Contract: IA Park: 610109

Fishing in Lake Darling should be good this week, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 

The water temperature in the lake is holding between 49 and 50 degrees. Just a little bit of the phytoplankton is left on the surface of the lake. 

It is time to pretend you are “ice fishing,”  for Black Crappie but from a boat. Anglers can try small jigs tipped with minnows vertically jigged over the cedar trees in the middle of the lake, just like you were ice fishing a couple of feet off the bottom in a slow jigging motion. 

Bluegills have moved to deeper habitats in 8-10 feet of water. It is recommended to try the rock piles off lagoon point and the brush piles across from the main boat ramp. Start down-sizing your baits to smaller jigs or ice fishing jigs tipped with waxworms or red worms.