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×Join our 5 fishermen and our 1 cofisherman in West-Des-Moines in Polk. The fishing forecast is currently 3.1. The most caught fishes here are the black crappie, the moapa dace, the pacific lamprey and the lahontan cutthroat trout. Come try the most famous fishing techniques like the bass trolling, big game fishing, support fishing for bass or gathering seafood by hand.
Our fishing forecast of West Des Moines indicates the best time to go fishing in this city.
The Black Crappie
The black Crappie belongs to the Centrarchidae family. Its average length is 18 to 25 cm, up to 38 cm with a weight generally varying between 300 and 900 grams. The largest specimens can reach 1kg. The all-time record comes from Missouri with a 2.26kg black crappie, while Ontario's is 1.7kg. It breeds around the end of March. Its longevity is 7 years. It is fished in April and May. The body of this fish has the typical shape of craps and other members of the centrarchidae family, i.e. oval and flattened with thorny fins. The height of this fish represents about 33% of its length. Its color is mainly dark olive, covered with a mosaic of irregular black spots on its head, back and sometimes on its belly. The flanks are paler, but also spotty, often with silver, green or even blue highlights. The color can vary considerably depending on the environment in which the fish live. Its mouth is large, reaching to a point below the middle of the eye. The black Crappie is particularly recognizable by its large fins, which give the impression that it has sails. It has 7 to 8 spines on the dorsal fin and 6 to 7 spines on the anal fin. This is one of the main distinctions that can be made with some craps that have 10 to 12 spines on the dorsal fin. The differences between the white and black crappie are sometimes subtle. The dark spots on the black crappie are a random texture, they appear as stripes on the white crappie. The latter also has a less dark back, a longer body and, above all
The Black Crappie is a famous fish you can catch in West Des Moines.The Moapa Dace
The Moapa Dace belongs to the Cyprinidae family. It has an average size of 10 to 13 cm. It has a lifespan of 4 years old. It may spawn throughout the year with a maximum activity in spring. It is an endangered species so the fishing is prohibited. It is a small fish with a short head, a terminal mouth and thick, semiconducting lips. The dorsal fin begins above or slightly behind the insertion of the pelvic fins and the caudal fin is forked. The dorsal color is dark, the sides are brownish with slightly golden areas and the ventral color is light. There is a dark spot on the tail and a dark line on each side of the body. The scales are small and deeply inlaid and the skin looks like leather. Some dace species have a small maxillary barbell, but not the species.
The Moapa Dace is a famous fish you can catch in West Des Moines.The Pacific Lamprey
The Pacific Lamprey belongs to the Petromyzontidae family. The adult size of the pacific lamprey can reach 80 cm. It can live up to 5 years. The spawning period depends on the location. It can be caught between July and September when it enters freshwater. The Pacific Lamprey differs from other lamprey species in that it has three large, sharp anterior teeth located on the supraoral bar. Like all lampreys, they have seven breathable pores on each side of their bodies and a large suction disc that acts as a mouth. They are dark blue at the top and silver or white at the bottom. During the breeding season, Pacific lampreys turn reddish brown and the appearance of the sexes begins to differentiate as a pseudo-anal fin develops on the female. Their larvae are difficult to distinguish from those of other lamprey species.
The Pacific Lamprey is a famous fish you can catch in West Des Moines.The Lahontan cutthroat trout
The Lahontan cutthroat trout belongs to the Salmonidae family. It can reach 1 m for 24 kg. It has a lifespan of less than 5 years. It breeds between February and July. The best time to catch it is between March and April. It is a quite large fish with a square tail to hunt prey and avoid predators. The coloring is green to greenish brown on the back, pale yellow with a pink lateral band on the sides and silver to white on the belly. Parr marks fade in mature fish. Spawning trout can be copper, red and orange, especially male. Large rounded spots, almost as black as ink, scatter little over the body, with less below the lateral line. Like other cutthroat trout, they have a distinct red to orange mark on their throats, but can be pale on lakes.
The Lahontan cutthroat trout is a famous fish you can catch in West Des Moines.The Yellow Perch
The Yellow Perch belongs to the Percidae family. The yellow perch measures on average 10 to 25 cm in length and weighs between 50 and 200 g (up to 36 cm for 500 g). The average lifespan is about 7 years. It breeds from April to May. It can be fished all year round. Its body is elongated and oval. Its head is moderately high and rounded at the tip. Its snout is obtuse and moderately long; it does not extend beyond the lower jaw. The mouth is terminal and slightly oblique. The jaws have small teeth. The operculum is finished with a strong thorn. There are 2 distinctly separated dorsal fins. The first dorsal spine is high and rounded, the spines are strong, the rays vary from 13 to 15. The second dorsal fin is almost as high, with 1 to 2 spines and 12 to 15 rays. The caudal is slightly forked. The color of the yellow perch varies according to its size and habitat. The back and dorsal surface of the head vary from bright green to golden brown to olive. The sides are pale yellow to yellow-green with about 7 vertical black bars of decreasing width. The ventral face of the head and body varies from grey to milk white. The dorsal and caudal fins range from yellow to green; the edge of the first dorsal fin is often black. In males in spawning livery the colors will be more intense: in particular, the pelvic and anal fins which are then bright orange.
The Yellow Perch is a famous fish you can catch in West Des Moines.Our fishing forecast of West Des Moines indicates the best time to go fishing in this city.
Our fishing forecast of West Des Moines indicates the best time to go fishing in this city.
Our fishing forecast of West Des Moines indicates the best time to go fishing in this city.