Went out on Saturday, April 10 to Big Creek to fish for a few hours.  I also took my boat out for the first time since it was repaired last season, so I didn’t know what to expect, performance-wise. Especially since I neglected to winterize the engine. It was stored inside though, so I figured it would be alright. Thankfully it was, it started on the second pull, which was a relief, until it stalled out.  After about 5 minutes of pulling it was running smoothly and I was moving!

Anyway, I headed towards the Saylorville Lake Spillway, I didn’t go down the passage to get to it, I stopped near the area you drive by as you enter Big Creek State Park, because I always have luck around there early in the season. The bite was slow but after about 45 minutes I finally had the little guy pictured. Sadly, that was my only catch of the day.

I moved around a couple times and didn’t have any more luck. Oh well, it was great to be on the water, until the clouds rolled in. I should have some better luck next week.

Clear Lake’s long-range fishing forecast showed a marked improvement last week as more than 18,000 9-inch, advanced fall fingerling walleyes were stocked near the reed beds at McIntosh Woods State Park.

Reared at southern Iowa’s Rathbun State Fish Hatchery, the fingerlings began life on natural foods but were then trained to feed on a specially developed dry ration. The protein-rich mixture promotes rapid growth and produces advanced fingerlings that are regarded as “super fish” by anglers who one day hope to put them in the boat and on the table.

“The survival of the fingerlings we stock at this size is almost beyond excellent. Fish like these don’t happen by accident but are the direct result of more than two decades of advanced fisheries research and technology,” said DNR fisheries technician Randy Esser.

Until recently, first-year walleye growth exceeding 6 inches was considered out of the norm and 9-inch fingerlings were simply unheard of. In addition to already achieving the 9-inch growth mark, this year’s crop of “Rathbun Jumbos” currently weigh in at more than a quarter of a pound each — simply incredible for walleyes less than six months of age, said Esser.

According to DNR district fisheries Biologist Scott Grummer, the Rathbun walleye stocking represents the season’s final installment of young gamefish to Clear Lake and is intended to supplement earlier 2009 stockings which included 16 million fry, 55,000 3-inch fingerlings and 18,000 6-inch advanced fingerlings.

“Recent young of the year fish surveys have revealed that the natural reproduction of (food base) forage fish was phenomenal at Clear Lake this year,” said Grummer.

“The lake definitely has food, and the survival and growth rates of these advanced fingerlings should be incredible.

“Under excellent conditions, walleyes can attain the legal 14-inch minimum length limit within four growing seasons. I think these fish will make it in three.”

Other Iowa lakes to receive Rathbun fingerlings this fall are Black Hawk Lake, Lake Icaria, Storm Lake, West Okoboji, Big Creek, Lake Manawa and Lake Sugema. Although original requests called for 200,000 advanced fingerlings, stockings were cut by more than 40,000 walleyes due to budget cuts, said Esser.

Lowell Washburn is with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Map of Big Creek State Park in Iowa

I headed out to Big Creek today from 11am-2pm. The bite was very slow. I fished in the southern half of the lake, casting cranks towards shore and cover  in the various coves on the bottom half of the map. The only fish I caught were a pair of wipers on a popper before we had to get out of there due to weather concerns. We got off the water right as it started to rain.

Oh and you know how they say there are 2 great stories to ever boat? Buying and selling it. Well I’m feeling like that right now because apparently my motor no longer wants to shift out of first gear.

Hopefully next trip I will actually have some fish to show you.

Air Temp  85*

Wind: 5-15 MPH