The 2026 Iowa Walleye Challenge features exciting new ways for anglers to compete, connect, and contribute to fisheries science and management across the Midwest.
This event uses the mobile app MyCatch, where anglers report catches and trips to qualify for prizes. The $25 entry fee includes a $20 Discount Tackle gift certificate for every angler who reports a valid trip. Prize categories include Weekly Challenges, Random Draw Prizes, Most Fish Caught, Most Waterbodies Fished, Captain Prizes, Early Bird Prizes, and Longest Walleye.
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The weekly fishing report is broken down by fisheries regions and management districts – Mississippi River, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest.
Use the new search and filter options to check the activity of your favorite lake, pond, river and stream within each region, including which species are being caught, a rating of the bite (slow, fair, good or excellent), and simple tips and tricks for targeting those fish.
Lake Darling Management District
- Contact Person: Vance Polton – 319-694-2430
For more information on these lakes and ponds, call the Lake Darling Fisheries at 319-694-2430. Last updated on 03/04/2026
- Water Temperature (°F): 50.0
- Ramp Condition: Useable
Water temperature is about 50 degree, is starting to fall with the cold rain (April 1-2).
- Largemouth Bass – Fair: On sunny warm (70+) days, anglers were picking up bass along the north side along the more open shoreline where the sun could get in to warm the water.
Jefferson Co. Park New Pond (Jefferson)
- Ramp Condition: Not applicable
There are still plenty of trout left in the lake to catch. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.
- Rainbow Trout – Good: They have had time to settle down. Using bobber and bait is working better; try corn, powerbait, or worms. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.
- Water Temperature (°F): 50.0
- Ramp Condition: Useable
Water temperature is around 50 degrees.
- Black Crappie – Good: Anglers were catching 10-inch crappies in 10 to 12 feet of water earlier this week. They are using sonar to find scattered schools of fish and then jigging just over the top of them to catch them before moving on to the next school.
- Largemouth Bass – Fair: A few more boats are chasing bass on sunny warm days. Anglers are catching some decent bass up to the 4 pounds. Try working the lures slow and shallow along sun heated rocks.
- Water Temperature (°F): 51.0
- Ramp Condition: Useable
Water temperature is 51 degrees. The lake is coming up and is a little more turbid with the heavy rain (April1-2). Water clarity is 2-3 feet.
- Black Crappie – Fair: Anglers are picking up crappies in the shallow water around the brush piles and the steeper rock shorelines. Concentrate your efforts on where the sun hits the structure to warm the water.
- Largemouth Bass – Fair: Bass continue to come into the shallows on the few sunnier days, but quickly return to deeper water on cooler days. Soft plastics and jigs worked slowly work best this time of year. Target the areas of the lake where the sun and wind hit the same stretches of shoreline.
- Water Temperature (°F): 45.0
- Ramp Condition: Useable
There are still plenty of trout left in the lake to catch. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout. Minnows are not allowed as bait in this lake.
- Rainbow Trout – Good: Even though good numbers of trout were caught the first day, there are many more still waiting to be caught. Work the fish habitat not to far off shore with a worm and bobber or small jigs tipped with red worms. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.
- Water Temperature (°F): 45.0
- Ramp Condition: Useable
The middle (Red Barn) boat dock is in. The other docks are getting repaired and should be in the water shortly.
- Largemouth Bass – Fair: 10- to 12-inch bass are moving into shallower water and feeding. Target the shorelines where the wind is blowing in. Larger bass are hanging out around the habitat in a little deeper water yet.
- Walleye – Slow: Walleyes are cruising along the rock shorelines down along the lower end of the lake in the evening. Troll a live bait rig about 15 to 20 feet from shore at a fairly slow speed along the rocks where the wind blows into shore.
- Ramp Condition: Useable
There are still plenty of trout left in the lake to catch. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.
Rainbow Trout – Excellent: Now that the trout have found homes in the lake, look for them around the cedar trees not too far out from shore or in the “corners” of the lake. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.
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Macbride Management District
- Contact Person: D. J. Vogeler or Chris Mack – 319-624-3615
Coralville Reservoir (Johnson)
- Ramp Condition: Useable
- Black Crappie – Fair
- Bluegill – Good: Use a piece of worm along rock shorelines.
- Channel Catfish – Slow
- Green Sunfish – Good: Use a piece of worm along rock shorelines.
- Largemouth Bass – Slow: Try fishing along rock shorelines or brush piles in coves.
- White Crappie – Fair
- Ramp Condition: Not applicable
- Rainbow Trout – Fair; You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.
- Ramp Condition: Useable
- Black Crappie – Slow
- Bluegill – Slow
- Largemouth Bass – Slow
- Ramp Condition: Useable
- Black Crappie – Good
- Largemouth Bass – Good
Iowa River (Coralville Lake to River Junction) (Johnson)
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- Water Temperature (°F): 52.0
- Ramp Condition: Useable
- Channel Catfish – Fair
- Sauger – Slow
- Walleye – Fair
- White Bass – Fair
- Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Fair
Iowa River (Marshalltown to Coralville Lake) (Iowa)
- Ramp Condition: Useable
- Channel Catfish – Slow
- Walleye – Fair: Try fishing in creek mouths.
- White Bass – Slow
- Wiper (Hybrid Striped Bass) – Slow
- Water Temperature (°F): 50.0
- Ramp Condition: Useable
- Largemouth Bass – Fair
- Spotted bass – Slow
- White Crappie – Fair: Look for suspended fish around brush piles in 10-18 feet of water.
- Ramp Condition: Not applicable
- Rainbow Trout – Fair; You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.
- Ramp Condition: Not applicable
- Rainbow Trout – Fair: You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.
North Ridge Park Pond (Johnson)
- Ramp Condition: Not applicable
- Rainbow Trout – Fair: You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.
- Ramp Condition: Useable
Beach, shelter and cabin docks are reported in.
Wapsipinicon River (Troy Mills to Oxford Junction) (Jones)
- Ramp Condition: Useable
- Smallmouth Bass – Slow
- Walleye – Fair
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Rathbun Management District
- Contact Person: Rathbun Fish Hatchery personnel – 641-647-2406
Water temperature is in the mid-40s. Last updated on 04/02/2026
- Ramp Condition: Useable
Target channel catfish early spring.
- Ramp Condition: Useable
Target channel catfish along wind-blown shorelines.
- Ramp Condition: Useable
- Channel Catfish – Slow: Try cut bait or dead minnows.
- Largemouth Bass – Good: Anglers report catching largemouth bass. Target the rip-rapped shorelines using plastics or spinnerbaits.
- Ramp Condition: Useable
Channel catfish are usually the first fish to catch in the spring.
Ottumwa Park Pond South (Trout Pond) (Wapello)
- Ramp Condition: Not applicable
Anglers report that mornings and evenings are the best bite. Use gold rooster tails or other in-line spinners. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.
- Water Temperature (°F): 46.0
- Ramp Condition: Useable
Lake level is 904.65 msl; recreation pool is 904 msl. Boat ramps are open; campgrounds are still closed. Lake Rathbun contains zebra mussels; clean, drain and dry your boat before going to another water body.
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