Midwest Fishing Guide

Ice fishing on Iowa's glacial lakes and on ponds across the north when the ice is safe. Sauger and walleye gather below the Mississippi and Ohio River dams, the trout parks are open for catch and release on winter weekends, and Lake Taneycomo fishes all winter for trout.

Ice fishing peaks in the north, off the Lake Erie islands too in the coldest winters. Tailwater sauger fishing is at its best below the river dams. Crappie start moving toward the spring flats in the Ozark lakes, and steelhead run Indiana's Lake Michigan tributaries on the thaws.

Missouri's trout parks open for catch-and-keep on March 1, a regional tradition. The walleye runs start up the Maumee and the Sandusky late in the month, white bass begin moving up the rivers, and crappie stage in the southern lakes.

The Maumee and Sandusky walleye runs peak and the fish spread onto the western basin reefs. Crappie spawn in Missouri and southern Illinois, coho feed along the southern Lake Michigan shore, and largemouth move shallow.

Bass spawn across the region and bluegill move onto beds. Lake Erie walleye switch to trolling over open water, white bass and channel catfish feed in the rivers, and crappie spawn in Iowa's lakes.

Catfish spawn in the rivers and the flatheads start feeding at night. Lake Erie walleye move into the central basin, smallmouth float trips start on the Ozark streams, and bass settle onto summer structure.

Night fishing for catfish on the big rivers, walleye and perch on Lake Erie, and topwater smallmouth on the Ozark streams at dawn. Midday heat makes farm ponds and shallow lakes slow.

Lake Erie's perch bite begins, salmon start staging off the southern Lake Michigan harbors, and bass hold deep in the reservoirs. Catfish stay strong after dark.

Chinook and coho run into Indiana's Lake Michigan tributaries, Lake Erie perch fishing peaks, and the flathead window opens on the big rivers. Bass follow shad into the creek arms as the water cools.

Crappie and bass feed hard in the cooling reservoirs, steelhead begin running the Lake Michigan tributaries, and Lake Erie's fall walleye trolling starts. Missouri's catch-and-keep trout season closes on October 31.

Winter catch and release starts at Missouri's trout parks. Sauger move toward the Ohio and Mississippi dams, Lake Erie gives up some of the year's largest walleye, and blue catfish feed through the cold.

Sauger and walleye below the dams, blue catfish on the big rivers, steelhead on Indiana's tributaries, and the first ice in northern Iowa and the north of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.