Worth a shot at the moment?

My brother and I are planning an early morning trip up to Central City to fish the Wapsi from my boat. I have never really been on or fished the Wapsi. Is it worth the trip with current water levels? Will I even be able to fish it effectively from a boat or is there not enough water? Any tips would be appreciated. We’re planning on looking for pretty much anything willing to bite. We’ll cast jigs/crawlers/crankbaits for smallies/walleyes then move towards looking for some catfish maybe.

Thanks!
Jacob

I am not sure about the wapsie, but I am really close to the Cedar River by below Waterloo, and down here you pretty much need a canoe or plan on dragging the boat. Also plan on leaving a truck down below at the next ramp because upstream is out of the question. Its been a couple weeks, since I have been out, but we did catch a few walleyes and a couple smallies. They really seemed to be spread out, but did manage a few. Hope that helps.

I’m in Cedar Rapids and short of the stretch from the 5-in-1 to 90* turn away from Ellis Blvd I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to fish much of the Cedar from a boat.

better have a flat. shorts an sandels. go slow an look for
deep holes.
not sure about c.c but heard good things.
i fish up creek from there.
good luck

Its going to be shallow but fishable JW, Right now Id bet the Wapsi is going to be better then the Cedar. Tennis shoes and cutoffs are a good bet right now, Id be surprised if you didn’t catch fish in the deeper water, let us know how you do. Don’t forget working a topwater for smallies.

I think we’re going to give it a shot. Might drop in at Stone City per suggestion. Might pop my transducer off the transom before the trip though.

Got up at about 4:30 AM hoping to hit the Wapsi early only to be greated with rain. We waited an hour and a half or so and got after them. Dropped in at Stone City. Nice ramp but basically ends a couple feet in with current water levels. Rain started about 30 yards upstream from ramp. We were disappointed and anchored under some shelter to check radar. I dropped a jig in just for the heck of it and pulled out two walleye in a few minutes. My brother caught a variety in the same spot redhorse, carp, and very small channel cats.

Ventured further up river despite the rain and found decent smallmouth bit along the rocky shores. Nothing huge biggest around 14-15″. Brother caught a rockbass as well. Deep rolled in a couple channel cats on lipless cranks in 6-7 fow. Deepest we found was around 8 feet. Didnt get any purposeful catfishing in, but didnt find any/many snags with more than a couple feet of water around them.

My 16′ jon mod-v jon with 15 hp got around well. Only a couple beachings. Just go slow! About a dozen smallies, a bunch of tiny channel cats, few “bonus” species… it was a good day. Rained the whole time we were fishing… about four hours.

Maybe next time JW go up river a ways to the Waubeek stretch of the river, theres a ramp there too. You know rivers change from year to year and from spring to fall, maybe you’ll find a few good holes to sit at and be able to jig them for a decent days fishing. Any rocky shoreline should hold the smallies in that part of the river, plus the logs that lay in the river too.