DNR fishing report: Channel Catfish is fair in area lakes

LAKE VIEW – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources released its weekly fishing report for area lakes from Thursday, July 28 to Thursday, August 4. Their findings handle area water bodies such as Black Hawk Lake, Brushy Creek Lake and Storm Lake.

According to the report, surface water temperature is in the upper 70s in most area lakes. For more information, you can contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.

You can also sign up for these weekly fishing reports by going to https://www.iowadnr.gov/idnr/Fishing/Fishing-Reports.

Arrowhead Lake: Water clarity is good. Surface water temperature is in the upper 70s.

Black Crappie – Fair. Look for crappie near structure and contour in five to 15 feet of water. Use a jig tipped with a crawler or a small minnow on a jig drifted over deeper habitat.

Bluegill – Fair. Look for bluegill in five to 15 feet of water near the woody structure.

Black Hawk Lake: Water levels are about three inches below the crest of the spillway. Surface water temperature is in the upper 70s. Water clarity is roughly 12 inches.

Black Crappie – Fair. Fish are eight to 11-inches. Most fish have moved to more off shore areas, but can still be picked up along Ice House Point and around the fish house and stone piers in Town Bay.

Bluegill – Slow. Find bluegills along shore near Ice House Point and the rock pile by Gunshot Hill. Fish are six to seven inches.

Channel Catfish – Fair: Look for cats around the deeper rock piles or try drifting in the evening and at night. Use cut bait, crawdads or dip bait. Catfish average four to seven pounds.

Browns Lake: Water levels remain low. Use caution when launching boats.

Brushy Creek Lake: Water clarity is roughly three feet.

Black Crappie – Fair. Find crappie near submerged woody structure in five to 20 feet of water. Use a small jig tipped with a crawler or small minnow.

Largemouth Bass – Fair. Try plastics and traditional bass lures along submerged woody structure and weed lines near shore.

Storm Lake (including Little Storm Lake): Water clarity is roughly two feet. All walleye between 19 and 25-inches must be immediately released unharmed at Storm Lake; no more than one walleye longer than 25-inches can be taken per day.

Black Crappie – Fair.

Channel Catfish – Fair. Storm Lake has a good population of four to six pound catfish. Try cut bait, liver or crawlers fished on the bottom along shore or minnows or crawlers fished under a bobber.

Walleye- Fair. Boat anglers are trolling crankbaits using crawler harnesses and drifting leeches and in the edges of the dredge cuts. Some anglers have had luck with a minnow under a slip bobber.

Yellow Bass – Fair: Fish are five to 11-inches long. Use a small piece of crawler fished under a bobber.

Yellow Perch – Fair. Try crawlers or small minnows fished under a bobber near rocky shorelines.