Sunfish Lake

Pool 10 will be anything but a disappointment to the person seeking adventure. Exploring the little-disturbed pools bounded by the rugged bluffs of northeast Iowa and fascinating small towns such as McGregor, Iowa and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. The river and area lakes contain more than 100 fish species which will hopefully provide plenty of action. Prepare yourself for the mystery of catching one if not many of these 100 species.

Gizzard shad are the primary forage species. Other species include silver chub, speckled chub, bullhead minnow, emerald shiner, river shiner, spotfin shiner, spottail shiner, juvenile panfish.

Walleye begin to concentrate below the Dam 9 during the late winter months through ice out in March. As the water temperature rises into the 40’s, walleye move upstream from winter areas into backwater areas for spawning. Spawning takes place when the temperature is between 47 and 51 degrees, in April. White bass concentrate below dams and spillways as the walleye run ends, in late April. Most largemouth bass are found in backwaters until mid-June since these are the first areas to warm. When the backwaters warm largemouth move to side channels and main channel borders where they can be found along riprap. Some of the largemouth summer in tributary streams. When the water cools bass move to low-current areas, in or near backwater complexes. Northern Pike seasonal movements are the same as Largemouth bass.