Fishing around Ames

Chizit

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Dec 21, 2008
4,688
866
113
Moving back to Ames in about a week(student). Bringing my pole this time around, and am wondering where some of the hot fishing spots are if any. I pretty much enjoy fishing for everything besides catfish. Any help would be appreciated.
 
Here's a great place to fish just south of Story City. I've walked this stretch many times. Not sure how or when it got its name, though.

Map
 
I don't know about in Ames, but if you don't mind a little bit of a drive, Little Wall Lake and Big Creek are decent options with a variety of fish
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I've actually fished Big Creek before and had pretty good luck. I'll have to try out some of those other spots before classes start up.
 
The skunk river has been amazing this summer. Some really big smallies.

Fish it lots of
days on my lunch break
 
...that's cool to hear about the Skunk having smallies going...I was not aware that it was a good fishery, but I also never really fished around Ames.

I think another spot that's a bit longer drive is the northern part of the Iowa River...I remember hearing it was more like the Upper Iowa/Maquoketa River up there, with a variety of fish and cool bluffs/scenery.

I was just around the Volga/Maquoketa Rivers last week and had forgotten how much fun it was to wade those. Real fun with the fly rod.
 
Where to begin.. First off, glad to hear the Skunk is putting out some nice Smallies. Hope folks are CPR(not our coach). Ada Hayden can be good especially if you can get in a boat and move around or fish windy sides for wipers, largemouth, crappies. The DSM river can be good both spring and fall for walleyes below any low head dam or current break. Big Creek, Brushy Creek, Briggs Woods, Don Williams, Hickory Grove, etc all have decent fishing within an hour. I'd suggest fishing early and late in the day away from jetties, docks and ramps. If you don't mind fighting crowds, fish below Saylorville for white bass and wipers right now.
 
For lake fishing Mcfarland and Hickory grove have some fish. Used to catch fish there and even Indian Creek just west of Hickory Grove (the 2 miles west of the dam have a good assortment of fish and not a lot of fisherman. My dad used to catch fish in dozens of creeks and little holes across story county. But kind of sad that there really isn't much left.
 
Are there fish in the backside of peterson pit? I wanna say peterson pit east? I feel like I've seen people fishing there when floating down the skunk.
 
I don't know about in Ames, but if you don't mind a little bit of a drive, Little Wall Lake and Big Creek are decent options with a variety of fish

Used to fish Little Wall with my Grandfather 30 plus years ago...great perch spot if I don't have it mixed up with a couple other places we used to go.
 

Latest posts

Help Support Us

Become a patron