Maffit reservoir

[Quackhead]

Planning on fishing Maffit res. near Des Moines this year.  I have not fished it for several year and could use some advice on locations to target.  Any info is appreciated.

[toothfish]

I have fished it many times. It is a tough lake!!! Many have tried it and gave up. Never caught anything to brag about but have caught perch, crappie, gills, and bass.  Good luck!!!

[iaslabs]

I have not fished maffit res before but my buddies have, they haven't had much luck either. take the drive a little farther west to badger creek and I think you would have more luck with crappie and gills.

[goody]

grrrrrrrrr.....maffitt ......

The best report I can give after hundreds and hundreds of holes in the lake is you CAN catch gills, crappie, perch, and bass, but are more likely to catch a cold than decent fish.  There are some guys that REALLY REALLY know the lake and can find some huge crappies and perch, but for most of us that is only a dream.  Take fish's advice (that is scary and painful to even say ).

goody

[-fish-]

Maffit = waste of ur time.

Have fished it quite a bit just cause its so close to home and always caught a few fish, but the size is small and the action is slow. I do know the perch in there can be fun but they are VERY FEW and FAR between. I have had some schools of perch come through on my vex, but they come through so darn quick, you cant even reel up fats enough to get to em before they are gone. Maffits not a great lake at all. Fish badger just west of there like slabs said, youll have a lot better time

[-fish-]

Thats true goody, some guys do know the lake and know how to find decent fish, but ill be darned if those 2 poeple will give up their secrets... 

[Quackhead]

Thanks fellas, Kind of reminded me why I quit fishing it in the first place.  Badger is great and I fish it a lot, also like to hit Chris Cove south of Winterset when I get over west.  Hoping I can get the new shack out by Christmas weekend.

[toothfish]

Maffit = waste of ur time.

 I have had some schools of perch come through on my vex, but they come through so darn quick, you cant even reel up fats enough to get to em before they are gone.

Same thing here.. the perch come through like there's a fire behind them. I wonder why that is, in THAT lake???

[drewgills]

All this chat about maffit has me thinking . If the perch are small, and run in fast schools, perhaps something larger is chasing them? what other species are in that lake?

[munchy71]

All this chat about maffit has me thinking . If the perch are small...

Actually, from what I've heard, the perch that come out of Maffitt...if you can find 'em...are fairly good size.  Didn't the state record fish out of Maffitt at one time?

[goody]

YEah it was....see some pics of big perch out of there every year but have only seen one 11" fish come out when out there myself (and it wasnt on my line).

goody

[toothfish]

The FEW perch I have caught are good perch. Something chasing them??  If there is, it's not a fish. 
I have seen muskrats swim by on a camera.
I have seen perch act like this in S.D. but was on clear ice with a full sun. The sun light kind of freaked them but I think these in Maffit are like this all the time???

[Iceaholic]

I live close to Moffitt and have fished there several times.  I have also caught several perch there and must agree that they are very hard to catch.  Catching a big perch at Moffitt is like hunting for a big buck.  You have to use every tactic you know to catch just one.  I have brought home 2 or 3 before but I worked for them too.  I usually fish strait off the fishing dock on the south side of the lake where you park about 80-90 yards out.  Look for a gradual drop off that goes from 12-18 feet.  I have seen this spot on an aqua view and it is a big valley with no structure.  I usually grind up a minnow and sprinkle it in each hole to draw them in,  and then drop a long green and orange with a red eye vertical jig with a waxy and sit and wait.  If you touch your pole you won't see a perch for a week.  I've had a perch stare at my jig for 45 min. and then bite.   I have been all over that lake and the best fishing is right close to where you park.  You have to get there early ice because they move to the 50 ft. )where the geese are) early mid-winter.   Snow on the ice helps too.  I leave my shack, gas auger, everything in the truck when I fish for Maffitt perch.  Hand drill a few holes over the valley, drop down your minnow chum and leave the area for a half hour or so.  Sneak back to your holes and drop a line.  Perch are very smart fish.  I think when they see a shack on the ice they gather around to have a good laugh.  O.K.   There's one of my secrets.  Anybody willing to give up some advice on catching walleys in our area?     If I could figure out how to post a picture, I would show you a perch I caught last year that would problably send half the viewers on this web site to Maffitt.