| 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. |
| The Aeration system in Town Bay is operating. Expect thin ice and open water in Town Bay. Ice near the Ice House Point boat ramp is 7 inches thick with 4 inches of snow cover. This is the best ice on the lake. There are many open water areas - use caution. There are open water fishing opportunities at the fish house in Town Bay. |
| Black Crappie - Fair: Use a waxworm, small minnow, or jigs. Most luck has been around the fish house in Town Bay and near Ice House Point. |
| Walleye - Fair: Fish near Ice House Pt boat ramp, near the Gunshot hill area, and in the inlet bridge bay area. |
| Yellow Perch - Fair: Use minnows and waxworms on a small jig. Most are having luck between Denison Beach and Gunshot Hill area. |
Fishing at Black Hawk Lake has been good in recent years. Walleye fishing is best between mid April through mid June. Most fish harvested range from 16 to 22 inches. Fire tiger and white colored twisters, shad raps, and leeches are all lures/baits that work good for the walleye. Largemouth bass fishing is excellent. Bass can be caught throughout the open water season and there is strong population of adult bass over 15 inches. Yellow perch fishing is seasonal and can be good in the early spring and late fall. 2019 saw a record harvest of yellow perch on Black Hawk Lake. Many anglers target perch around the inlet bridge, from the fish house, the floating fishing pier, and the west stone pier. Crappie fishing is good in the spring with fish averaging 10 to 11 inches. Most anglers target the fish house the shoreline along Ice House Point. The bluegill fishing has declined in the last couple years, likely due to the gizzard shad infestation. However, quality size bluegill do exist and most are caught through the ice. The channel catfish population is strong with two large size classes of 3-4 pound fish and 5-7 pound fish. Muskie fishing can be good, especially in the spring. It is a young population, but there are 42 to 43 inch individuals out there. Muskie anglers may experience higher than average catch rates, but many will be in the 25 to 35 inch size range.(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 .