Southwest Iowa Fishing Report
Fogle Lake (Ringgold): Largemouth bass fishing is fair for midsized fish near the flooded timber. A few channel catfish are being picked up using cut baits or liver.
Lake of Three Fires (Taylor): Several largemouth bass can be caught from structure or the edges of the lotus beds in three to six feet of water. Channel catfish can be caught from the shoreline in water 6 feet deep or less using cut baits.
Icaria (Adams): Channel catfish are being caught using cut bullheads through the evening hours. Largemouth bass are biting on crankbaits and spinners. Most of the fish are being caught near the tree piles. Bullheads are biting well on night crawlers. Water clarity is about four feet at the dam.
Three Mile Lake (Union): Water clarity is about three feet at the dam and the upper end has a green algae bloom. Largemouth bass are being caught near structure or flooded timber. A few suspended crappies, wipers, and walleye can be caught from roadway between the ramps. Channel catfish have been picked up using cut baits near the mid-lake rock mounds.
Twelve Mile Lake (Union): Several mid-sized largemouth bass are being caught from the flooded timber in four to 10 feet of water using crankbaits or spinners. Anglers catch some small to mid-sized walleyes from the old road. Bullheads are biting well on night crawlers anywhere in the lake. Water clarity is at about four feet near the dam.
Green Valley (Union): The water level is drained down to 12 feet and will be held there through the fall and winter. Boating access is possible using the main ramp but not encouraged. Extreme care must be used during launching and loading. Water clarity is about three feet. Channel catfish angling has been spotty with varied results. Cut pieces of bluegills or bullheads seem to be the most successful. Some of the higher points or the face of the dam are easily accessible.
West Lake Osceola (Clarke): Several largemouth bass have been caught from the flooded trees just off-shore in about six feet of water.
Contact Gary Sobotka at 641-464-3108 for information on the above area lakes.
Anderson Area (Montgomery): Fishing for bluegills is good in the shallows using small jigs tipped with a worm. A few crappies are being caught in the evenings using minnows. Fishing for channel catfish is fair using liver.
Viking Lake (Montgomery): Viking Lake was renovated in the fall of 2006. The lake refilled and was restocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, red ear sunfish and channel catfish in the spring of 2007. Anglers can expect to catch largemouth bass up to 15 inches, bluegills six to seven inches, and catfish are reported 14 to 16 inches. Expect fish to grow rapidly in this newly renovated lake.
Pilot Grove (Montgomery): A few bass are being caught off the dam.
Hacklebarney (Montgomery): Largemouth bass are fair fishing deep. Bluegill fishing has also been fair.
Meadow Lake (Adair): Meadow is open to fishing, however the lake has been lowered 8 feet and the boat ramp is not usable. Habitat improvements are scheduled for this fall and winter.
Orient (Adair): Catfish is fair using liver.
Greenfield (Adair): Bass fishing is fair using plastic baits around cedar tree piles. Bluegills are fair drifting small jigs and around jetties. A few catfish are being caught on liver.
Mormon Trail (Adair): Fishing for channel catfish has been good in the evenings using liver and cut bait.
Lake Anita (Cass): Crappie fishing is excellent for eight to nine-inch fish drifting a small jig or anchored near structure. Try a slow drift across the deep basin in front of the dam with a small white jig six to eight feet below the surface. Bluegills have slowed but a few are being caught while drifting or casting around the weed lines. Bass fishing is fair using plastic baits around rocks and along the road bed during the day.
Farm Ponds: Anglers are catching bass and bluegills at some of the local ponds. Reminder: Be sure to ask landowner for permission before fishing.
Contact Bryan Hayes at 712-769-2587 for information on the above area lakes.
For more information on general fishing in southwest Iowa, call the regional office in Lewis at 712-769-2587.
