Greg Keefer.

JULY
Channel Catfish,
Badger Creek Lake
Badger Creek Lake has some of the biggest channel cats found anywhere in the Hawkeye State. Fish up to 30 inches have been taken that weigh between 12 and 14 pounds. It’s true that smaller fish dominate the lake, and they’re just the right size for the table.

Midsummer anglers will do well on the point near the cove that is close to the bridge. This area is the route channel cats take to the shallow flats to feed in the evening. After dark, move up onto the flats with stink baits, chicken livers, cut fish and shrimp to tag a few cats as they roam in search of food.

One trick involves setting a scent trail. Lob the bait as far from the shoreline as you can and then instead of letting it sit in one place, reel it in several yards, let it sit for 15 minutes and then reel it in some more.

The upper end of the lake is productive through the early summer. During the daytime, try drifting across the deeper holes.

The 270-acre lake, a short distance from Des Moines, lies five miles southeast of Van Meter in Madison County. For more info, contact the IDNR’s Mt. Ayr fish management office at (641) 464-3108.

AUGUST
Flathead Catfish,
Des Moines River
The Des Moines River is one of Iowa’s better overall fisheries, and its endless supply of big flatheads is no exception. Fishermen can tangle with a big cat just about anywhere in the river, especially near the low-head dams near Red Rock and the series of dams in Des Moines upriver to Fort Dodge.

Look for them to be buried in the thickest tangle of fallen trees and logjams that you can find. In moving water, dissolved oxygen and thermoclines aren’t an issue, which means you can find these fish at any depth.

Downtown Des Moines is an under-fished section of the river offering ideal riverine habitat. Where there is sidewalk bordering the river near the ballpark the water has washed soil out from underneath the concrete. Fish approaching 50 pounds are rare, but anglers occasionally catch them.

A big, lightly hooked chub under a float or kept in the flow with an egg sinker is the best bait you can use on the Des Moines.

The West Fork of the Des Moines as far north as Palo Alto and Emmet counties and down through Humboldt and Pocahontas counties is good fishing. Contact Casey’s Bait & Tackle at (515) 262-2760 for more information.

SEPTEMBER
Largemouth Bass,
Saylorville Lake
Saylorville can be an excellent bucketmouth lake, but it does become challenging when the water levels are fluctuating.

The lake undergoes drastic flooding and drawdowns that keep submerged vegetation from becoming established. The bass relate to rock structure, dropoffs, points and rock piles rather than weeds, so it’s definitely not a traditional bass lake. At times it takes a little imagination and experimentation to find the fish.

Cast to the rocks and retrieve away from the shoreline when the bass are up along it. Anglers in the know can also find largemouths weighing up to 6 pounds on the inside edges of the two large breakwater jetties, especially near the Cherry Glen access. Riprap, ledges and points can all produce autumn bass. During high-water periods the face of the dam can be a great spot. The breakwaters are good spots to try if the other areas aren’t yielding fish.

Saylorville Lake covers 5,400 acres north of Des Moines. For additional information, contact the IDNR’s Boone fish management station at (515) 432-2823.