The water levels in all of our rivers were the most stable they have been in years. The temperatures have also been moderate with no really unseasonable weather, so the catching in our area has been “seasonally” early and good.

On a trip to the Iowa City area, I stopped at the Coralville Reservoir and Lake Macbride. In talking to both shore and boat fishermen, I found they were taking more and larger fish than in past years.

In early July at Coralville, white and black crappies are being taken off shallow rock and woody water using tube jigs with small spinners or very small crankbaits in bright colors or white. In the morning while it is cool, fish the shallow rocky areas or the wood. As it warms, move deeper and work the brush piles along the banks. At Lake Macbride, black crappies are feeding in the same rock and wood areas taking the same baits as Coralville. Largemouth bass are off the bank on the cooler days and move in on warmer days, hitting best on smaller crankbaits. Walleyes are still active, taking spinnerbaits and crankbaits on a faster troll. Shore fishermen are taking mostly crappies and panfish using either small crankbaits or bits of worm.

IOWA

Clinton
The drum are in, and worms on a sliding sinker in the current are the most effective. Smaller largemouth bass are hanging in the tailwaters with the larger ones still in the backwaters. Catfish here are still taking cut bait and are in deep holes, around bridge abutments and in undercuts in the backwaters. A few anglers have been successful taking catfish on dip baits and chicken livers. There were no reports on crappies or panfish.

Davenport

Black crappies in the 9- to 10-inch range are being caught regularly in the new lake at Lost Grove. Off Credit Island, at the downstream end, they are taking eating-sized catfish on dip bait, shrimp, chicken livers and bits of dog food squeezed onto a hook on a three-way rig. In Sylvan Slough there are a lot of drum along the Moline-side cement wall. Use nightcrawlers or several red worms under a bobber floating close to the wall. Take the fish quickly; drum spook easily and the whole school will disappear for an hour or more.

Dubuque
Walleyes are still hanging near the wing dams, but they are no longer aggressively feeding. Largemouths are off the beds and taking crankbaits off points and structure. In the backwaters, especially where there is floating vegetation, they want “frogs” or rattlebaits. Drum are being caught everywhere on worms, with the larger ones taking large crawfish both from boats and the shore. At Spring Lake, the bass fishing is very good. A few pike have been taken out of this pool and this fishery should improve for the next month. The catfish have been slow to go from cut bait to the usual summer stink baits, shrimp and chicken livers. There seems to be excellent populations of drum, catfish and pike in this pool.

Muscatine
Deep Lake has a lot of panfish, some nice-sized fish and many small ones that bite on red worms or bits of nightcrawlers. Crappies are being taken off brush piles in the backwaters using small minnows under a bobber, or on jigs or plastic. The only walleyes taken is this pool came on trolling crankbaits off the GPC facility. Catfish are biting early and late, but are almost nonexistent midday.

Rathbun
Crappie fishing started picking up early in June and seems only to be getting better. They are hitting minnow-tipped jigs or minnows under a bobber along the shoreline where there is good structure. Walleyes are not biting now. Channel catfish are hitting on cut bait and nightcrawlers where water flows into the lake or where there is a good riffle on top.

ILLINOIS

Carbon Cliff
The Rock River is once again the place to fish locally for the big cats almost all day long. They are biting on small bluegills, large shiner minnows and large gobs of nightcrawlers. The walleye bite has slowed and few are being caught. Panfish are abundant and taking all of the usual baits. This time of year you can find them in backwaters, farm ponds, the Canal and small lakes. Drum is abundant, and they are hitting worms of all kinds and are everywhere.

Dixon
Nice-sized drum are biting on gobs of nightcrawlers below slip bobbers. The carp have turned very active, even aggressive. They want dough balls, worms, liver, corn or stink baits on a three-way held at or just above the bottom. Even large carp have smaller mouths; keep your baits no larger than a peach pit. The catfish are more plentiful this year and will hit on chicken livers, stink baits, worms or shrimp close to the bottom below the dams. Walleyes are just about done until the water cools this fall.

Milan
At Sunset, crappies and bluegills are still holding in the deeper, shaded water along the riprap on the “river” side of the lake. On the opposite shore they are around the tree roots and under cuts laying in the shade, but are taking minnows or small worms at the edge of sunny water. Both shore and boat fishermen are taking drum on red worms. Again, for boaters the wall along the Moline shore in Sylvan Slough holds the most drum almost any day. If you are shore fishing, try areas where there is a sharp drop, along the wall on the Davenport riverfront and off the riprap above Sunset just off the Rock Island Boat club. Most catfish are coming on gobs of nightcrawlers early in the morning or late in the evening.

Rock Island
Channel cats are being caught just off the main channel where Sunset empties into the Mississippi. Stink baits, cheese and nightcrawlers seem to be the best. The warmer the weather, the more likely these fish will move to the deeper water between the mouth of the Rock River and I-280 Bridge abutments. Sylvan Slough seems to still have a few walleyes, as well as the wing dams off Credit Island either jigging or trolling smaller crankbaits. The run on carp at the steel dam is over. While the Rock is still good wading below the low-head steel dam, the really big carp and cats are gone. Most stringers are mixed and include everything from cats to white bass. At Lake Storey in Galesburg, Ill., the panfish have moved from shallows to deeper water. Use small minnows or red worms under a bobber set at least 3 feet deep and cast it out away from shore at midday. Early morning, the bluegills and crappies will still feed along the grassy shorelines. The riprap along Ben Butterworth Parkway near the old 34th Street boat launch on upstream to the footbridge holds catfish all summer. They take worms under a bobber walked along the shoreline where the water is 1 foot or more deep and less than 2 feet out or they also bite on worms on a three-way placed 2 to 3 feet from shore early, and at 6 feet or more later in the day.

Have a fishing question for Bess Pierce? Email to: Gemini2624@aol.com.

ILLINOIS

Carbon Cliff Bait Shop 309-792-3460

Bunny’s Bait Shop 815-288-2912

Lundeen’s Landing and Campground 309-751-9766

E-Z Livin’ Sports Center and Bait Shop 309-787-2244or

Croegaert’s Great Outdoors 309-788-4868

Cajun Sports Bait and Tackle 815-667-4222

IOWA

R & R Bait Shop 563-243-4696

Credit Island Bait Shop 563-326-3370

Gone Fishin’ 563-593-2071

Rathbun Dam Site Station 641-724-3300

Babe’s 563-264-9862