For immediate release: September 3, 2009


The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issues a weekly fishing report on Thursdays in an effort to provide the latest information heading into the weekend. The weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys, and county and state parks staff. For current information, contact the district fisheries office at the phone number listed at the end of each district report.

August 20, 2009

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issues a weekly fishing report on Thursdays in an effort to provide the latest information heading into the weekend. The weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys, and county and state parks staff. For current information, contact the district fisheries office at the phone number listed at the end of each district report.

August 13, 2009

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issues a weekly fishing report on Thursdays in an effort to provide the latest information heading into the weekend. The weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys, and county and state parks staff. For current information, contact the district fisheries office at the phone number listed at the end of each district report.

COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa – Three southeast Iowa men face more than $2,600 in fines and civil penalties after being charged with 19 fishing violations on Wednesday.

Daniel L. Wehmeyer, 49, and Eric L. Pugh, 21, both of Columbus Junction, and Harlan L. Warnstaff, 47, of Conesville, were charged following an investigation into illegal fishing activity on the Cedar River in Louisa County on Sunday.

On Aug. 2, conservation officers with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources investigated a complaint of individuals shocking fish with electricity on the Cedar River north of Columbus Junction. Officers contacted the three men at a private residence and seized two electrofishing devices along with six catfish.

The three men were charged with six counts each of taking catfish with electricity. In addition, Wehmeyer faces an additional charge of not having a valid fishing license. Wehmeyer and Warnstaff are scheduled to appear in Louisa County Magistrate Court on Aug. 12. Pugh faces an Aug. 19 court date.

The charges against the three men are merely accusations and all three individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.



-30-

DRAKESVILLE, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Bureau investigation into the presence of gizzard shad in Lake Wapello has eliminated all possibilities other than intentional stocking, and has state officials asking the public for information on the case.

Turn-In-Poachers (TIP) has joined the effort by offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to a successful prosecution of the individual or individuals involved in reintroducing gizzard shad into the newly renovated Lake Wapello. The TIP number is 1-800-532-2020. Callers can remain anonymous.

As part of the investigation, fisheries staff surveyed the ponds and basins in the watershed and found no gizzard shad, leaving the only way for the problem fish species to have gotten into Lake Wapello was by intentional stocking. It is against the law to introduce any live fish to any public waters in the state.

“We are confident that a person or persons intentionally put live gizzard shad in Lake Wapello, and that it happened after the project was completed on April 1,” said Mark Flammang, fisheries biologist for Lake Wapello. “This lake means a lot to the area economically and recreationally. We held fish for a year specifically for Lake Wapello to speed its return as a fishery and the lake was well on its way back until the shad were added. Now, not only do we have to lower the lake again, but we have to eliminate the fishery to get the shad.”
The incident remains under investigation.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issues a weekly fishing report on Thursdays in an effort to provide the latest information heading into the weekend. The weekly fishing report is compiled from information gathered from local bait shops, angler creel surveys, and county and state parks staff. For current information, contact the district fisheries office at the phone number listed at the end of each district report.

Individual medalists from the 3rd annual Fish Iowa! Games casting competitions held this spring competed in a finals competition during the Summer Iowa Games, July 17. The competition was sponsored by the Mid Iowa Bassmasters, Iowa Sports Foundation (Iowa Games), and Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Medals were awarded in two age groups. The top winner in each group received a rod and reel.

Age 6-9
1st – Malena Rumelhart, Guthrie Center
2nd – Grady Laabs, Guthrie Center
3rd – Hunter Vasey, Guthrie Center

Age 10-12
1st – Matthew Vannatta, Guthrie Center
2nd – Jaden Schurman, New Liberty
3rd – Alexis Allison, Lenox

The Fish Iowa! Games is a casting competition developed by the Iowa Sports Foundation in conjunction with the Iowa DNR. The program is a fun competition where students learn to cast from three distances using the flipping, pitching and casting techniques. During the competition participants received points based on the accuracy of each casting technique.

Fish Iowa! Games is a great introduction to fishing for the kids of Iowa. Often this is the first time kids have held a rod and reel.
More than 27,000 students from across the state participated in the Fish Iowa! Games program.


-30-

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – A boating safety enforcement project on the Missouri and Big Sioux rivers near Sioux City over the weekend resulted in six arrests including five for boating while intoxicated and one for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

The joint project between the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks conducted the project for several hours Saturday night. Field sobriety tests were conducted on 11 boat operators which resulted in the five BWI arrests.

Iowa DNR Conservation Officer Steve Griebel said there were also two boat operators who had blood alcohol readings above .08 but less than .10. The blood alcohol level in Iowa is .10. In Nebraska and South Dakota, the blood alcohol level is .08.

“I think the project was successful,” said Griebel. “The majority of the families on the river are being safe, but too many boaters are disregarding boating safety laws and putting themselves and others at risk. We want people to have fun boating, but safety needs to be their priority on any body of water.”

The Missouri and Big Sioux rivers hazards include a fast current, both are narrow and have a lot of debris.

In addition to the six arrests, the project handed out 13 citations for safety and equipment violations primarily for not having the proper number of lifejackets and for speed and distance violations. Officers also handed out four written warnings and gave three verbal warnings.

By Joe Wilkinson
Iowa Department of Natural Resources

A mid-summer day at the lake? There’s the beach, canoeing, camping...maybe poking around a few fishing hotspots from the boat. Hard to beat in Iowa...or anywhere for that matter.

It’s a much different picture this season at Lake Darling State Park. Stake bed skeletons and other fish habitat stick out from the mudflats and the little bit of water in the basin. Still, the promise of what is to come makes it worth the wait.

The effort—some of it completed, some yet to come---is a testament to cooperation; between adjoining landowners, between landowners and the park, and within the Brighton community itself, recognizing the regional economic and recreational draw. Just as importantly, coordinators say the plan—in large part--can be duplicated across Iowa. That’s important, in a state with dozens of human-built ‘middle aged’ lakes which have hit 50, 60 and 70 years of age.

MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa – A $3 million project to restore historic backwaters and side channels to the Missouri River is nearing completion at the Tyson Bend Wildlife Area that will create about 30 acres of critically needed backwaters.

The new 30 acre backwater will have a depth up to 10 feet and a large area of shallow water that will serve as a fish nursery.

“We certainly hope to see benefits to both fish and wildlife from projects like this,” said Van Sterner, fisheries biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources at Onawa. He said bluegill, crappie, bass, catfishes, buffalo, paddlefish, waterfowl, shorebirds should all benefit from the backwater habitat.