Share your catch
US

Coralville Lake Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Oct 23, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

The Corps lake above Iowa City: crappie, catfish and stocked walleye, with a fossil gorge below the spillway.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
3,690 cfs
Air / High
75 / 75 F
Wind
SSE 12 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 05453520, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
23
October 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Coralville Lake feels the season turning: shorter days, grouping fish. The release below the dam is running 3,690 cfs, falling. Today brings clear skies, wind SSE around 12 mph, falling pressure near 1021 hPa and a high of 75. Water sits around 55 F for the season (estimated). With the waxing gibbous, the solunar majors run 9:42 AM-11:42 AM and 10:11 PM-12:11 AM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

WalleyeExcellent

Spring: post-spawn fish scatter and can be slow for a couple of weeks. Fall: one of the best windows, with minnows on jigs and three-way rigs as the water cools toward ice-up.

Largemouth bassExcellent

In spring, pre-spawn bass push shallow as the water climbs through the mid-50s; in fall they feed actively until the water cools into the low 50s, then drop back toward deeper structure.

Catfish (blue, channel)Excellent

In spring after ice-out, Iowa finds channel cats feeding on winter-killed shad on the shallow, warmer mudflats at the upper ends of reservoirs; cut bait on the bottom works there.

White bassGood

The spring run happens in this band: tributaries, shoals and the upper ends of reservoirs as the water reaches about 55°F.

CrappieGood

Pre-spawn fish move toward shallow coves, and Iowa DNR points to wading as an effective way to reach them in spring; minnows or small jigs under a float.

Hybrid striped bassGood

In spring, windblown shorelines, riprap and dams during the shad spawn (May in Oklahoma); in fall, the pre-winter feed on the same kind of banks.

Tomorrow: Similar at 76 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Oct 24, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Before you go

Iowa requires a fishing licence from age 16, from $22.00 for residents. What a Iowa licence costs and where to buy it →

Chasing walleye here? Check the size and bag limits with Iowa DNR before you keep anything. The season dates for Iowa, read off the agency, are on the Iowa seasons page.

Water and weather

Live readings from Iowa River below Coralville Dam nr Coralville, IA (outflow).

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 05453520.

4,7636,7558,7473,690 cfs09/2310/0310/1310/23

Today’s flow against 34 years of October 23

At 3,690 cfs, the flow at USGS gauge 05453520 (Iowa River below Coralville Dam nr Coralville, IA (outflow)) is at the 82nd percentile for the date: above normal. In half of the 34 years of approved record the daily mean on October 23 was below 746 cfs; the highest was 12,500 cfs and the lowest 135 cfs.

p10 158median 746p90 5,335

Percentiles of the daily mean flow for this date, from the USGS Water Data Statistics API for gauge 05453520; today’s reading is the latest instantaneous value. Classes follow the ones the USGS used on its WaterWatch maps (retired at the end of 2025): below 10th, much below normal; 10th–24th, below; 25th–75th, normal; 76th–90th, above; over 90th, much above.

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp75 F
High / Low75 / 49 F
WindSSE 12-15 mph
Pressure1020.9 hPa, falling
Sky / Rain0% cloud, 2%
Sunrise / Sunset07:27 / 18:12
MoonWaxing Gibbous, 91%
Water temp (seasonal)~55 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Which day to fish Coralville Lake this week

Today is the pick of the week on Coralville Lake, at 4 out of 5.

Best day this week: today, Oct 23 — good at 4/5, falling pressure, usually the best window of a week.

Today, Oct 23 — Good

Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Solunar majors
9:42 AM-11:42 AM and 10:11 PM-12:11 AM
Minor period
4:04 AM-5:04 AM
Sun
07:27 to 18:12
Moon
Waxing Gibbous, 91% lit
Sky and wind
Overcast, 12 mph
Rain chance
2%

Forecast-based scores, less reliable further out: how the score is built.

Species guide

The species that matter on Coralville Lake: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: spring and late fall, around dawn, dusk and night

A cool-water perch of large lakes, reservoirs and rivers whose reflective eyes are built for low light, so it feeds most at night and in murky water. The Missouri Department of Conservation ranks it among the continent's most important freshwater game fish. Spring: post-spawn fish scatter and can be slow for a couple of weeks. Fall: one of the best windows, with minnows on jigs and three-way rigs as the water cools toward ice-up.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: the spring run up the tributaries, then summer surface schools

A silvery temperate bass of rivers and large reservoirs, also called sand bass, that schools in open water after shad and runs up tributaries to spawn in early spring. The spring run happens in this band: tributaries, shoals and the upper ends of reservoirs as the water reaches about 55°F.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: the spring spawn; summer around docks, brush and the thermocline

Two slab-sided panfish, the white crappie and the black crappie, that gather around submerged timber, brush piles, docks and bridge pilings in lakes, reservoirs and slow river backwaters. Texas Parks and Wildlife counts crappie as the state's most popular panfish. Pre-spawn fish move toward shallow coves, and Iowa DNR points to wading as an effective way to reach them in spring; minnows or small jigs under a float.

Largemouth bass illustration

Largemouth bass

Best: the spring pre-spawn and the fall feed

A warm-water sunfish of lakes, reservoirs, ponds and slow river backwaters that holds tight to cover: weeds, logs, rock ledges and docks. In Texas, TPWD surveys rank it "by far" the freshwater fish anglers most want to catch. In spring, pre-spawn bass push shallow as the water climbs through the mid-50s; in fall they feed actively until the water cools into the low 50s, then drop back toward deeper structure.

Hybrid striped bass illustration

Hybrid striped bass

Best: the spring shad spawn and fall; summer at dawn and dusk

A hatchery cross of striped bass and white bass, also called wiper or palmetto bass, stocked by state agencies into reservoirs and rivers as a sport fish that also eats gizzard shad. Schools roam open water after shad. In spring, windblown shorelines, riprap and dams during the shad spawn (May in Oklahoma); in fall, the pre-winter feed on the same kind of banks.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Year-round, best at dusk and after dark

Three big catfish share most of the country's rivers and reservoirs: the channel catfish, the most widespread; the blue catfish, the largest; and the flathead, which hunts live fish. All feed mostly on or near the bottom. In spring after ice-out, Iowa finds channel cats feeding on winter-killed shad on the shallow, warmer mudflats at the upper ends of reservoirs; cut bait on the bottom works there.

When to come: the Coralville Lake calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Walleye
White bass
Crappie
Largemouth bass
Hybrid striped bass
Catfish (blue, channel)
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 55 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovOct, ~55 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Coralville Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Oct 22

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Walleye led the card at good. High of 76 F, wind to 5 mph.

Wed, Oct 21

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 73 F, wind to 7 mph.

Tue, Oct 20

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Walleye led the card at good. High of 71 F, wind to 9 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used if we need to ask you about your report. No mailing list, no spam.

Before you go

License

Iowa requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Iowa fishing license; Iowa DNR regulations apply.

Access

Corps campgrounds at Sandy Beach, Sugar Bottom and the Dam Complex (Linder Point, Tailwater East, Tailwater West, West Overlook) and hard-surface ramps. In season the Corps charges $5 per vehicle at beaches and ramps, or $40 for an annual pass.

About this water

A Corps of Engineers flood-control reservoir on the Iowa River between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, Johnson County, Iowa; USGS gauge 05454500 sits on the river below the dam.

Fishing Coralville Lake: the full guide

Flood control first

The Corps of Engineers built Coralville Dam on the Iowa River between 1949 and 1958, mainly for flood control and low-flow support; the Corps describes more than 5,000 acres of water and Iowa DNR lists 5,340. The DNR calls it a reservoir known for catfish and big crappie.

Crappie and catfish

DNR surveys describe channel catfish of 2 to 8 pounds reaching 15, flatheads mostly 10 to 15 pounds with potential to 50, and black and white crappie typically 9 to 12 inches, found near brush or steeper rock banks on jigs or minnows. Largemouth run 12 to 17 inches.

Walleye, wipers and the tailwater

Recent DNR stocking includes about 7.7 million walleye fry in April 2025 and 24,206 wipers in June 2025, but the DNR notes these fish are hard to find because many wash through the dam outlet into the Iowa River below. White bass numbers are low but beginning to show back up.

The Devonian Fossil Gorge

Floodwater over the emergency spillway in 1993 exposed a limestone bed of fossils the Corps estimates at 365 million years old, and the spillway overtopped again on June 10, 2008, revealing more. An entry plaza sits just south of the spillway.

Common questions

How old are the fossils?

About 365 million years, per the Corps; corals, brachiopods and crinoids are common in the gorge the 1993 flood exposed.

Is the tailwater worth fishing?

Iowa DNR notes that many stocked walleye pass through the dam outlet into the Iowa River below, and the Corps runs campgrounds on both tailwater banks.

Where do I check the lake level?

The Corps links the current Coralville Lake level from its project page and advises checking it before you launch.

Is fishing good at Coralville Lake right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Lake MacBride6 miCedar River19 miTurkey River71 miRed Rock Lake79 miRathbun Lake93 miMississippi River Pool 9105 mi

Where this page's numbers come from

River and reservoir readings
USGS 05453520 — Iowa River below Coralville Dam nr Coralville, IA (outflow)
Read from the USGS Water Data API (api.waterdata.usgs.gov). Latest value timestamped 2026-10-23 at 19:00 UTC.
Weather and pressure
Open-Meteo forecast model
Queried at 41.7200, -91.5300 in this water's own timezone. A model, not an observation.
Moon and solunar windows
Calculated on this site
Astronomical calculation from these coordinates and the date, not a third-party feed. How much weight it deserves.
Pages checked
The facts in the written guide were checked against these pages, from the agencies and operators that manage the water, on October 5, 2026. Anything we could not verify was taken out.
The written guide on this page
Pablo Ruiz Quintero
How this page was made. The daily report is computed by our scoring engine from live readings; nobody types it. The written text was drafted with AI assistance from the official pages listed above, and its facts were checked against those pages by automated verification on October 5, 2026; anything that could not be verified was taken out. Pablo Ruiz Quintero sets every guideline, the data-verification system and the minimum standards a page must meet to be published, reviews page structure and approves what goes live; the responsibility is his, and the AI carries out the work. We work this way because it is how one person can keep every page current with named sources. Errors are published in the verification log; the full policy is in the editorial policy.

Readings refresh on a 30-minute window. The full method, with every figure and its source, is on how our reports are made. Something wrong here? Tell us and it goes in the log with the date.