Des Moines area fishing ?

[chocolatehuntinglabs]

I'm going to be in Des Moines next week tuesday - thursday, I will have time late tuesday afternoon until whenever to try and get a line wet.  Any suggestions on where to go.  Any help is greatly appreciated.  Thanks

[IceHaus]

Where, in Des Moines are you going to be?

On the South side, there's Easter Lake and Fort Des Moines Pond or Banner Pits.

West, there's Badger Creek or Maffit Reservoir.

North, there's Big Creek and Lost Lake. Also, DMACC ponds in Ankeny.

[bogey]

There are a number of places to fish, depends how far you want to drive. Here are some sugestions;Big Creek,DMACC pond, Easter Lake,Fort Des Moines park,Banner Pits/aka Somerset State Park, Aquibi State Park, Badger Creek,all are a short driving distance from D.M..If you have a sportsmans atlas they are in polk, warren,and madison countys. Good luck and happy fishing.

[chocolatehuntinglabs]

Thanks for the info.  I'll have to do some checking on my maps for these areas.  I'll be staying in the down town area, and driving isn't a big deal.  Any good reports from anyone in particular?  What can I expect to catch?

[therealjt]

someone mentioned ahquabi...just south (it feeds into ahquabi) is hooper. i have stayed pretty steady on gils there. no monsters but something on the end of your line. also just to the west up the hill there are silt ponds i have never fished but have heard good things about.

i haven't done much ice fishing on ahquabi though i can tell you on open water i can catch crappie all day long in the same spot. i have heard its harder in the winter out there.... been told to go down to the beach and walk strait across and find the dropoff and they do pretty well there.

jt

[gotta fish]

Big creek-crappie, gills, walleye, Badger creek crappie&gills maybe lmb try hooper for crappie and gils. big creek bait   in polk city,  downtown 2nd ave bait ,johnston bait shop,