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SOUTHEAST
Lake Belva Deer
Warm weather and strong winds took away a lot of the ice.
Lake Darling
After Monday’s (Dec. 21) warm weather and strong wind, there is lots of open water for the geese to enjoy.
Lost Grove Lake
Open water and unsafe ice.
For more information on the above lakes, call the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at 319-694-2430.
Central Park Lake
The lake is partially ice covered.
Coralville Reservoir
The lake has been drawn down to winter pool of 683.3 feet and is partially ice covered.
Diamond Lake
The lake is partially ice covered.
Iowa Lake (Iowa Co.)
Unsafe ice conditions.
Lake Macbride
The lake is partially ice covered.
Pleasant Creek Lake
The lake is partially ice covered.
Wapsipinicon River (Troy Mills to Oxford Junction)
The boat ramp at Pinicon Ridge is closed for the winter. The backwaters have unsafe ice.
There is no safe ice in the Lake Macbride District. Most bodies of water are only partially frozen and existing ice is unsafe. For more information, contact the Lake Macbride Fisheries Station at 319-624-3615.
Hawthorn Lake
Skim ice is starting to form. Target submerged habitat once the ice thickens up.
Lake Miami
Skim ice is forming on the cold nights. Be prepared to find the cedar tree piles for the best success once the ice is safe to fish on.
Lake Sugema
Once the ice is safe to fish on, target underwater structures for the best success.
Lake Wapello
Skim ice is forming along the shorelines and bays. The cedar tree piles will be the best place to target once the ice is safe to fish on.
Ottumwa Park Pond South (Trout Pond)
Skim ice is covering the pond, but is not thick enough to fish on. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.
Rathbun Reservoir
The current lake level is 904.03 msl. Recreation pool is 904 msl. The lake is still open water with a little skim ice forming in the bays and along the shorelines. Lake Rathbun has zebra mussels, so make sure to properly drain, clean, and dry equipment before transporting to another waterbody. The Corps of Engineers have pulled their boat docks and their campgrounds and ramps are closed. State owned ramps are still open.
Red Haw Lake
Skim ice is forming on cold nights. Be prepared to find the submerged structure for the best success once the ice is safe to fish on.
Very few anglers have been out. Skim ice is forming on smaller water bodies and around the shorelines. The district includes Appanoose, Davis, Lucas, Mahaska, Monroe, Wapello, Wayne and Van Buren counties. Contact the Rathbun Fish Hatchery at 641-647-2406 with questions about fishing in south central Iowa.
SOUTHWEST
Big Creek Lake
On Dec. 22, Big Creek was mostly covered with thin ice; unsafe ice for fishing.
Des Moines River (Saylorville to Red Rock)
Walleye - Fair: Cast jigs baited with shad imitating plastics or shiners below the Red Rock dam. Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) - Fair: Cast jigs baited with shad imitating plastics or shiners below the Red Rock dam.
As of Dec. 22, most waterbodies in Central Iowa were frozen over with thin ice unsafe for ice fishing. More fishing reports will resume when ice conditions support angling. For more information on Central Iowa lakes and rivers, call Ben Dodd at 641-891-3795 or Andy Otting at 515-204-5885.
Lake Anita
Lake Anita historically has provided good panfishing in the winter. Expect good bluegill fishing; you will need to sort for larger crappies.
Lake Manawa
The dredging project has provided excellent habitat to find fish this winter. Expect good numbers of black and white crappies plus good walleye numbers.
Littlefield Lake
Fisheries surveys from 2020 show good fish populations in Littlefield. Be prepared to find the cedar tree piles in the lake for best success through the ice.
Meadow Lake
Meadow will be a good ice fishing destination this year. It has a good population of 8-inch bluegill and 9-inch black crappie.
Prairie Rose Lake
Prairie Rose is a top pick for lakes with large bluegills. It also has a small population of large black crappies.
Viking Lake
Viking has a very good crappie population that will provide good fishing this winter.
Unsafe ice conditions. For more information on lakes in the Southwest District call the Cold Springs office at 712-769-2587.