The Des Moines River between Saylorville and Red Rock reservoirs offers phenomenal walleye fishing in some locations, particularly near the Waterworks and Frazier dams. The fish run upstream to Saylorville during the spawn, and anglers plying the deep holes and the gravel beds that surround them are likely to connect with some heavyweight females.

Anglers on the trail of spawning walleyes can find them by either targeting the low-head dams that halt the upstream progress of the fish or working along the face of the main-lake dam near the rocks. At times the dam face is like a walleye magnet where jigs and minnows make the pickings easy; at other times the fish are deeper and less accessible.

According to Dodd, walleye fishing during the last few springs has been great from Fort Dodge upstream. The IDNR hopes to keep it that way by stocking approximately 7 million walleye fry into the reservoir every year.

“In 2006, we stocked extra walleyes into Saylorville to the tune of several tens of thousands of fish,” said Dodd. “When we checked to find out how well they were growing, we found walleyes from 5 1/2 to 10 1/2 inches -- and they were fat. The shad apparently had a good spawn as well, and the young walleyes were well fed and growing.”

Saylorville lies on the edge of Des Moines. It covers 5,400 acres of prime walleye water. The Boone Fish Management Unit at (515) 432-2823 can provide more information.

LAKE RED ROCK
“A 10- or 11-pound walleye is a big fish in either Saylorville or Red Rock,” said Dodd. “In the Des Moines River system and its reservoirs there is potential for trophy-class fish in the 13- to 14-pound range. I don’t know if we’ll top the state record any time soon, but these walleyes can get big.”

Even though Red Rock’s habitat and forage are good, Dodd noted, its numbers seem to have been declining in recent years. He feels that the problem might be related to the fluctuating water levels that are always a problem for fisheries on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers waterways.

According to Professional Walleye Trail angler Jim Muzynoski, walleyes often suspend where the old river channel is closest to the shoreline at Red Rock. The spring feeding is in full swing until the weather drives the fish deeper, and can be a real bonanza for anglers willing to take the time to pattern the ‘eyes.

Dodd isn’t shy about his stocking efforts at Red Rock. The IDNR sets aside 10 million walleye fry every year to supplement the fish that are already in the system, and angler success is high.