Featured State Park of the Week: Dolliver State Park

Nestled in the Des Moines River valley just a stones throw from historic Lehigh and minutes from Fort Dodge, Dolliver State Park is a place any outdoor enthusist would enjoy.

The park offers hiking trails through rugged woodland terrain and scenic views of sandstone and limestone cliffs. Indian mounds are also within the park boundaries. There are several picnic opportunities and two lodges that can be reserved for large gatherings. Dolliver features a group cabin site with 10 separate cabins and 33 camping sites with electric hookups. It also offers two family-style cabins that sleep 4 and include a sink and a refrigerator. Those cabins are a good value too at only $35/night!

Prime river access for canoe or boat adventures can be found just below the campground and the fishing right along the shore there is pretty good too! I had my first channel catfish within 10 minutes when I went there. Park officers also reported several Walleye, Bass and big Channel Cats being taken near the campgrounds.

If you want a day trip, or weekend getaway for not much money, Dolliver State Park is worth checking out.

For complete information on this park and its attractions click here:  http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/dolliver.html

Stormy Weather Fishing

Scattered showers and storms are often a threat during summers in Iowa. But when the forecast calls for storms, don't put away the poles just yet! Sometimes, stormy weather can trigger a strong bite. My outdoors notes show several entries from summertime events where the fishing was slim pickings until an hour or two before a strong storm. My meteorological theory is the fish are responding to a combination of pressure and cloud cover changes. Under high pressure, the sky is often bright blue and the sun's rays can pierce deep into the water column. Fish often seek deep pools and hold tight to cover, making them hard to catch. But when a storm approaches, cloud cover obscures the sun and light levels are weaker. Falling pressure often increases the wind adding a chop on the water's surface. This will stir up the baitfish activity while also giving the game fish concealment from natural predators. Dropping barometric pressure adds an instinctive urge to feed before the storm. Most animals try stocking up on food to ride out the storm, so even inactive fish sometimes will feed before a strong low pressure.

Give it a try, but do be safe. Anytime you're on the water and you can hear thunder, it's time to call it a day. Lightning is transmitted very easily through water, and if you're in a boat you're the tallest thing out there! So next time you're watching Central Iowa's Most Accurate Forecast, and we're forecasting a chance of storms, that also means there's a chance of some really good fishing right before those storms. Enjoy!

High Pressure Spring Fishing

With Iowa's spring turkey season drawing to a close, and the Morel mushrooms drying up, it's time to change tackle and focus on fishing. There may be one or two more chances to find fresh Morels, but 2011 will likely go down as a very poor year for these spring delights.

In the meantime, we are looking at a perfect forecast for May in Iowa. There are a few tell-tale signs high pressure is overhead: a clear sky, light winds, and cool/dry air. Fish behavior is often noticeably lethargic after a cold front. Activity is much more conservative and to be successful you have to adapt to those conditions. Slow down your presentation and key in on structure whether that's along the shore, or by using your graphs to find submarine honey-holes.

Our high pressure is quite strong and this is going to slow down the bite for the beginning of this week. Nine times out of 10, the spotless sky will force the fish to hold closer to structure or deeper in the water column which will force your fishing strategies to be more specific. Once you find a bait and presentation that works, keep using it!

Where to Find Morels?

With a savory spring truffle that can sell for $30-40 per pound, "where are the Morels?" could easily be a million dollar question! Unfortunately, there's no simple answer, and that's part of the thrill behind finding them. You can narrow down your search to the types of places these mushrooms thrive by focusing on what they need to survive. First, I'll tell you what the telltale signs are that mushrooms might be in the area, then we'll talk about where in central Iowa you can go to find them.

Morels need three basic things to survive: moisture, food, and suitable temperatures. Did you know, the ground temperature can vary by as much as 20 degrees from the sunny side of a hill to the shady side? Morels do! And they usually "pop" up on the warm sides first. Right now, I'm finding most mushrooms on the south and west facing hillsides. We're still early in the season, so only isolated "pockets" of woods are producing, so you might have to look for quite some time.

What about food? Morels, like other fungi, require dead organic matter to break down or consume. Dead trees are usually a perfect location to target your search. The most success I've had is with dead elm or oak trees with at least 1/2 of the bark still on the tree. These I call "indicator trees." Look around the base, where the roots are, and once you find one take a long look around. Usually where there's one, there's several. Some spots may have 100 or more! Finally, they need moisture. Stick to creeks and ditches, or the lower 1/3 of the hillside. With rain in the forecast though, they should be springing up all over within a week! Usually, a day after a good dousing rain will offer a fresh crop of Morel mushrooms!

Now where to go? Pick apart any stretch of woods, especially along rivers and creeks. State public areas and even city parks will have morels to be found, the trick is getting there before anyone else. If you're up for some gravel travel, one trick I try is to drive along the county roads where there are woodland areas. Seek out those dead indicator trees on the side of the road and stop by for a look. Remember, don't cross any fences and usually public land is only 15 feet from the road. Please be respectful of others' property and don't trespass.

If you're new to finding morels, I highly recommend going with someone who knows how to find them. Your odds of success will be higher and the chances of picking a 'false morel' or mushroom that isn't edible will be much lower. Make sure you pick the correct mushrooms -the wrong ones can make you sick! When in doubt, throw it out. Be safe and good luck.