After promising conditions last week, the most recent heat wave has led to declined fishing conditions in a majority of southeast Iowa’s lakes and rivers, according to the latest report from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Water temperatures have crept back up into the 80’s at Lake Darling in Washington County. This has slowed the Bluegill and Largemouth Bass bite, but they can still be found in 6-8 feet of water. Bluegills are in the old willow bats at those depths trying to hide from Bass. The Channel Catfish bite declined as well, but is still fair. Try along the rock piles out in front of the fishing trail between the “point” and the campground boat ramp.

Keokuk County’s Lake Belva Deer saw nearly identical conditions, with Bass and Bluegill fishing both slow. The best place to look for them remains in about 6-7 feet of water around the trees. Channel Catfish in Lake Belva Deer are along the tops of the mounds at the upper end of the lake where the tops of them are 6-8 feet deep.

There is a lot of sand showing above the water in the Iowa River from Columbus Junction to the Mississippi River. As a result, paddlers are doing more than a little dragging. The Catfish bite is fair. Deeper pools of water around brush piles and logjams are even smaller now, so Catfish are really packed in.

Water levels are going down in the Skunk River between Rose Hill and Coppock as well. While dragging should be expected in anything larger than a kayak, the Catfish bite is good. Try fishing the deeper water around established logjams.

For more information on the above lakes and rivers, call the Lake Darling Fisheries Office at 319-694-2430.