Where to fish

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Where to fish

  • Forecast
  • Catches

Mine

  • Favorites
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© 2026·AI-powered bite forecast
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United States / Iowa / Ames

Ames — bite forecast

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Best fishing days for the next week

  1. MondaySeptember 7weather-based forecast
    68/100high activity

    Partly cloudy: 68–91 °F

Catches

Recorded 2 catches here. Most commonly caught: Yellow perch, Largemouth bass. Peak season: February–March.

  • Yellow perch
    Iowa, Story County
    18 °F7 mph
    Feb 05, 2019
  • Largemouth bass
    Iowa, Story County

Ames (Iowa) — a draw for anglers. Nearby: 5 water bodies. Here you'll find a bite prediction — when fish are active and which hours give the best chances, adjusted for weather and pressure.

ThursdaySeptember 10weather-based forecast
68/100high activity

Partly cloudy: 66–97 °F

  • TuesdaySeptember 8weather-based forecast
    59/100medium activity

    Clear: 77–100 °F

  • 39 °F
    13 mph
    Mar 29, 2018

    Where to go fishing near Ames on September 8, 2026

    The ranking weighs the regional forecast by water type, catches linked to each water body and distance from the city center.

    • Lake LaVerneLake№1Why #1Forecast 8/100 confirmed catches2 mi from the centerIn the forecast: Pike, Smallmouth bass, and White bassregional forecast for Iowa
    • Arnold LakeLake№2Why #2Forecast 8/100 confirmed catches2 mi from the centerIn the forecast: Pike, Smallmouth bass, and White bassregional forecast for Iowa
    • Ada Hayden LakeLake№3Why #3Forecast 8/100 confirmed catches3 mi from the centerIn the forecast: Pike, Smallmouth bass, and White bassregional forecast for Iowa
    • Peterson LakeLake№4Why #4Forecast 8/100 confirmed catches4 mi from the centerIn the forecast: Pike, Smallmouth bass, and White bassregional forecast for Iowa
    • McFarland LakeReservoir№5Why #5Forecast 8/100 confirmed catches5 mi from the centerIn the forecast: Pike, Smallmouth bass, and White bassregional forecast for Iowa
    • South Skunk RiverRiver№6Why #6Forecast 8/100 confirmed catches12 mi from the centerIn the forecast: Pike, Smallmouth bass, and White bassregional forecast for Iowa
    • Hickory Grove LakeLake№7Why #7Forecast 8/100 confirmed catches14 mi from the centerIn the forecast: Pike, Smallmouth bass, and White bassregional forecast for Iowa
    • Twin Anchors LakeLake№8Why #8Forecast 8/100 confirmed catches14 mi from the centerIn the forecast: Pike, Smallmouth bass, and White bassregional forecast for Iowa
    • Lake FisherLake№9Why #9Forecast 8/100 confirmed catches16 mi from the centerIn the forecast: Pike, Smallmouth bass, and White bassregional forecast for Iowa
    • Big Creek LakeLake№10Why #10Forecast 8/100 confirmed catches16 mi from the centerIn the forecast: Pike, Smallmouth bass, and White bassregional forecast for Iowa
    • Little Wall LakeLake№11Why #11Forecast 8/100 confirmed catches17 mi from the centerIn the forecast: Pike, Smallmouth bass, and White bassregional forecast for Iowa
    • Skull PondLake№12Why #12Forecast 8/100 confirmed catches19 mi from the centerIn the forecast: Pike, Smallmouth bass, and White bassregional forecast for Iowa

    Bite calendar

    7–Sep 13
    Mon
    Tue
    Wed
    Thu
    Fri
    Sat
    Sun
    Bite activity:highmediumlowslow
    Based on:weatherseasonal
    What is a bite calendar?

    Bite on water bodies

    8 SepTuesday, September 8

    Tap any fish to open its full forecast — the hours it bites, what it takes, and where it has been caught.

    0:0023:00
    • Pike8/10
    • Smallmouth bass8/10
    • White bass8/10
    • Yellow perch8/10
    • Muskellunge7/10
    • Walleye7/10
    • Black crappie6/10
    • White crappie6/10
    • Bluegill5/10
    • Carp5/10
    • Channel catfish5/10
    • Flathead catfish5/10
    • Largemouth bass5/10
    • Rainbow trout5/10
    Bite activity:highmediumlow
    How this forecast is calculated
    8 SepTuesday, September 8
    +96°

    Clear · feels like +95°

    Low / high
    +76°…+100°
    Precipitation
    0.00 in
    Wind
    16 mph SW
    Cloud cover
    12%
    Humidity
    34%
    Pressure
    29.80 inHg
    00:00+78°—17 mphsoutheast wind, 17 mph53%96%
    01:00+76°—16 mphsoutheast wind, 16 mph51%84%
    02:00+76°—15 mphsoutheast wind, 15 mph48%82%
    03:00+77°—15 mphsouth wind, 15 mph48%100%
    04:00+77°—15 mphsouth wind, 15 mph51%12%
    05:00+77°—15 mphsouth wind, 15 mph53%5%
    06:00+76°—14 mphsouth wind, 14 mph54%6%
    07:00+76°—13 mphsouth wind, 13 mph55%19%
    08:00+78°—14 mphsouth wind, 14 mph54%100%
    09:00+80°—14 mphsouth wind, 14 mph55%100%
    10:00+81°—12 mphsouth wind, 12 mph53%100%
    11:00+89°—14 mphsouthwest wind, 14 mph45%19%
    12:00+96°—16 mphsouthwest wind, 16 mph34%12%
    13:00+99°—18 mphsouthwest wind, 18 mph30%5%
    14:00+100°—14 mphsouthwest wind, 14 mph27%5%
    15:00+100°—10 mphwest wind, 10 mph27%20%
    16:00+97°—8 mphnorthwest wind, 8 mph29%35%
    17:00+94°—7 mphnorthwest wind, 7 mph34%50%
    18:00+90°—8 mphnorth wind, 8 mph42%67%
    19:00+86°—9 mphnorth wind, 9 mph49%76%
    20:00+83°—9 mphnortheast wind, 9 mph53%73%
    21:00+81°—8 mphnortheast wind, 8 mph57%62%
    22:00+78°—6 mphnorth wind, 6 mph61%53%
    23:00+76°0.00 in5 mphnorth wind, 5 mph68%45%
    +100°+88°+76°
    Weather throughout the day
    0:006:0012:0018:0023:00

    Sun and moon

    Tuesday, September 8
    The day: daylight and the hours the moon is above the horizon. Local time0:0012:0024:00
    DaylightMoon above the horizon
    Sunrise
    06:51
    Sunset
    19:39
    Day length
    12 h 48 min
    Sunshine hours
    7 h 49 min
    UV index
    5
    moderate
    Moon
    Waning crescent
    Moonrise
    03:43
    Moonset
    18:30

    The day is 3 min shorter than yesterday.

    Sunshine hours count direct sun only — cloud cover cuts it, so it is shorter than daylight.

    Solunar feeding periods

    +11% in the windowTuesday, September 8
    Feeding windows on the day scale, local time0:0012:0024:00
    Major periodsMinor periods
    • Minor03:13–04:13Moonrise
    • Major10:14–12:14Moon overhead
    • Minor18:00–19:00Moonset
    • Major22:40–00:00Moon underfoot

    The windows are set by the moon's transit and rise, and the forecast above already accounts for them: within these hours the bite score sits higher than across the rest of the day, while the day's overall level still comes from the catch-calibrated model.

    What are solunar periods?

    Recommendations

    Tactics

    Work the cover — snags, weed edges, hole entrances; retrieve the lure with pauses.

    Lures

    The water's turning murky — go with bright, noisy lures: crankbait or spoon.

    Gear

    It's a hot day — a hat, sunglasses, and plenty of water are a must. Rain is expected — don't forget a rain jacket or a waterproof shell.