Fishing spots around Ames

[josh777]

My 8-year old just got a rod and tackle box for his bday. Please recommend some good fishing spots around Ames. Thanks

 

[CyBer]

Ada Hayden, Hickory Grove.

 

[illinoiscyclone]

hickory grove is the only spot where I've ever done well.

 

[hawkeyeh8r]

fishing + ames dont really belong in the same sentence. i have yet to find a decent spot

 

[CyBer]

If your kid wants to catch fish (no matter what they are) I can put a spot on a map for you where you will catch fish 100% of the time.

 

[00clone]

Admittedly, I'm not much of a fisherman, and this has been over 10 years ago, but my college roommate used to go out to Peterson Pits. Ada Hayden wasn't a park yet then, so as the other response said, maybe that's better.

 

[ajk4st8]

Mcfarland park is good for kids. I fish everyday on my lunch break on the skunk

 

[clone4good]

Mcfarland park or hickory grove would be good for the little guy. Even moore park up by Northridge is a good little spot to catch mainly little sunfish/bluegill type things, this is where my dad took me when I was little for an afternoon.

 

[shawn_200m]

Its been 7 years since I lived in Ames, but I used to catch a lot of smallmouths in the Skunk and in Squaw Creek. Also had decent success at Don Williams Lake, Big Creek and Little Wall if you don't mind driving a bit.

 

[josh777]

Good stuff. Thank you everyone.

 

[ItsCyence]

Mcfarland park is good for kids. I fish everyday on my lunch break on the skunk

Sounds like a good lunch break.

 

[CloneIce]

Its been 7 years since I lived in Ames, but I used to catch a lot of smallmouths in the Skunk and in Squaw Creek. Also had decent success at Don Williams Lake, Big Creek and Little Wall if you don't mind driving a bit.

Same here, plus the Des Moines and Boone Rivers an be good. Actually there is quite a bit of good fishing around Ames, I probably had the best luck on the rivers.

 

[josh777]

Any tips on bait for Ada Hayden or McFarland? Actually bait recommendations for any place would be appreciated.

 

[Wesley]

Hilton Coliseum when it floods.

 

[247cy]

Its been 7 years since I lived in Ames, but I used to catch a lot of smallmouths in the Skunk and in Squaw Creek. Also had decent success at Don Williams Lake, Big Creek and Little Wall if you don't mind driving a bit.

Did you just wade the Skunk/Squa and fish the sharp bends and laydowns? I'm heading up to the Ames area for vacation next week and think I might give it a try (easy way to stay cool in the heat!). Standard smallie fare of tubes and small cranks, or something else?

 

[shawn_200m]

Did you just wade the Skunk/Squa and fish the sharp bends and laydowns? I'm heading up to the Ames area for vacation next week and think I might give it a try (easy way to stay cool in the heat!). Standard smallie fare of tubes and small cranks, or something else?

Yeah, I lived on Squaw Creek Drive, so I would just walk down the bike path to the Squaw and start wading. Typical smallie stuff, soft plastics, small rapala original floating, etc...sometimes if the bite was slow I would drift a leech from upstream into the deeper pools. Same with the Skunk. Ever since I bought my boat I haven't done much stream wading, I should do more of it...lot of fun.

 

[ajk4st8]

Did you just wade the Skunk/Squa and fish the sharp bends and laydowns? I'm heading up to the Ames area for vacation next week and think I might give it a try (easy way to stay cool in the heat!). Standard smallie fare of tubes and small cranks, or something else?

For smallmouths find holes and rock riffles. You can catch plenty with just some small 1/32 ounce jigs and a chunk of night crawler on it and let it float down through the holes.

I have been flyfishing it daily and having luck with olive and light brown wolly buggers.

 

[CyBer]

I need to try river fishing.

 

[CyBer]

I take that back, I have river fished once. And I caught one of these babies (video credit: me)
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNiqFXTdk_A]‪Sturgeon Fishing‬‏ - YouTube[/ame]

 

[cyco2000]

For smallmouths find holes and rock riffles. You can catch plenty with just some small 1/32 ounce jigs and a chunk of night crawler on it and let it float down through the holes.

I have been flyfishing it daily and having luck with olive and light brown wolly buggers.

Are you the guy that I'm jealous of when I'm driving to and from work. Just south of Highway 30, east of Hunziker Youth Sports Park?

That guy pisses me off because he's fishing and I'm working.

:smile: