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Saylorville Lake Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Des Moines’ reservoir: Saylorville holds walleye, white bass and crappie fifteen minutes from downtown.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
244 cfs
Air / High
93 / 94 F
Wind
SSW 11 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 05481650, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 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.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Saylorville Lake sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. The river is running 244 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings clear skies, wind SSW around 11 mph, steady pressure near 1009 hPa and a high of 94. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

WalleyeGood

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Northern pikeGood

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

White bassFair

The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

CrappieSlow

Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

Tomorrow: Similar at 93 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Des Moines River near Saylorville.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 05481650.

1,2233,0424,861244 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp93 F
High / Low94 / 74 F
WindSSW 11-15 mph
Pressure1009.3 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain8% cloud, 7%
Sunrise / Sunset06:44 / 19:43
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

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

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 94/74 F, wind 12 mph, rain 7%

Fair or better. A 12 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

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

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: Mar-May run

River-run spawners and open-water schoolers. Fast limits when you find them. The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: Nov-Mar

Brush piles, bridge pilings and standing timber. The fish fry favorite. Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

When to come: the Saylorville 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
Northern pike
Crappie
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 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 Saylorville Lake today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

5/5 Excellent. Go now. Everything lines up: pressure, wind and light are in your favor. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 92 F, wind to 11 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 93 F, wind to 8 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 94 F, wind to 8 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

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 license. Walleye, white bass and crappie limits per current Iowa DNR regulations.

Access

Corps ramps, campgrounds and day-use areas around the lake; tailwater access below the dam.

About this water

A 5,400-acre Corps flood-control reservoir on the Des Moines River, Polk County, Iowa.

Fishing Saylorville Lake: the full guide

A Corps lake at the capital

Saylorville Lake covers about 5,400 acres at conservation pool on the Des Moines River just north of Iowa’s capital, a Corps flood-control reservoir with levels that swing substantially. It is central Iowa’s main fishing water: walleye, white bass, crappie, channel catfish, largemouth bass and, below the dam, a productive tailwater fishery on the Des Moines River.

Walleye and white bass

Walleye hold the points, riprap and the old river channel: jigs and minnows in spring near the inflow, trolled crawler harnesses through summer, and a strong fall bite. White bass school over the open water and run the river arm in spring, providing fast action on small jigs and spoons when the water warms into the 50s.

Crappie and catfish

Crappie stack the brush, timber and any structure the current pool provides, with spring the peak. Channel catfish are abundant and reliable from the bank on cut bait. Flood-control operations move the water level significantly through the year, sometimes dramatically after heavy rain, which changes both patterns and ramp access.

Polk County logistics

Corps ramps, campgrounds and day-use areas ring the lake, with the Neal Smith Trail running alongside and extensive shoreline access. Des Moines is fifteen minutes south. Summer weekends bring heavy recreational traffic given the metropolitan location: fish early or in the shoulder seasons, and check current pool elevation before towing.

Common questions

Is the tailwater good?

Yes: the Des Moines River below the dam concentrates walleye, white bass and catfish, with productive shore access.

How much does the level change?

Substantially with flood control, especially after heavy rain: check current elevation before planning.

When do white bass run?

Spring, up the river arm as water warms into the 50s: fast fishing on small jigs and spoons.

Is fishing good at Saylorville Lake right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Red Rock Lake43 miRathbun Lake72 miClear Lake98 miStorm Lake100 miCedar River105 miLake MacBride109 mi
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