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.
Twelve Mile Creek Lake
Largemouth Bass - Fair: Catch largemouth bass up to 20 inches with jigs fished near rock piles. Black Crappie - Fair: Catch crappie up to 10 inches with small jigs or minnows under a bobber fished along rock piles or the fishing jetties.
Summit Lake
Black Crappie - Fair: Catch crappie up to 10 inches with minnows or small jigs under a bobber fished near cedar tree brush piles.
Water temperature in Mount Ayr district lakes is in the upper 40’s to low 50’s. The district includes Page, Taylor, Adams, Union, Ringgold, Decatur, Clarke and Madison counties. For more information, contact the Mount Ayr Fisheries office at 641-464-3108.
Cold Springs
District Farm Ponds
Pond fishing is fair right now. Always get permission to fish privately owned farm ponds. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Cast a variety of spinner type baits or plastics for fun catch and release fishing. Bluegill - Fair: Cast small jigs or crawlers under a bobber to structure and along the shoreline. Black Crappie - Fair: Cast minnows under a slip bobber. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use cut bait around structure.
Greenfield Lake
Greenfield Lake has a good fish population. The lake is 3 feet low. Black Crappie - Slow: Fish any tree pile and along the creek channel to find fish up to 12 inches. Bluegill - Fair: Drift crawlers to catch bluegills up to 8.5 inches.
Lake Anita
Lake Anita will provide good fishing this fall and winter. Find a large crappie population averaging 9 inches and bluegills up to 9.5 inches. Bluegill - Slow: Catch bluegills up to 9.5 inches with small jigs tipped with power bait or nightcrawlers on the bottom in 12- to 14-feet of water. Black Crappie - Fair: Slowly troll or drift small jigs tipped with power bait. Fish are 9 inches. Largemouth Bass - Fair: Find bass around underwater reefs and vegetation edges. Fish are all sizes.
Meadow Lake
Meadow Lake bluegills have gained size and body condition after the mid-summer draw-down in 2016. Black Crappie - Fair: Find deeper tree piles and vertical jig to catch crappies up to 12 inches. Bluegill - Slow: Drift the open part of the lake for bluegills up to 9 inches.
Prairie Rose Lake
Expect to catch quality size bluegills again this year at Prairie Rose. Crappies are now averaging 9.5 inches and are healthy fish. The lake also supports a good population of channel catfish and the largemouth bass will provide good catch and release fishing. Bluegill - Slow: Slow troll crawlers to find bluegills up to 9 inches. Largemouth Bass - Fair: There are many 12 inch bass in the lake that will provide fun catch and release fishing. Black Crappie - Slow: Vertical jig tree piles or slow troll the face of the dam to catch black crappie averaging 9.5 inches.
Viking Lake
Largemouth Bass - Slow: Cast the shoreline and brush piles to catch largemouth of all sizes. Black Crappie - Fair: Vertical jig deeper brush piles for black crappie up to 10 inches. White Crappie - Fair: The white crappie in Viking are fewer in number, but larger fish (10- to 13-inches).
Water temperatures are in the low 40’s. There has been very little angling activity. Fall is a good time to target walleyes and panfish.For more information, call the Cold Springs District Office at 712-769-2587