Low water means slow boating, good fishing

Piloting a fishing boat along the Mississippi River may prove to be a bit of a challenge lately due to the low water levels. One expert says boaters need to be very aware of wing dams — those rock walls that jut out from the shore anywhere from ten to 300 feet.John Pitlo, a fisheries research biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says it’s easy to hit the submerged dams. Pitlo says the fishing is great right now as the low rainfall has made the water very clear. He says the current that’s usually prevalent at this time of year that pushes fish back into side channels and into flooded timber is not there.Pitlo works in the Bellevue Research Station in Jackson County, where the Mississippi is down three to six feet from its regular spring level. Pitlo says anglers are finding a variety of fish on the big river.Pitlo recommends boaters use more caution than usual on the waterways. Gaining access to some backwater areas could prove to be a challenge due to submerged obstacles like logs and stumps.