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Member
Posts: 110
| Mississippi River Pools 9 to 15: Water levels on the Mississippi River are reaching normal summer levels and projected to remain steady or drop slightly during the next week. Water clarity is excellent and main channel water temperature has risen steadily to 77 degrees as of Monday. River stages are 8.3 feet at Lansing, 6.0 feet at Guttenberg, 8.3 feet in Dubuque and 6.0 feet at Bellevue. Fishing continues to be outstanding.
Bluegills are moving off their spawning beds in the backwater areas in Pools 9 to 15 and heading towards areas with slight current. Bluegills are being caught on a piece of night crawler floated under a bobber in the shallow areas along the shoreline or a small jig fished onto the spawning bed. The pocket areas at the Lynxville (Lock and Dam 9) and Guttenberg (Lock and Dam 10) have been outstanding spots for bluegill. In addition, the wing dam areas near the shore have been excellent producers. To catch the last bluegills still on spawning nests, try backwater areas such as Black Hawk Park (Pool 9), Bussey Lake and the Sny Magill complex (Pool 10) and Swift Slough (Pool 11).
Freshwater drum (sheephead) fishing is excellent in Pools 9 to 15. These fish are being caught in the tailwater areas and along the main channel by fishing a night crawler on the bottom.
Walleye fishing has been good in Pools 9 to 11 and hit or miss in Pools 12 to 15 with many different weather fronts moving through the area. There can be a one to two day lull in the walleye fishing after a weather front moves through. When biting, walleye fishing has been good to excellent. Anchor above the wing dams and cast crankbaits or jigs over the top of the dam and work it back to the boat. Try trolling crankbaits near the closing dams for actively feeding walleye. Three-ways with floaters or spinners tipped with half of a night crawler or a leech also are effective.
Largemouth bass fishing has been good to excellent throughout Pools 12 to 15 using a variety of baits and lures including shad and crawfish imitating crankbaits, spinner baits and soft plastics. The key is to focus on structure. Look for areas with rock, wood or vegetation or try to find spots with a combination of these. For example, a snag along a rip rapped shoreline or a stump next to vegetation are good bass hangouts. Or try throwing spinner baits along the weed edges for hungry bass.
Smallmouth bass are being caught along rocky shorelines with current and associated along wing dams in Pools 12 to 15.
Fishing has picked up for channel catfish on night crawlers and stink baits fished along the upper sides of snags in deeper water in Pools 9 to 15. Channel catfish can also be caught along rocky shorelines floating a night crawler under a bobber.
Many other fish species are being caught and will continue to provide excellent localized fishing. These fish include rock bass, white bass and flathead catfish. All these species are predaceous fish eaters and will hit on a variety of jigs and spinners.
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IA River Report