Iowa Big Bass Fisher

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The National Fish Habitat Action Plan has unveiled the 2010 10 “Waters to Watch” list, a collection of rivers, streams, lakes and watershed systems that will benefit from strategic conservation efforts to protect, restore or enhance their current condition.

The 10 “Waters to Watch” are representative of freshwater to marine waters across the country including lakes and reservoirs that are improving through the conservation efforts of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan-a bold initiative to reverse persistent declines in aquatic habitat.

The Action Plan’s 10 “Waters to Watch” Initiative was first unveiled in 2007 through its Fish Habitat Partnerships. Since 2006, the Fish and Wildlife Service has provided $8.5 million to support 188 on-the-ground projects in 36 states, leveraging $20 million in partner match, to address the priorities of the Fish Habitat Partnerships, along with funding from several other State and Federal Agencies and NGO’s.

Diamond Lake, Iowa -(National Fish Habitat Partnership – Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership)

This project focuses on improving water quality by shifting the lake to a clear water state using water-level management to consolidate bottom sediments, re-establish aquatic plants, and control common carp populations. The restoration of Diamond Lake is Iowa’s inaugural shallow lake restoration project providing resource management professionals with experience and expertise for managing shallow lakes. The project also provides stakeholders a demonstration of the restoration potential for other shallow lakes.

The only other nearby lake named on the list was Lake Vermilion, in MN.

This restoration project, under the Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership, through the National Fish Habitat Action Plan involves Diamond Lake, a 166-acre shallow natural lake in northwest Iowa. Historical records indicate this lake once had a thriving and diverse aquatic plant community, clear water, and a healthy aquatic ecosystem. For the past 80-100 years, however, the lake has exhibited poor water quality, excessive blue-green algal growth, and extremely limited fisheries and wildlife habitat.

This project focuses on improving water quality by shifting the lake to a clear water state using water-level management to consolidate bottom sediments, re-establish aquatic plants, and control common carp populations. The restoration of Diamond Lake is Iowa’s inaugural shallow lake restoration project providing resource management professionals with experience and expertise for managing shallow lakes. The project also provides stakeholders a demonstration of the restoration potential for other shallow lakes.

During winter 2006-07, the initial efforts to enhance this 166-acre basin were completed with the installation of a drawdown tile designed to allow the lake to be periodically dewatered to eliminate rough fish and to allow for the germination of aquatic plants and consolidation of bottom sediments. A winter rotenone project in January 2008 eliminated the few remaining rough fish in the lake. Excessive rain in late summer 2007 prevented a successful drawdown. However, a successful drawdown was realized in summer 2008 through the continuous use of the drawdown tile and the temporary use of an auxiliary diesel pump, which was purchased with Lake Restoration funds. The outlet of the lake was also lowered about one-half of a foot to a more natural elevation, which will prevent excessive shoreline erosion, tree toppling and should provide for water levels more conducive to aquatic plant growth. Despite a cool spring, re-growth of vegetation did well over the summer.

A “reef” fish barrier was installed during winter 2008-09 to prevent the re-infestation of rough fish into Diamond Lake. The barrier is best described as a flow-through rock weir. At present, the lake contains exceptionally clear water and has diversified stands of emergent vegetation on the lake’s perimeter and sub-mergent vegetation within the lake. Migratory bird use has been excellent with several thousand shore birds and waterfowl observed on the lake during early fall 2009. Fingerling yellow perch were stocked spring 2009 and northern pike will be stocked in 2010.

This is the Diamond Lake in Northern Iowa, off Hwy 86 , not the Diamond Lake near Montezuma, off HWY 63 near Lake Ponderosa.

14th Annual Youth Fishing Derby Pre-registration is at Bacon Creek General Store May 1st – 15th

Children ages 4-12, must preregister for the event, which is being held at Bacon Creek Park on Saturday, June 5. Registration forms are available at Long John Silvers/A&W Restaurant, 4420 Sergeant Road, and the Bacon Creek Country Store, 2520 Gordon Drive.

A parent’s signature and a $5 entry fee are required with a completed registration form. Each participant will receive a new rod and reel, tackle box and tackle, fishing instruction, a shoreline lunch, and a chance to win a new bike in RiverCade’s River City Anglers Casting Contest.

The number of participants for the annual fishing derby is limited, Claeys said, adding that those interested should sign up as soon as possible.

The Hy-Vee Fishing Derby is a fun, free event that is open to the public. With an anticipated visitor attendance of more than 30,000 people, it provides children up to the age of 15 the chance to fish and win prizes.

Funds raised go directly toward Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa’s mentoring programs. The funds will be used to match children with a carefully-screened, caring Big Brother or Big Sister mentor.

Grab your fishing pole and come down to Water Works Park on Saturday, May 15 from 8-1 p.m. to participate- there is no registration for this event. Children can experience the joys of reeling in the “Big Fish” when they participate in the Hy-Vee Fishing Derby. Catch a tagged fish and win a prize of your choice! Fish cleaning stations are available for those who wish to take home the fish. Fishing licenses are not required to participate in the event. Only children under the age of 15 are allowed to fish at Water Works Park on the day of the Derby. All children must be accompanied by a adult.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is looking for more than 200 volunteers to help the day of the Derby.

More information is available here.

The city of Clive may spend roughly $200,000 to build a pond in the Woodcreek neighborhood, near the intersection of Hickman Road and Northwest 156th Street.

At a meeting last week, the Clive City Council voted 5-0 to pay for a topographical survey of the area where the pond would be built. The council will vote on a final plan for the project after the survey is completed.

The council also voted to accept a $99,000 grant for the project from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources as part of the I-Jobs program. The total project cost is estimated to be $250,000 to $300,000.

Community Development Director Doug Ollendike told the council that the pond is an innovative way to manage the stormwater. It will be designed to look like a natural wetlands area.  Hopefully it will be well stocked too! I’d love to have another pond I could bike to, since I always worry about getting run off Lake Halice.

The study is the second one by the Department of Natural Resources. It found increasingly bad air, hunters struggling to find pheasants and rivers still in poor condition. A decline of protected habitat, such as grasslands and woodlands, directly affects the lack of game birds and water quality issues.

In 2009, Iowa saw one of its largest investments in environmental protection and natural resource development. An investment over $100 million, largely a result of federal stimulus funding, I-JOBS and the Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) program, will no doubt have positive effects on our environment, both short term and long term.

On the positive side, fishing license sales increased 14 percent since 2008 and anglers are experiencing record levels of walleye and breaking pan fish harvest records in Iowa’s natural lakes. Also, the number of boats certified in the state increased by 15,000 over the previous year – excluding kayaks traversing 249 miles of water trails that are expected to grow by 930 miles due to increased development.

Also, 2009 saw Iowans return to the campfire with camping activities up 4 percent compared to the previous two to three years – a trend that could be interrupted as state budget cuts will mean fewer seasonal workers and closure of some nonrevenue-generating areas within state parks, he said.

However, sales of hunting licenses dropped due to harsh winters and wet springs that have reduced prospects for turkey and upland game, like pheasants, quail and cottontail rabbits.

The pheasant population is down due to a major hit to habitat linked to a decline of 64,000 acres enrolled in the conservation reserve program (CRP) in 2008 and a 354,000-acre drop since 2007 – marking the lowest level since 2000. Hunters harvested 383,000 birds last year – a drop of more than 248,000.

Water quality in Iowa’s streams made considerable improvement last year, Leopold said, but the overall quality score still remains in the poor category. Meanwhile, 65 of Iowa’s 132 publicly owned lakes that are monitored had good water clarity with the rest of the lakes were a murky, cloudy blend due to sediment and algae as statewide water clarity and nutrient levels remained similar to previous years.

Iowa’s air quality continues to get a little worse every year. The latest report indicated that air pollution levels exceeded public health thresholds 125 times from 2007 to 2009 at sites across Iowa – up 33 percent from the previous reporting period mostly due to high levels of fine particles.

Topping the list of communities with total days exceeding air quality standards during the most-recent reporting period were Davenport with 26, Muscatine with 20, Clinton with 18, Cedar Rapids with 16, Waterloo and Iowa City each with eight, Des Moines with five and Sioux City and Clarion each with four days.

Last year, the state of Iowa’s environment report was issued in a report card format with eight classifications receiving letter grades and the overall status rated at a B minus grade. Leopold said DNR officials decided to dump that format this year because people focused too much attention on the grades rather than the trends and what could be done to change them.

I’ve only posted the information I know. As I find out more I will keep posting it. Good luck!

Event Name:    Lake Series
Event Description:    Open Bass Tournament
Event Date and Time:
05/01/2010 05:00AM to 03:00PM
Location:    Three Mile Lake
Address:    NIGHTHAWK AVE – AFTON, IA, 50830
Organization:    Hawgz Bass Series
Primary Phone:    (515) 297-2501
Organization Email:    j.winkler101@gmail.com
Web Address:    hawgzbassseries.com
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For more information about any of these tournaments e-mail or call the contact listed. Send me some photos of your catch!

April Tournaments:

Event Name:    Iowa Bass Stalkers
Event Description:    Bass Tournament
Event Date and Time:    04/24/2010 08:00AM to 03:00PM
Location:    Lake Anita NE Ramp
Address:    LAKE ANITA STATE PARK
ANITA, IA, 50020
Organization:    Iowa Bass Stalkers
Primary Phone:    (515) 450-0903
Organization Email:    stocky@netins.net
Web Address:   www.iowabassstalkers.com – Rules

Event Name:    Open Team Tournament
Event Description:    open Team Bass Tournament
Event Date and Time:
04/25/2010 07:00AM to 03:00PM
Location:    Three Mile Lake
Address:    NIGHTHAWK AVE
AFTON, IA, 50830
Organization:    Iowa Bass Anglers
Primary Phone:    (712) 830-7745
Organization Email:    steveh@jpfco.biz
Web Address:    iowabassanglers.com

Event Name:    Wednesday night tour
Event Date and Time:
04/28/2010 06:00PM to 08:00PM
Open to Public:    Yes
Location:    West Lake
Address:    IVY ST
OSCEOLA, IA, 50213
Organization:    Rick
Primary Phone:    (641) 342-3953
Organization Email:    mvan@iowatelecom.net

What: Big Mil’s Bait Shop

Where: 913 1/2 W. Mississippi Drive, Muscatine.

Hours: 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Saturday, open until 10 p.m. in the summer.

Phone: 563-517-7320

Big Mil’s Bait Shop opened just in time. Scott’s Outdoors had just closed. Owner Nathan Bleu, 36, and manager Mil Burroughs, 46, recognized the opportunity and jumped on it.

“Mil put the whole thing together,” Bleu said.

“He knows more about fishin’, and I know more about business,” Mil joked. “We’re each other’s bosses.”

Bleu and Burroughs said they hope to have a fishing contest and a “Wall of Shame/Wall of Fame” for smallest and largest Mississippi River catches.

The shop offers a full supply of live bait from nightcrawlers to wax worms to minnows. Bleu said he will be bringing in brown crickets, bullheads and goldfish in the next week.  Burroughs said they will eventually sell beer, too, after they get their liquor license, but for now, fishermen can grab soda and snacks at the shop.

I woke up a little late Sunday and headed down to the Red Rock Spillway. For a while it seemed like everyone was catching fish but me.  I saw a Hybrid Bass get pulled out that must’ve been at least 6 lbs, probably more. Eventually I got frustrated and the old lady wanted to be in the sun, so we moved to the other side.

The moment I walked up, this guy next to me pulled out another big one. This one took 5+ minutes to land because he was using an ultralight pole and a fairly light test. He kept pulling out smaller ones for the rest of the day. For a while, it was pretty slow, lots of snags. Then I finally got a bite and pulled out that Walleye. Definitely made the trip worth it.

Around 4 o’clock some younger kids, probably 14-16 years old come up and with this huge net and I’m thinking to myself, “What do they need that for?”  Then all of the sudden I hear one of the kids screaming. They had a 50-60+ lb bighead carp on the line. They landed this thing and I wish I would’ve gotten a picture. Some 8 year old girls were walking down the path that we are standing on and then they saw this beast and turned around and ran the other way. It was absolutely hilarious.

After the fishing was done, we went and wonder around the woods looking for mushrooms. We didn’t find anything until we got to the car and I had a tick on me! All and all a good day though. Now I have some fresh fertilizer for my garden from the sucker fish I pulled out.