Weekend Fishing Report – 10/3-10/5

The Iowa DNR has released their weekend fishing report.

Mississippi River Pool 12
Water level is 5.4 feet at Dubuque Lock and Dam and 7.9 feet at the RR Bridge. Levels are stable. Water clarity is improving. Water temperature is around 73 degrees. Black Crappie – Fair: Use a minnow on a crappie rig in the tree piles in the sloughs. Expect the bite to pick up when water temperatures fall again. Channel Catfish – Good: Use dip baits or crawlers 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 in moderate current areas. Largemouth Bass – Good: Try spinnerbaits and frog imitation lures in weed beds. Find clearer water in vegetated areas. Northern Pike – Good: Pike seek cooler waters in hot weather. Cast spoons or spinnerbaits at the mouth of tributary streams and along the edges of weeds. Sauger – Slow: Reports of saugers biting in the tailwaters of the Lock and Dam. Try vertical jigging live minnows or twister tails. Smallmouth Bass – Excellent: Get spinners or crankbaits as close to rock piles as possible in moderate current areas. Flood debris has hampered fishing along rocky areas; the pool is clearing. Walleye – Fair: Wing-dam fishing improved with the stable water levels. Try trolling a crankbait or a crawler on a three-way rig. White Bass – Good: Look for feeding schools of white bass in tailwaters and between wing-dams. Yellow Perch – Good: Look for perch on the edge of weed beds. Catch larger perch with a minnow fished just off the bottom.

Mississippi River Pool 13
Water level is 5.8 feet at Bellevue and expected to gradually recede. Water clarity is improving. Water temperature is around 73 degrees. Look for fish along current breaks. Black Crappie – Slow: Use a minnow on a crappie rig in the tree-piles in the sloughs. Expect the bite to pick up when water temperatures fall again. Channel Catfish – Good: Use crawler or dip baits in moderate current areas with hard bottoms. Lower pool stump fields can be excellent for channels. Flathead Catfish – Fair: Use bank poles with live bait. Freshwater Drum – Good: Try an egg sinker and worm rig in moderate current areas. Largemouth Bass – Good: Try spinnerbaits along the edges of weeds. Find clear water within weed beds. Northern Pike – Fair: Pike seek cooler waters in hot weather. Cast spoons or spinnerbaits at the mouth of tributary streams and along the edges of weeds. Sauger – Slow: Reports of saugers biting in the tailwaters of the Lock and Dam. Try vertical jigging live minnows or twister tails. Smallmouth Bass – Good: Use spinners and crankbaits along rock lines. Floating vegetation is hindering throwing lures. Walleye – Fair: Wing-dam fishing improved with the stable water levels. Try trolling a crankbait or a crawler on a three-way rig. White Bass – Good: White bass schools are chasing minnows along channel edges. Yellow Perch – Good: Look for perch on the edge of weed beds. Catch larger perch with a minnow fished just off the bottom.

Mississippi River Pool 14
Tailwater stage is 5.91 feet at Lock and Dam 13 and has been rising the past few days. Flood stage is 16 feet. Main channel water temperature is around 71 degrees Bluegill – Fair: Look for bluegills in the backwaters and side channels around brush piles. Use pieces of worm under a bobber. Channel Catfish – Fair: Try fishing on the upstream side of brush piles and snags along the main channel and side channels and on the wing-dams. Use stink bait, crawlers or cut bait upstream of structure. Largemouth Bass – No report: Use spinner baits or frog imitation lures along the edges of weeds. Smallmouth Bass – No report: Find smallmouths along rock lines with some current; use small crankbaits or spinners. Walleye – Fair: Look for walleyes on the wing-dams. Try fishing with three-way rigs with crawlers. Cast or troll crankbaits on the wing-dams. White Bass – No Report: Try small spinners or jigs and twister tails in the tailwaters or in between wing-dams. Rocky points with current can hold white bass. White Crappie – No Report: Look for crappies in the backwaters and side channels around brush piles and snags; use minnows under a bobber or jigs and minnows.

For the full report, visit the DNR’s website here.