

Walleye - Fair Comment: Try a three-way rig with live bait on the wing-dams or in the tailwaters. The bite has been difficult on most days; water temperature needs to drop for walleye fishing to improve. Last updated on 10/29/2026

Pool 13, Mississippi River (Jackson)

Water Temperature (°F): 57.0
Ramp Condition: Useable
Comments: Water level is around 6.1 feet at the Bellevue tailwater and is slowly rising. Water temperatures remain in the upper 50s, which is warmer than normal for this time of year. Expect water temperatures to drop over the coming week. Water clarity is fair. Call your local DNR Fisheries office or local bait shops for the latest information. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Bluegill - Slow Comment: Try a piece of nightcrawler under a bobber or a small jig in areas with woody structure in backwater areas or slide channels with little flow. Bluegill should be staging to move into backwater areas soon. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Flathead Catfish - Slow Comment: Anglers are catching a few flatheads in the tailwater on blade baits. Last updated on 10/08/2026

Freshwater Drum - Excellent Comment: Anglers are catching numerous freshwater drum on blade baits in the tailwaters. Last updated on 10/29/2026

Walleye - Fair Comment: Try a three-way rig with live bait on the wing-dams or in the tailwaters. Some anglers have had success pulling double crankbait rigs in the tailwater area. The bite has been difficult on most days, but a few limits are being reported. Expect walleye fishing to improve once the water temperature drops. Last updated on 10/29/2026

White Bass - Fair Comment: Anglers are catching white bass in the tailwaters on one-eyes or blade baits. Last updated on 10/08/2026

White Crappie - Fair Comment: Use a small jig and plastic combination or a live minnow rig in side channel areas with woody structure. Crappie should be staging to move into backwater areas as the water temperature drops. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Pool 14, Mississippi River (Clinton)

Water Temperature (°F): 57.0
Ramp Condition: Useable
Comments: Water level is around 5.5 feet at Lock and Dam 13 and is slowly rising. Water temperature has dropped into the upper 50s. Water clarity is fair. Call your local bait shops for the most current information. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Black Crappie - Fair Comment: Use a small jig and plastic combination or a live minnow rig in side channel areas with woody structure, or along dying lily pads in backwater areas. Last updated on 10/29/2026

Bluegill - Slow Comment: Try a piece of nightcrawler under a bobber or a small jig in areas with woody structure along the edges of side channels or in backwater areas. Bluegill should be staging to move into backwater areas. . Last updated on 11/05/2026

Sauger - Fair Comment: Try a three-way rig with live bait on the wing-dams or in the tailwaters. Last updated on 10/15/2026

Walleye - Fair Comment: Try a three-way rig with live bait on the wing-dams or in the tailwaters. Walleye fishing should improve when water temperatures drop. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Pool 15, Mississippi River (Scott)

Water Temperature (°F): 60.0
Ramp Condition: Useable
Comments: Water level is around 4.9 feet at Lock and Dam 14 and is slowly rising. Water clarity is fair. Call your local bait shops for the most current information. Last updated on 11/05/2026

Smallmouth Bass - Fair Comment: Throw inline spinners or crankbaits along rocky areas with some current/current breaks. Last updated on 10/22/2026

Walleye - Slow Comment: Try a three-way rig with live bait on the wing-dams or in the tailwaters. Expect walleye fishing to improve once the water temperature drops. Last updated on 10/29/2026

Pool 16, Mississippi River (Scott)

Water Temperature (°F): 61.0
Ramp Condition: Useable
Comments: Tailwater stage is 4.96 feet at Lock and Dam 15 in Davenport and has been fairly steady. Flood stage is 15 feet. River stage is 10.17 feet at Fairport; flood stage is 14 feet. Tailwater fishing for walleyes and saugers has been slow. . Last updated on 10/29/2026

Channel Catfish - Status Unsure Comment: Try fishing for channel catfish on the upstream side of snags along the main channel and side channels or along the upstream side of the wing-dams. Use dip baits, nightcrawlers, or cut shad fished on the bottom. Last updated on 10/21/2026

Sauger - Slow Comment: Start looking for saugers in the tailwaters below the dam or in Sylvan Slough. Expect the bite to pick up as water temperatures drop. Try vertical jigging with minnows or trolling three-way rigs with minnows. Last updated on 10/29/2026

Walleye - Slow Comment: Walleye fishing is slow with the muddy water conditions. Try three-way rigs with half a nightcrawler or troll crankbaits on the wing-dams. We have not received any reports for tailwater fishing. Last updated on 10/29/2026

White Crappie - Status Unsure Comment: Try vertical jigging with minnows or floating minnows under a bobber around brush piles in the backwaters and side channels. Places to try are Sunset Marina and the Andalusia Island complex. . Last updated on 10/21/2026

Pool 17, Mississippi River (Muscatine)

Water Temperature (°F): 61.0
Ramp Condition: Useable
Comments: Tailwater stage is 3.83 feet at Lock and Dam 16 in Muscatine. Tailwater stage has been falling slightly the past few days. Flood stage is 15 feet. We have not received any tailwater fishing reports for walleyes and saugers yet. Last updated on 10/29/2026

Sauger - Status Unsure Comment: Expect the tailwater bite to pick up as water temperatures fall. Try vertical jigging with minnows or trolling three-way rigs with minnows below the dam. We have not received any tailwater fishing reports for this pool. . Last updated on 10/21/2026

Walleye - Status Unsure Comment: Walleye fishing is slow with the muddy water conditions. Try three-way rigs with half a nightcrawler or troll crankbaits on the wing-dams. We have not received any reports for walleye fishing in the tailwaters. Last updated on 10/21/2026

White Crappie - Status Unsure Comment: Try vertical jigging with minnows or floating minnows under a bobber around brush piles in the backwaters and side channels. Expect the bite to pick up as water temperatures drop. Places to try are Big Timber or Cleveland Slough. . Last updated on 10/21/2026

Pool 18, Mississippi River (Louisa)

Water Temperature (°F): 60.0
Ramp Condition: Useable
Comments: Tailwater stage is 4.99 feet at Lock and Dam 17 at New Boston. Tailwater stage has been falling the past few days. Flood stage is 15 feet. Last updated on 10/29/2026

Sauger - Status Unsure Comment: Expect the tailwater bite for saugers to pick up as water temperatures drop. Try fishing for saugers below the dam. Vertical jig with minnows or troll three-way rigs with minnows. We have not received any tailwater fishing reports for this pool. Last updated on 10/29/2026

Walleye - Slow Comment: Try fishing for walleyes on the wing-dams. Use three-way rigs with half a nightcrawler or troll crankbaits on the wing-dams. We have not received any tailwater walleye fishing reports. Walleyes can also be caught below the Lock and Dam vertical jigging with minnows. . Last updated on 10/29/2026

White Crappie - Status Unsure Comment: Try vertical jigging with minnows or floating minnows under a bobber around brush piles in the backwaters and side channels. Try crappie fishing in the Huron Island complex. . Last updated on 10/21/2026

Pool 19, Mississippi River (Lee)

Water Temperature (°F): 62.0
Ramp Condition: Useable
Comments: Tailwater stage is 2.63 feet at Lock and Dam 18 above Burlington and has been falling the past few days. Flood stage is 10 feet. River stage is 8.78 feet at Burlington; flood stage is 15 feet. River stage is 525.41 feet at Fort Madison; flood stage is 528.0 feet. We have not received any reports for tailwater fishing walleyes and saugers below Lock 18. Last updated on 10/29/2026

Sauger - Slow Comment: Expect the tailwater bite for saugers to pick up as water temperatures fall. Try vertical jigging with minnows or trolling three-way rigs with minnows. Last updated on 10/29/2026

Walleye - Slow Comment: Try fishing with three-way rigs with half a nightcrawler or troll crankbaits on the wing-dams. We have not received any tailwater fishing reports for walleyes. Walleyes can also be caught below the Lock and Dam vertical jigging with minnows. . Last updated on 10/29/2026

White Crappie - Status Unsure Comment: Try vertical jigging with minnows or floating minnows under a bobber around brush piles in the backwaters and side channels. Last updated on 10/21/2026

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