DNR Weekend Fishing Report 7/25

Mississippi River Pool 12
Water level is holding steady at 9.5 feet at Dubuque Lock and Dam and 11.0 feet at the railroad bridge. The water is stained, but fishable. Water temperature is in the low 80s. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Channel cats are done spawning and have moved away from the rocks. Use dip baits in moderate current areas with hard bottoms. Flathead Catfish – Good: Try bank pole fishing with a live bullhead in newly flooded water. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Use egg sinker and worm rigs. Largemouth Bass – Good: Use spinnerbaits and frog imitation lures. Northern Pike – Good: Try gaudy spinners along the weed edges. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Get spinners or crankbaits as close to rock piles as possible in moderate current areas. White Bass – Good: Look for feeding schools of white bass in the tailwaters and in between wing-dams.

Mississippi River Pool 13
Water level is steady at 10.4 feet at Bellevue. The water is stained. Water temperature is around 81 degrees. The DNR ramp in Bellevue is launchable again. Channel Catfish – Excellent: Channel cats are done spawning and have moved away from the rocks. Use dip baits in moderate current areas with hard bottoms. Flathead Catfish – Good: Use bank poles with live bait. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Use an egg sinker and worm rig in moderate current areas. Largemouth Bass – Good: Try spinnerbaits along the weed edges. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Use spinners and crankbaits along rock lines. White Bass – Excellent: White bass schools are chasing minnows along the channel edges.

Mississippi River Pool 14
Water level is steady at near 9.7 feet at Fulton, 12.6 feet at Camanche, and near 7.4 feet at LeClaire. Water temperature is near 82 degrees. Channel Catfish – Good: Try dip baits in moderate current areas. Above tree falls or snags is often a great place to lure abundant channel catfish out to your bait. Freshwater Drum – Excellent: Use egg sinker and nightcrawler rigs. Largemouth Bass – Good: Try spinnerbaits or frog imitation lures along the edges of weeds. Northern Pike – Good: Use gaudy white spinners along the edges of weeds. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Find abundant smallmouths along rock lines with moderate current; use small crankbaits or spinners. White Bass – Excellent: Use small spinners or jigs to catch feeding white bass in the tailwaters or in-between winddams in sandy areas.