| For more information on the above lakes call the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at (319) 694-2430. |
| Channel Catfish - Good: Catfish are nice and fat right now but they are definitely hunting the shallower water for something to eat in the evenings. Try drifting some cut bait along the face of the dam or along the old road bed out from the boat ramp jetty. |
| Water temperatures are right around 48-49 degrees with an occasional 50 degrees. |
| Black Crappie - Fair: Their are some nice 11-12 inch crappies moving into the shallows to feed on the small bluegills and green sunfish. |
| Muskellunge - Fair: More than a few muskies are cruising the shallows not far off shore during the evenings. Some in the 40" plus range. |
A stocking request was submitted to the IDNR hatcheries for largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish. The order will be filled in 2009. Additionally, adult black crappie and redear sunfish will be collected from lakes in the area and stocked in Big Hollow Lake following the establishment of the aforementioned species.(2008)
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 .