The common name, “walleye”, comes from the fact that their eyes, like those of lions, reflect white light. Black Hawk Lake is a 957-acre lake located in Sac County, Iowa, in the town of Lake View. Don't let the legend of Spirit Lake keep you away. The jigging spoons that worked best for me the past couple winters haven’t produced so far this time around, so I’ve dipped deeper into my box of walleye tackle. Walleyes are basically bottom feeders, but don’t ignore those fish that suspend over drop-offs in deep lakes. Located in Buena Vista County, Storm Lake covers 3,097 acres and has a max depth of 20 feet. “Crank baits or worm harnesses are best during the heat of the summer and well into the fall.”. We would rate this fishery right behind … We hope you have found our list of best places for Walleye fishing in Iowa to be useful in planning your next adventure. East and West Okoboji, Dickinson County. The lake is stocked with walleye fry to keep it fully populated. “For walleye harvest to improve, we need a substantial yellow perch year class which all depends on Mother Nature.”. However some of the best walleye fishing is still ahead of us. Crappie are here too and don’t forget about the muskie. Check out the Top 5 walleye lakes I listed for a fall fishing excursion to put some eyes in the boat. In 2008 the lake had a charted depth of 20.4 feet and covered over 3000 acres. J. D. Adelmund/Flickr. It is important that boaters remain aware of the dredge operation and remain at least 100 feet away from the dredge, booster pump and dredge piping at all times. Casting jigs tipped with a leech or minnow into the shallows during the spring spawn will produce positive result, so keep that in mind when you make plans next spring to visit this walleye hot spot. 2. So they get updated on the walleye project and that info is passed on through social media and forums.”. Medium weight line and tackle is the best choice for walleye anglers. Walleye fishing comes with restrictions. Stony Point can be very good as well. The Mississippi River is a great walleye fishery. During fishing season, knowing what part of the lake has the best catch will land you the best results The more experienced anglers already know which equipment will yield the best results. Some of the best summer walleye fishing is provided by suspended fish. To the west it drops of rather quickly but fairly shallow towards the island. crappie and the perch. vandenn/Flickr. Fishing and the great outdoors go hand in hand, when it comes to searching for the best fishing lakes in the midwest. “Drifting or dragging a 1/16 to 1/8 ounce jig tipped with your choice of crawler, leech or minnow will put fish in the boat most of the year”, continued the guide. The fry carry the lake throughout the coming years. In 2017, a 28-inch, 12-pound walleye was caught in Big Creek Lake by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Another vital part of the Clear Lake restoration plan is improving Ventura Marsh. If you like fishing in the warm summer months, Rathbun Lake is a good fishing spot in Iowa. Those are stocked every fall. Looking for a fishing experience on the Iowa Great Lakes, let Great Lakes Guide Service be your guide. All Rights Reserved. This lake also carries the same restrictions as Clear Lake. Walleye's run about 15 inches in this lake. We’ve listed some of the top spots in Iowa for fishing for walleye. Many walleye anglers think the time to hit the waters is during the spring and early summer months, and they would be right. Clear Lake underwent a dredging project that began in the summer of 2008 and was completed by the fall of 2009. If this is your first trip to Iowa, plan ahead and do your research for the best camping spots. Preserve and pass on this great resource we have here in Iowa. If you plan to bring the family they have campgrounds, beaches, and playgrounds. The fish that you will catch at Rathbun Lake are bred at a fish hatchery. PLEASE don’t get me wrong, all of the above mentioned tactics are proven walleye catchers, but, are they the best tactic for the situation. When I moved to the Iowa Great Lakes in 1999 I was able to renew a love affair with the smallmouth bass. If you catch one between 17 and 22 inches it must be released immediately. Dozens of access points are available for boaters and anglers. “It’s also been a great public relations tool for us as well. “The vertical bars, or what looks like an 11 are from the 2012 stocking, and the 0 or O are from 2013. As the weather warms and the weedlines start appearing target outside those weedlines with jigs tipped with a minnow or leech. “This is a great lake for fall fishing, especially for those that are looking for table fare”, said Paul. Just west of the city park in College there is an area where there’s an island straight out from shore. If you catch bigger walleyes you will be subjected to protected species rules. Afterward, the lake was the replenished with various species of fish including the highly sought-after walleye. These replicas will last a life time versus real mounts that may last up to 15 years. Some of the best walleye action is taking place at night and by anglers willing to get away from the crowds. Trolling crawler harnesses and crank baits work well in Spirit Lake during the summer and fall. This lake can be considered a year round lake for taking walleye. Find a spot near the Scott Street Dam to cast your line. Equipped with our highly expert team Specializing in panfish, walleye, northern pike, bass and trophy musky. Some of the more popular spots are at Casino Bay, where you can walk down to the inlet and wade out toward the island. Copyright ©2014- 2021 Hennings Tackle, LLC | Website Design By: Emagine, LLC, Land loads of walleye this spring with these tips, Why You Need a Variety of Jigs In Your Tackle Box, Equipping for Success: How to Find the Best Fishing Rod for You, Get Hooked! “Fishing for walleye during the spring opener on Spirit Lake can be great fun”, said Kevan Paul of Kevan Paul’s Guide Service. During a recent outing I caught and released a 24 inch walleye. For Central Iowa anglers, Big Creek Lake is a rising walleye fishery. Dickinson County is also home to West Okoboji Lake totaling 3,847 surface acres and a maximum depth of 134 feet where walleye are in abundance. However some of the best walleye fishing is still ahead of us. West Okoboji Lake. One of the main reasons these walleye fisheries remain so viable is due to the efforts of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Management Team. “Clear Lake has been great this year! Daytime walleye activity in the majority of areas has been almost non-existent, especially on the weekends when lake traffic has been insanely high. Although it is a manmade reservoir, it is one of the largest lakes in Iowa. “We had a great gillnetting season in 2014”, said Iowa Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Research Biologist Jonathan Meerbeek. Storm Lake also has boat access and is also an excellent place for shore fishing. This “eyeshine” is the result of a light-gathering layer in the eyes called the HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapetum_lucidum” \o “Tapetum lucidum”tapetum lucidum, which allows the fish to see well in low-light conditions. If you are planning to do walleye fishing in Iowa along West Okoboji Lake there are a few things you should know in advance. Storm Lake can be found in Buena Vista County. “Some of the anglers that were out targeting walleye during the spring did rather well, and that success can be expected throughout the fall.”, This year the Iowa DNR did some gillnet surveying for the first time at Brushy Creek. Creating memories while fishing with his father and grandfather on the river laid the groundwork for his love of sport fishing. The Okoboji’s are much more diverse and the food options are a little broader. In his late teens, Marty caught the “walleye bug” that he still has today. If you're looking for reliable locations with plenty of walleye fishing in Iowa, the Des Moines... 2. These fish are masters of staying out of plain sight. You'll have plenty of fish to try their skills at catching the popular fish. In addition, Big Spirit Lake, East Okoboji, West Okoboji and Storm Lake are home to the female walleyes that give up their eggs each year so Iowa’s hatcheries can raise the millions of walleye fry and fingerlings needed to … A 6 or 6 ½ foot medium or medium-heavy graphite casting rod with 8 - 10 pound-test works well for trolling larger crankbaits or 3-way rigs. “Reports have been coming in from anglers this year and walleye fishing has been very good,” continued Flammang. The lake underwent a massive renovation and clean-up about six years ago. There are some very good walleye in Big Creek, noted by an 8.9lb fish caught during the gillnet surveys this spring. Viking Lake, Montgomery County. A COUPLE MORE OPTOINS This spring and early summer I spent quite a number of days out on the lake targeting walleye. Anglers are catching these branded fish and calling in asking for information. Storm Lake by far is one of the more popular walleye lakes for shore anglers and those that enjoy wading. “We’ll use more nets and shorter nets due to the fact that the shoreline drops off so quickly in Brushy Creek.”. Jigs, jigs tipped with minnows or leeches and baits you can cast and control depth are your best bet. Brushy Creek Lake is made for walleye anglers that enjoy chasing after these fish with a jig or crankbait. Brushy Creek Lake is a part of Brushy Creek State Park. Though many of the fish that were caught during those trips were less than 15 inches, several had freeze brands on them. The walleye season on Spirit Lake is open from the beginning of May to the following February of each year. Walleye season runs from the first Saturday in May through Valentine's Day, the following year. Also note that there are special restrictions on daily bag limits as well as a slot limit for walleye. There are two kinds of walleye anglers in central Iowa. “Both Spirit Lake and Okoboji lakes walleye catch rates were great. Researchers estimate his age to be around 10 years. The lake is full of habitat and not very friendly for those that enjoy trolling. At the time of this writing the water levels were quite high and warnings for floating debris were issued, boating was not recommended. “In the coming years, this lake will definitely be an up and comer”, said Dodd. A smaller group of walleye hunters will cheerfully wave goodbye to their lakebound brethren, grab a pocketful of jigs, and head for a … Walleye Fishing Guided Trips Guided Walleye Fishing trips can be tailored to the novice or experienced fisherman, and our packages can accommodate businesses or family outings. Location is important if you are planning a fishing expedition that includes walleye fish. “Most anglers are limiting their harvest to 15 inches,” noted the biologist. This great specimen was caught by Gloria Eoriatti, from Ankeny Iowa and weighed 14 pounds, 8 ounces. Walleye anglers also know that the ability to see in low light means fishing can extend well into the night. Our Walleye trips take place on Lake Francis Case above the Fort Randall Dam in Pickstown, South Dakota. In Iowa, walleye tend to be found in the summer near drop-offs, by dams near any stone rip-rap, around sunken islands, and throughout flooded creek channels. If it’s a trophy fish, consider a replica mount. The 2018 walleye fishing effort was estimated by creel surveys to be 2.4 million hours, with the harvest ending up at 1.972 million fish in Ohio. “The Spirit Lake fishery has had its ups and downs”, continued Meerbeek.