Fishing

I have fished for walleye for quite a few years and have fished honey holes all over Iowa. Some of the best places are closer to home than most people think. Their are so many overlooked hot spots to fish in Iowa without any heavy fishing pressure. The Cedar River and Wapsipinicon are two of my favorite rivers to fish. I like to use a 1/4 ounce jig head with a stinger hook tipped with a half a nightcrawler. Sometimes I use a worm harness with two hooks and a bright colored blade with a 1/8 ounce worm sinker slipped above a small swivel. I look for sandbar drop offs and deep outer corners when fishing for walleye. The Cedar River between the Brandon Bridge (Highway D65) and Minneastima Park is my favorite stretch of river to fish. This stretch of river has many sandbar drop offs and long stretches to troll. I have caught many walleyes weighing 6 pounds plus through this stretch of river. Sometimes catching 5 to 8 fish in one hole. On most outings in this stretch of river hooking 20 to 50 walleyes is not uncommon. The best times to fish are from sunrise to around 11:00 am and from around 4:00 pm to sunset. My next favorite spot is the Wapsipinicon River from Three Elms Park (Independence) to about 3/4 mile south of the Highway 20 Bridge. I have caught many walleye in the 2 to 4 pound range through this stretch of river. The walleye seem to run a little smaller in the Wapsi than in the Cedar, but you can expect to catch more walleye in the Wapsi. Both rivers can be fished from shore, but a small boat or canoe can make your chances of catching your limit easier.