Fishing Iowa’s Big Three

Fishing Iowa’s Big Three

By Ben Leal

There’s nothing like taking the boat out on a big body of water and exploring the endless possibilities available to not only anglers but to recreational boaters, skiers, windsurfing, sailing; the list goes on. We’re going to explore exploring the big three here in Iowa, Saylorville Lake, Red Rock Lake, and Rathbun Lake.

Reservoirs
Let’s take a few minutes here to look at why we have these three large reservoirs here in the state of Iowa. At the time of this writing, Iowa’s rivers are swelling from the onslaught of runoff from melting snow and spring rains. Some of the rivers have large amounts of ice floating and create ice jams.Between January and February, Iowa broke a 107-year-old record with the most snow in 40 days since the year the Titanic sank. February was also the snowiest in Des Moines history accumulating over 25 inches in the short 28 days of the month. As all of that snow begins to melt, it will find its way into the Des Moines River and eventually into our reservoirs.

Iowa’s flood control reservoirs are there to help mitigate some of the floodings downstream along the Des Moines River. “While flooding is a big issue with our reservoirs, they are there to store floodwaters and are serving their function”, noted Iowa DNR Fisheries Management Biologist Mark Flammang. “Unfortunately sometimes when we have high discharges it can impact important game fish populations like walleye. These are multi-purpose lakes, with the primary purpose being flood control downstream.  With that said, we work closely with the US Army Corps of Engineers to try to reduce the impacts of floodwater discharge on these fisheries.”

Flood control reservoirs can provide quality and diverse angling opportunities. “These systems are dynamic, so it can be difficult for anglers to develop successful patterns,” adds Iowa DNR Fisheries Management Biologist Ben Dodd. “Incoming and outgoing flow rates affect water clarity and water levels.  These changes can be significant and alter the system in a matter of a few days, altering fish behavior.”

Given the nature and real purpose of these reservoirs fishing as a whole can be a challenge. As I’ve already noted at the beginning of this piece all three of Iowa’s flood control reservoirs are above normal pool and rising. So as the lake levels change we’ll need to change our strategies on where we look for fish, especially as we target walleye and crappie for the spring spawn. Another side benefit of these high water events is that fish that normally would have been caught at a normal pool level won’t be, giving them another year to grow and the year class tends to be much better in terms of size after a few years.

Saylorville Lake
Located on the north edge of Des Moines, this lake covers 4,970 acres with a mean maximum depth of 44 feet. There are quite a few boat ramps and parking areas. Saylorville Marina is also available for boat storage, boat rental, engine repair, fuel, and other amenities you might need for a day out on the water.

“Anglers tend to focus on Black and White Crappie, White Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass (Wiper), Walleye and Channel Catfish”, notes Dodd. “Best times to fish for black and white crappie are in the spring as well as the fall, while white bass, hybrid striped bass (wiper) and channel catfish are good in the summer months”.

Red Rock Reservoir
This is the largest flood control reservoir in the State. Covering approximately 15,250 acres this large body of water provides ample opportunities for both angling and recreational boating at the same time. Located four miles north of Knoxville, amenities include boat ramps, boat rental, a marina to assist with boating needs, camping concessions and accessible facilities.

Like Saylorville, this lake is full of crappie, white bass, hybrid striped bass, and channel catfish. Both of these lakes can prove to be challenging regardless of the time of year or whether or not we’re having high water events, but this remains true, the fish are there and they can be found. May take a bit more effort at times than others, but it certainly can be done.
On a personal note and observation, one thing to keep in mind about both of these large bodies of water as you consider launching your boat in search of your favorite quarry. During high water events and years such as we’re seeing in the spring of 2019 underwater hazards will exist and can be numerous and very large. Tree’s that have fallen into the lake can lie submerged just below the surface of the water can prove to be incredibly dangerous. Large logs and other debris can pose the same hazard. Check with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Iowa DNR for reports of some of these hazards.

Rathbun Reservoir
Located in Appanoose County and eight miles northwest of Centerville, this is the second largest flood control reservoir in the State covering 11,000 acres with a maximum depth of 50 feet. Like the other two, amenities here are ample. This lake is also home to the Honey Creek Resort where families can find year-round fun.

“Crappie is the most-sought and most harvested fish on Rathbun”, said Flammang. “Each year about 50% of Rathbun anglers are seeking crappies.  Our crappie year class strength is driven by spring high water.  About 4 years after a high water year you can anticipate catching a lot of 9+ inch crappies.”

Walleye are the second most sought species on Rathbun, about 25-40% of anglers seek walleye, depending on the year. “Walleye have been a bit up and down in recent years.  Excellent year classes in recent years meant that angling in 2018 was excellent and we had great success.  The fishery has shown great signs of recovery”, adds Flammang.

Channel catfish come in all sizes at Rathbun and abundance is very high.  About 10% of anglers are after catfish each year and they are rarely disappointed. The hybrid striped bass (wiper) fishery is really growing fast and it’s attracting some great attention.  These fish are abundant and growing well.  “Fish up to 7 pounds were captured in 2018 and I personally plan to break that 10 lb mark in 2019!” expressed the biologist.

“Weather is sometimes a factor on a large reservoir that people are able to avoid on smaller lakes, in particular, wind,” adds Flammang. “With that said, on Rathbun we have two large arms that offer areas for anglers to get away from the wind.”

Tips & Strategies
Targeting some of these game fish, as we’ve noted, can be a challenge depending on the year and the level of the lake. In the spring, however, crappie and walleye will spawn. The key points are to look for areas, not necessarily those that you’ve fished in the past, but rather where fish would be attracted to based on the underwater topography. Creek channels adjacent to shallow flats where crappie will cut out spawning beds will be your best bet. Small jigs tipped with a minnow or just a small jig with a plastic that imitates a minnow will do the trick. Crappie also tend to migrate to wooded areas where they can find cover and protection from some of the predatory fish in the lake. Again, look for flooded timber along creek channels where they can shoot into deeper water if the need to flee arises.

Walleye, especially in the spring, early in the spring I might add, will also be shallow. These fish will migrate to spawning areas in sometimes less than a foot of water. These fish are the first to move when water temps warm to a balmy 44 to 48 degrees. They can be aggressive feeders at this time and your chances of hooking into a personal best walleye can be pretty good. Just remember that if you do hook into a personal best that it’s probably a female full of eggs so C.P.R. (Catch, Photo & Release) the fish preserving the genetics in the fishery. Minnow-imitating crankbaits, jigs, jig and minnow or minnow alone will do the trick. Later on in the year, trolling with worm harness and the aforementioned crankbaits can be very productive as well.

When the water warms the white bass and wiper fishing also heat up. You can troll for these fish using any variety of crankbaits, but the best colors and or patterns are those that look like shad. Most common is the gizzard shad with the black spot just behind the gill plate. I’ve used shallow running square billed crankbaits casting shallow, reeling to deeper water with great success. They are fun to catch and plentiful. Use a light spinning combo and you’ll have hours of fun. If you find yourself out on the lake during a breezy day, look for areas where the wind has been blowing into the shoreline. Shad have a hard time fighting against the current created by the wind and will stack up along windblown shorelines. Where the shad are so are the predatory fish.

Getting to know where to fish in the systems can be a challenge, but the reward is well worth the effort in the long run. Remember to use extreme caution on these large bodies of water, especially during high water events, or even after a heavy spring or summer rain. Floating hazards below the surface of the water can and do exist and should be considered as you move around the lake.

Remember to limit your catch, don’t catch your limit…take someone new out fishing and introduce them to the sport, young or old, they’ll be hooked for a lifetime. Tight Lines All!