Most area lakes are covered in ice ranging anywhere from 1 to 7 inches thick. Conditions are variable with pockets of open water in the bigger lakes. Check ice often if going out. For more information, contact the Black Hawk District office at 712-657-2638.

A few anglers have been making their way out. The lake is mostly ice covered. Thickness is anywhere from 1 to 7 inches. There are some open water areas so conditions are still really variable. The best ice is in areas near shore. Recently open areas may have just frozen over with thin ice, so check thickness often as you move around.

Yellow Bass - Fair:

• Bigmouth Buffalo
• Black Crappie
• Channel Catfish
• Common Carp
• Walleye
• White Bass
• Yellow Perch

• Rusty Crawfish
• Zebra Mussel

The Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit.

• Bigmouth Buffalo
• Season: Continuous
• Daily Bag Limit: none
• Possession Limit: unlimited
• Length Limit: none
• Other:
• Black Crappie
• Season: Continuous
• Daily Bag Limit: combined black and white crappie, 25 fish
• Possession Limit: unlimited
• Length Limit: none
• Other: No daily limit on private waters
• Channel Catfish
• Season: Continuous
• Daily Bag Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 8 fish
• Possession Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 30 fish
• Length Limit: none
• Other: Except for border lakes
• Common Carp
• Season: Continuous
• Daily Bag Limit: none
• Possession Limit: unlimited
• Length Limit: none
• Other: May be taken by hand fishing, by snagging, by spear or by bow and arrow, day or night.
• Walleye
• Season: Continuous
• Daily Bag Limit: 3 fish
• Possession Limit: 6 fish
• Length Limit: all 19 to 25-inch walleyes must be immediately released alive
• Other: No more than one walleye longer than 25 inches may be taken per day
• White Bass
• Season: Continuous
• Daily Bag Limit: none
• Possession Limit: unlimited
• Length Limit: none
• Other:
• Yellow Perch
• Season: Continuous
• Daily Bag Limit: 25 fish
• Possession Limit: 50 fish
• Length Limit: none
• Other:

There is a strong year class of 21 to 23 inch walleye. These fish are protected by the slot regulation until 22.1 inches, but should provide fun catch and release fishing. Target the shorelines and rocky points where the wind is blowing in throughout April. Popular (and publicly accessible) shore fishing spots include the east shore from the boat ramp at Sunset Park on north to King’s Pointe, and the north shore from the Chautauqua jetty working westward along the high bank. Into May and early June anglers have better success fishing from boats. Trolling crank baits and slow death rigs are among the most popular methods. Target the dredge cuts (new and old) and troll across the points on the southern part of the lake including, Stoney, Schaller and Cassino. Channel catfish numbers are strong with many of the fish ranging from 2 to 5 pounds. Fish windy shorelines after ice out, target rock piles in June, and drift fish later in the summer. The size structure of the white bass population has improved and anglers can expect to find many white bass over 14 inches. White bass are commonly caught while targeting walleye, but anglers can look for baitfish breaking the surface on calm evenings in the summer and cast into those areas to target white bass.(2020)

Tip: Click the arrow in the lower right corner to view the Fish Survey Data tool in full-screen mode.