From Scott and Clinton counties up past Independence the fishing is good. Kline favors the Wapsipinicon because of the continuous meander of cut banks and point bars with associated runs and riffles between them. This type of winding pattern creates abundant habitat for large catfish along with the drifts, logjams and fallen trees.

According to Kline, anglers who know the Wapsi expect to be jostled and jolted by woody structure in attempting to navigate the river. They're also aware that tough structure like this usually implies the presence of catfish.

"The Wapsi has a lot of good catfishing," said Glen Nichols, owner of Nick's Rod & Reel Service Center in Davenport. "Live bluegills and bullheads are great bait for the flatheads while the channel cats are taken on stink baits."

Access is a problem, said Nichols. Most of the small boat and shoreline access is at the bridges. A lot of anglers put a canoe in at one bridge and drift-fish down to the next.

A couple of years of low water have concentrated catfish into the deeper holes and logjams, many of which are bordered by sand bars.

"There's a lot of activity at the sand bars with overnight camping and fishing being a big event," said Kline. "If you can locate the riffle crossover spots you can let a good chunk of bait drift down into the pool and into the pile of tangled cover below them. You'll pull cats up out of these pools. The entrances of the creek channels can also be good when they're flowing and bringing in new food. Try slipping a bait down under one of those logjams."

Catfish up to 30 pounds are common, said Kline, and include channels and flatheads. The potential for a lunker is good. There are lots of eating-sized fish in the 2- to 5-pound range.

Anglers can gain access to a productive section of the river at McCausland.

Contact the Lake Darling Fish Management Unit at (319) 694-2430 for additional information or Nick's Rod & Reel Service Center at (563) 391-1517.

BOONE RIVER
"The Boone River in Hamilton County below Webster City to the confluence with the Des Moines River has some of the best channel catfish habitat in the state," said James Wahl, fisheries biologist in north-central Iowa. "The average-sized channel collected in a recent electrofishing survey was about 14 inches and ran about a pound. Larger fish are available and it is not uncommon to see 4- and 5-pound catfish in the creel."

The riffles and pools in the Boone provide outstanding catfishing opportunities in the roughly 25-mile stretch of river from Webster City downstream to the Des Moines. Channel cats predominate but the occasional monster-sized flathead is taken from under tangled wood, deeper pools and off deeper rocks. Look for cats in the pools that have developed on the outside bends.

"Dip baits are very effective in June," said McDonnell. "I carry four or five kinds in a bucket and try them all until I find what the fish are wanting. If you're after the bigger cats, go after dark."

Try a float trip downriver with stops wherever you find productive water. There are several access sites which include the Riverside Park in Webster City, the Briggs Woods Park two miles south of Webster City, the Bells Mill Park five miles northeast of Stratford and the Boone Forks Wildlife Management area two miles north of Stratford.