Coralville/Macbride

Got out on Coralville a few times in the past two weeks. I wish I could say the fishing was slow but it wasn't even that good. I caught one small crappie one trip and three on the next. Water temps seem good, mostly low 60s (before it turned cold). I expect this weather will bring it down back to the mid 50s again before it warms back up around the middle of the week.

Haven't been out on Macbride but from what I've heard the crappie fishing has been good and steadily improving. Some good size to many of the crappie and some decent walleyes and black bass are being caught here and there as well. The water temps have been about the same as on Coralville from what I gather from reports.

Usually I can do pretty well on Coralville but I think the problem right now is that they have the lake drawn down for spring rains and there has been significant rain in the area as well as upstream. The river is flowing and bringing in muddy water and with the dam pulling so much water there is a strong current through all of the main lake. I think this is affecting the fish activity and hurting the fishing on Coralville while Macbride remains unaffected and stable since it is fed by local runoff only.

As soon as things stabilize on Coralville (hopefully soon) the crappie fishing should be on fire with these water temps reaching prime spawning range... until then I think I'll try hitting Macbride this week when it warms up a little better and see how I do there!

If anyone gets out let us know how the fishing is... god or bad.

Good luck and tight lines!

Yep the weather gods got us at bay right now. Thanks for the report, I love both of those body's of water but don't even try when its like this. Another week or so and BOOM we will be into it.

The bite is picking up on Macbride. This was posted in one of the FB groups today, not my photo but were reportedly caught today.


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I'll bet the largest crappie there is in the 10" range for most gill's in that lake run 4"-6"