Fishing Species

Fishing in Iowa interior rivers means you can catch more large-sized fish. Iowa is home to an abundant variety of fish including prized-size catfish, small-mouth bass, walleye, perch, trout, pike and many more. For all you fishing enthusiasts, you must note that at least twelve species of fish reside in Iowa waters such as black bass species, six sunfish species, and three crappie-like members. Northeast Iowa is renowned for remarkable trout fishing. You may also come across several species of unusual fish in Iowa Rivers, including American eel, paddlefish, blue sucker, bowfin, shovelnose sturgeon, short-nose gar and northern hog sucker.

Types of Catch Available

Freshwater

Rainbow Trout

Brook Trout

Brown Trout

White Bass

Striped Bass

Largemouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

Spotted Bass

Bluegill

Pumpkinseed Sunfish

Muskie

Walleye

Bullhead Catfish

Channel Catfish

Crappie

Yellow Perch

Carp

Grass Carp

State Fishing Records

Top 10 Fishing Spots Across Iowa

This bountiful state boasts an extensive variety of fishing including freshwater, fly, or even ice-fishing. Ask any angler about the places they would like to fish someday, and Iowa would definitely make the cut!

Iowa summers mean long days, warm nights and one of our beloved pastimes - fishing. Iowa has a varying habitat and thousands of fishing spots, which is why we have managed to carve out our Iowa fishing guide which will identify the top fishing spots, guaranteeing you a great, memorable catch.

Black Hawk Lake

Renovated in 2012, Black Hawk Lake provides great fishing for all ages. It lays on 729 acres and is located on the east edge of Lake View. With phenomenal Walleye fishing, anglers can find great catches throughout May with walleye about of up to 20 inches. Head towards Ice House Point (in Black Hawk State Park) for 8-inch bluegill and 8 to 10-inch crappie. You will catch dozens of largemouth bass per trip. The water temperatures are around 60 degrees, and many channel catfish surpass 4 pounds. To catch yellow Perch, anglers have been picking them from the floating dock and the fish house in Town Bay using crawlers and minnows. The Muskie is developing in Black Hawk, with the oldest fish approaching the highest 30-inch size range. Want to take a break from fishing? Simply hop on over to the trails and parks for camping and family fun!

Green Valley State Park

In Southwest Iowa, near the community of Creston, Green Valley Lake is a top pick by anglers for the large variety of fish that populate it and because the access to the water is stress-free. With four boat ramps, handicap-accessible piers, and shoreline accessibility, anyone with a pole and Iowa fishing license can reel in largemouth bass, channel catfish, black bullhead, black crappie, walleye, and many more exciting species. The best time to fish here is in summer months. Along with fishing, you can have a relaxing time with your whole family as it has many other scenic recreational activities.

Lake Ahquabi

Lake Ahquabi, 5 miles southwest of Indianola, offers a blissful escape from the summer heat. What makes it an angler’s paradise is that according to Department of Natural Resources (DNR), you can catch an average of 2.7 fish per hour, twice the catch rate of most Iowa lakes. Haul into black Crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass and redear sunfish throughout the year. No matter the amount of time you spend here, be sure to have a great time discovering the waters of this man-made reservoir.

Lake Mcbride

Want to know which is the only spot in Iowa home to prized Kentucky spotted bass? Lake Macbride it is. Lake Macbride is home to an abundance of species, and you can cast for trophy wipers (10 pounds plus) and catch-and-release 30-inch muskies (40-inch minimum). Get ready to haul in bluegill, walleye, channel catfish, black bullhead, flathead catfish, green sunfish, muskellunge, quillback, wiper, crappie bigmouth buffalo and many more. Take in some ice fishing in winter months, as it’s safe and rewarding.

Little River Lake

Up for fall fishing? Little River Lake, an hour away from Des Moines, is a hot spot for fall fishing and an anglers dream come true for high-quality fishing. This lake produces healthy populations of walleye, black bullhead, bluegill, largemouth bass, and channel catfish. Spring is a fruitful season to fish here with bluegill up to 9 inches and largemouth bass up to 16 inches.

Pinicon Ridge Park

Pinicon Ridge Park in Linn County is a popular place for many types of outdoor adventures - but it’s an angler’s paradise any day. It populates smallmouth bass, bigmouth buffalo, and northern pike and fishers can head to this river any time of the year for a good chance to catch something fruitful. The Iowa DNR recognizes Pinicon Ridge Park as one of the most premier fishing spots in Iowa. So, it’s a hot spot with plenty of fish to catch, and you can experience for yourself what makes it a great fishing destination.

Prarie Rose Lake

Want to fish and gaze at scenic views together? Head to Prairie Rose Lake. It is settled among picturesque hills southeast of Harlan and is rich in excellent bass, channel catfish, green sunfish, bluegill and crappie fishing. Bluegills are huge, and the crappie inhabitants are increasingly fast. What makes this 205-acre lake spot memorable is that plentiful large-mouth bass provide great catches and release fishing (15-inch minimum length limit). Since the shore access is restricted due to lots of aquatic plant habitat, you must fish from a boat, kayak or jetty.

Hannen Park

This is known as the first county conservation man-made lake in Iowa, and Hannen Lake within Hannen Park, is a full-fledged fishing adventure waiting to be enjoyed. Get ready to fish and boat upon 45 acres of water. You have a fair chance to catch black crappie, bluegills and largemouth bass, creating thrilling moments every time you reel something in. Interestingly, Iowa DNR stocks this man-made lake with catfish throughout the year, providing every angler a chance to catch even more variety at Hannen Lake. With a campground close to the shore, this is one fishing hole in Iowa which can be easily explored multiple days at a time.

From running rivers to its picturesque lakes to its secret destinations, dive into an incredible experience of fishing in Iowa waters. With the right bait, enthusiasm, and the right spot, you might catch that big trophy you’ve always wanted.

Iowa State Fishing Records

SPECIES	WEIGHT	LENGTH	WATERBODY	COUNTY	DATE TAKEN	CITY	STATE
Bass (Largemouth)	12-Oct	23.5	Lake Fisher	Davis	5/1/1984	Davenport	IA
Bass (Ocean Striped)	4-Sep	29	Rathbun Reservoir	Appanoose	7/1/1983	Centerville	IA
Bass (Rock)	8-Jan	10.5	Pool 11, Mississippi River	Dubuque	6/1/1973	Dubuque	IA
Bass (Smallmouth)	12-Jul	22.8	West Okoboji Lake	Dickinson	9/1/1990	Dickinson	IA
Bass (Spotted)	Feb-00	16	Coralville Reservoir	Johnson	5/7/2013	Solon	IA
Bass (White)	3-Apr	18.7	Big Spirit Lake	Dickinson	5/7/2011	Laurens	IA
Bass (Wiper)	19-10	33	Saylorville Reservoir	Polk	8/29/2005	Des Moines	IA
Bass (Yellow) -tie	9-Jan	14.5	Lake Manawa	Pottawattamie	4/1/1991	Council Bluffs	IA
Bass (Yellow) -tie	9-Jan	13.5	Lake Anita	Cass	5/1/2000	Underwood	IA
Bass (Yellow) -tie	9-Jan	12.7	Siems County Park	Kossuth	2/14/2015	Algona	IA
Bowfin/Dogfish	9-Nov	31.5	Pool 10, Mississippi River	Clayton	5/1/1994	Blue Grass	IA
Buffalo (Bigmouth)	64-6	41.5	Lake Manawa	Pottawattamie	4/18/2007	Omaha	NE
Buffalo (Black)	63-6	48.5	Pool 9, Mississippi River	Allamakee	8/14/1999	Jesup	IA
Buffalo (Smallmouth)	3-Aug	24.6	Pool 11, Mississippi River	Dubuque	8/13/2015	Peosta	IA
Bullhead (Black)	8-May	22	farm pond	Hamilton	6/1/1986	Ellsworth	IA
Bullhead (Brown)	4-Jan	12.5	Pool 9, Mississippi River	Allamakee	8/24/2015	Harpers Ferry	IA
Bullhead (Yellow)	2-1.5	15	Little River Watershed Lake	Decatur	5/18/2018	Bondurant	IA
Carp (Bighead)	93-8	56	Rathbun Reservoir	Appanoose	6/15/2012	Mystic	IA
Carp (Common)	50-0	44	Glenwood Lake	Mills	4/1/1969	Glenwood	IA
Carp (Silver)	40-0	42.5	farm pond	Wapello	5/10/2016	Eldon	IA
Catfish (Blue)	101-0	53	Missouri River	Mills	6/8/2004	Bellevue	NE
Catfish (Channel)	38-2	40	Missouri River	Pottawattamie	6/11/2005	Omaha	NE
Catfish (Flathead)	81-0	52	Ellis Lake	Lucas	6/7/1958	Chariton	IA
Crappie (Black)	14-Mar	18	Three Mile Lake	Union	6/5/2013	Omaha	NE
Crappie (White)	9-Apr	21.3	Green Castle Lake	Marshall	5/1/1981	Marshalltown	IA
Freshwater Drum	46-0	38.5	Big Spirit Lake	Dickinson	10/1/1962	Clarion	IA
Gar (Longnose)	20-13	57	Pool 13, Mississippi River	Jackson	7/20/2014	Bellevue	IA
Gar (Shortnose)	2-Jul	34	Roberts Creek Lake	Marion	4/9/2012	Altoona	IA
Goldeye	15-Feb	20	Pool 10, Mississippi River	Clayton	8/20/2004	Central City	IA
Mooneye	8-Jan	16	Pool 9, Mississippi River	Allamakee	10/23/2016	Springbrook	IA
Muskellunge	50-6	52	Big Spirit Lake	Dickinson	8/21/2000	Spirit Lake	IA
Muskellunge (Tiger)	27-2	47	West Okoboji Lake	Dickinson	8/1/1989	Spencer	IA
Northern Pike	25-5	45	West Okoboji Lake	Dickinson	2/1/1977	Albert City	IA
Paddlefish	107-0	69.5	Missouri River		3/1/1981	Onawa	IA
Redhorse (Silver)	5.12	23	Des Moines River	Webster	10/26/2016	Fort Dodge	IA
Sauger	8-Jun	25	Missouri River		10/1/1976	Sloan	IA
Saugeye	4-Dec	29.5	Des Moines River	Polk	3/1/2000	Des Moines	IA
Sturgeon (Shovelnose)	Dec-00	33	Des Moines River	Van Buren	4/1/1974	Douds	IA
Sucker (Blue)	15-6	33.3	Iowa River	Johnson	4/11/2011	Iowa City	IA
Sucker (Northern Hogsucker)	1.6	15	Des Moines River	Webster	10/22/2016	Fort Dodge	IA
Sucker (White)	5.06	21.3	Otter Creek	Osceola	3/22/2016	Sibley	IA
Sunfish (Bluegill)	2-Mar	12.9	farm pond	Madison	7/1/1986	Earlham	IA
Sunfish (Green)	1-Feb	12.5	farm pond	Marion	7/29/2000	Knoxville	IA
Sunfish (Pumpkinseed)	0.9	10	farm pond	Pottawattamie	7/9/2016	Council Bluffs	IA
Sunfish (Redear)	2.13	12.4	Williamson Pond	Lucas	8/9/2017	Corydon	IA
Sunfish (Warmouth)	0.74	9	farm pond	Adair	7/26/2016	Bedford	IA
Trout (Brook)	Jul-00	19.8	Fountain Springs	Delaware	7/1/1996	Marion	IA
Trout (Brown)	15-6	29	North Prairie Lake	Black Hawk	6/1/1995	Gladbrook	IA
Trout (Rainbow)	19-8	35	French Creek	Allamakee	7/1/1984	Waterloo	IA
Walleye	14-8	30.5	Des Moines River	Polk	9/1/1986	Ankeny	IA
White Amur (Grass Carp)	85-8	48	Greenfield Lake	Adair	5/1/2007	Greenfield	IA
Yellow Perch	7-Feb	16	Pool 12, Mississippi River	Dubuque	3/13/2012	Dubuque	IA
Redhorse (Golden)	1.94	17	Des Moines River	Webster	10/29/2016	Fort Dodge	IA
Redhorse (Shorthead)	2.68	18	Des Moines River	Webster	10/28/2016	Fort Dodge	IA

Brown Trout

Appearance

Brown trout vary greatly in appearance, but are generally olive green to brown on top, shading to a creamy, golden yellow on the sides and an off- white along the belly. Most brown trout are covered with black spots along their sides, back, and dorsal fin with each spot surrounded by a light halo. Frequently, the spots near the lateral line are red. Unlike other trout species, brown trout tails have few if any spots.

Habitat

Brown trout occupy a range of aquatic systems and habitats from Coldwater mountain streams to larger rivers, ponds and lakes.

Diet

Brown trout feed on several animal prey species, aquatic invertebrates being the most abundant prey items. However, brown trout also feed on other prey such as land-based invertebrates (e.g. Hymenoptera) or other fish. Moreover, in brown trout, as in many other fish species, a change in the diet composition normally occurs during the life of the fish, and piscivorous behavior is most frequent in large brown trout.

Fishing for Brown Trout

Fishing for brook trout with a Bubble Fly or Bubble Bait rig is a great way to catch brook trout. The Bubble allows for easy casting or float and release to get to the hard bends and deep pools. Using a spinning reel or fly rod the bubble can help get to the fish. For lake fishing the Bubble works great with a nightcrawler and letting the bubble troll the bait for you using water current or wind.

Top 5 Bubble Fly Combos for Brown Trout

Ant, Cricket, Hopper, Adams Parachute, Wullf Royal

Top 5 Bubble Bait Combos for Brown Trout

Nightcrawler, Wax Worms , Corn, Power Bait, Salmon Eggs

Bubble Fly Challenge Games for Brown Trout

Panfish & Trout