12/14/23: Area Happenings & Accomplishments

NWI fishing report

Most area water levels are a few inches below crest. Most smaller lakes are covered in a thin layer of ice. Recent warm conditions have deteriorated any ice that has set up. Until the ice thickens more, fishing access is hard to find.

East Okoboji Lake: The lake was almost entirely covered in a thin layer of ice as of last Thursday.

Scharnberg Pond: Rainbow trout were stocked recently. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): Black bullhead, good. Walleye, fair. Expect the walleye bite to improve with falling water temperatures.

Spirit Lake: Most of the lake was ice-free as of last Thrusday. The current water level is 9 inches below crest. The crappie bite has been good.

Black crappie, good. Minnows and plastics work well. Many nice-sized fish have been seen lately. Bluegill, good. Try a small hook and a small piece of worm. In deeper water, use pilkies with wigglers or a slip bobber setup. Walleye, good. Minnows work well. Yellow perch, good. Find good numbers; may need to sort for size.

West Okoboji Lake: The lake was mostly open as of last Thrusday, but ice has begun to form in many bays. Black crappie, fair. Try small jigs tipped with a minnow. Bluegill, good. Try using pilkies with wigglers or a slip bobber setup. Pumpkinseed, good. Walleye, good. Minnows and plastics work well. Yellow perch, fair. Sorting may be needed.

November one of driest months on record

Preliminary numbers show November to be one of the driest months on record, according to the latest Water Summary Update.

November’s preliminary statewide average precipitation was only 0.38 inches, or 1.44 inches below normal. These dry conditions resulted in further degradation of the drought conditions in the southern half of the state, along with the current U.S. Drought Monitor designation of moderate to severe drought.

“We had hoped that November would continue the wetter-than-normal conditions from October, but unfortunately just the opposite happened,” said Tim Hall, Iowa DNR Hydrology Resources Coordinator, in a news release. “A return to below normal rainfall is not what we needed.”

Some locations in the state received no rain at all in November, and there were no locations that came close to normal rainfall for the month.

“As we wind down the fall and head into the winter months we need normal to above normal rainfall,” Hall said. “Once the ground freezes up, we have to wait for spring rains.”

October’s above-average rainfall had resulted in some improvement in drought conditions for most of the state. Despite this, precipitation for the year is still well below normal.

Safety reminders following hunting accidents

The opening weekend of Iowa’s second gun deer season saw another 50,000-plus hunters enjoying time in the timber in pursuit of legendary whitetails. Unfortunately, there were three hunting incidents that serve as a reminder for hunters to review safety measures before heading out.

Two separate incidents involved the same issue - shooting at running deer - where deer were running between two hunters and one hunter was struck by a wayward shot from another in their party. The other incident involved a self-inflicted injury due to carelessly handling a firearm and lack of muzzle control.

All three required medical attention and all three were preventable, said Jamie Cook, hunter education coordinator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

“We continue to stress that hunters should avoid shooting at running deer and to be sure of what is in front of and behind the deer before pulling the trigger,” Cook said in a news release. “If there is any question about taking a shot, don’t pull the trigger because once you pull the trigger, you can’t call the shot back and no deer is worth taking an unsafe shot. Another will come along.”

As a reminder, Cook said it is important to develop, review and follow a hunting plan that outlines how the hunt will unfold and the role and location for every member of the group while in the field.

“The hunting plan should also include reminders on not shooting at running deer, and safety basics of treating every gun as if it were loaded and always pointing the gun in a safe direction,” Cook said.

With almost 77,000 deer reported to date through the harvest reporting system, nearly all of the 2023 deer hunts have occurred without incident.

“We hunt with those who we are closest to – our friends and our family. This is just a reminder that things can happen in a split second,” Cook said. “At the end of the day, we all want to get home safely.”

There have been 12 hunting incidents and two fatalities across all hunting seasons this fall.

• Stay safe as Iowa lakes freeze over

The recent blast of arctic air is growing ice on lakes and ponds across the northern two-thirds of Iowa. Anglers are ready to get out for the popular early ice fishing season.

The DNR recommends a minimum of four inches of clear ice for fishing and at least five inches for snowmobiles and ATVs. Ice conditions change constantly and its thickness can vary across the lake. Anglers are reminded to trust their instincts – if the ice does not look right, don’t go out.

A blanket of snow on top of an ice-covered lake insulates the ice, slowing the growth of ice and hiding potential hazards or weak spots. River ice is 15 percent weaker than lake ice. Ice with a bluish color is safer than clear ice. Avoid slushy or honey-combed ice and stay away from dark spots on the surface. Don’t walk into areas where the snow cover looks discolored.