March 29, 2024

Fishing report

This weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys and county and state parks staff. For current information, contact the district fisheries office at the phone number listed at the end of each district report.

Green Valley Lake — Largemouth Bass - Good: Largemouth bass of all sizes have been caught using crankbaits or finesse plastics fished near cedar tree brush piles. Black Crappie - Good: Catch crappies up to 9 inches using small jigs or a minnow under a bobber fished along the fishing jetties or cedar tree brush piles. Bluegill - Fair: Catch bluegill up to 8 inches with jigs tipped with a nightcrawler fished near rock piles. Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish of all sizes have been caught using chicken liver or cut bait fished off of main lake points early and late.

Lake Icaria — Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish of all sizes have been caught with cut bait or chicken liver fished near the fish mounds. Bluegill - Slow: Catch bluegill up to 8.5 inches using nightcrawlers or jigs fished near the fish mounds.

Lake of Three Fires — Channel Catfish - Fair: Channel catfish of all sizes have been caught with cut bait or chicken liver fished along rocky shoreline areas.

Twelve Mile Creek Lake — Largemouth Bass - Fair: Largemouth bass of all sizes have been caught with topwater baits fished over weeds early or finesse plastics along weed edges and cedar tree brush piles. Bluegill - Good: Catch bluegill up to 9 inches using jigs tipped with nightcrawlersor leeches fished near rock piles and along the roadbed. Black Crappie - Good: Catch crappies up to 9 inches with jigs or minnows fished near cedar tree brush piles and along the weedlines.

Water temperature in Mount Ayr district lakes is in the mid 80s. For more information, contact the Mount Ayr Fisheries office at 641-464-3108.

Greenfield Lake — Greenfield Lake has a good fish population. Catch catfish close to shore. Bluegills have moved away from shore. Black Crappie - Fair: Crappies have moved to deeper water. Cast small jigs or minnows under a slip bobber to catch fish averaging 9 inches. Bluegill - Fair: Drift small jigs to catch 8 inch bluegill. Largemouth Bass - Good: Cast spinnerbaits or plastics along the shoreline to catch 12 to 16 inch bass. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use cut bait or shrimp around the jetties. Be prepared to catch large fish.

Lake Anita — Lake Anita will provide good fishing this year. Find a large crappie population averaging 9 inches and bluegills up to 9.5 inches. Black Crappie - Fair: Anglers are catching crappies around underwater reefs and over the road bed. Fish will average 9 inches. Bluegill - Fair: Catch bluegills up to 9.5 inches over the road beds and rock piles. Largemouth Bass - Good: Find bass around underwater reefs and vegetation edges. Fish are all sizes.

Mormon Trail Lake — Mormon Trail has a good fish population. Catfish are active and close to shore. Channel Catfish - Good: Catch large channel catfish after dark with cut bait. Largemouth Bass - Good: Cast the shoreline to find 13- to 16-inch largemouth bass. Bluegill - Slow: Bluegills have moved to deeper water;  use small jigs and worms in 8 feet of water. Fish will average 8 inches. Black Crappie - Fair: A few 9 inch crappie are being caught around deep brush piles.

Orient Lake — Orient lake has a good population of 10 inch crappie that will provide good fishing in 2017. Bluegills are 7 to 8 inches. The lake also has a good catfish population. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use nightcrawlers fished on the bottom. Fish are 18- to 22-inches. Black Bullhead - Fair: Cast a nightcrawler on the bottom for large bullheads up to 15 inches. Black Crappie - Slow: Vertical jig brush piles to catch 10 inch crappies. Bluegill - Fair: Bluegills have moved away from shore and can be caught around structure or drifting. Fish are 7 to 8 inches.

Anglers report good catfishing in rivers. Panfish can be caught drifting open water areas. For more information, call the Cold Springs District Office at 712-769-2587.