The Best Fishing Spots in Iowa
In Iowa, United States, recreational anglers can enjoy strong fisheries for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike and muskellunge, abundant panfish like crappie and bluegill, and catfish species such as channel catfish and flathead catfish; cold water and tailwater areas also support stocked trout. Major waters include the Mississippi River, Missouri River and reservoirs like Rathbun Lake, Lake Red Rock, Saylorville Lake, Spirit Lake and Coralville Reservoir, plus many smaller lakes and ponds. Summer boat and shore fishing focuses on structure for warmwater species, spring and fall offer top walleye and pike action, and winter brings popular ice fishing for panfish and walleyes; common tactics include live bait, jigs, crankbaits and soft plastics.
Top Cities For Fishing
River Fishing
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Big Creek Lake
Close to Polk City , Big Creek Lake is a favorite for walleye, crappie, and bluegill, with bonus muskie; target rock humps and riprap for walleyes, brush piles for crappie, and weed edges for summer panfish.
Black Hawk Lake
Black Hawk Lake offers accessible walleye, yellow perch, bluegill, and channel catfish; spring walleyes key on shore rock, summer perch and bluegill hold near vegetation, and fall crappies move to deeper structure by Lake View .
Cedar River
The Cedar River is noted for walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike, and flathead catfish; spring walleye near dams, summer smallmouth on riprap and current seams, and nighttime flatheads around brush and bridge pilings through Cedar Rapids and Waterloo .
Clear Lake
Clear Lake is renowned for prolific yellow bass along with walleye, muskellunge, and perch; spring walleyes work shoreline rock and jetties, summer yellow bass schools roam flats, and winter ice anglers score mixed bags near reefs and the Ventura grade.
Coralville Lake
Coralville Lake offers mixed action for crappie, largemouth bass, walleye, and channel catfish; spring crappie crowd brush and coves, while summer bass relate to timbered shorelines and rock near Iowa City .
Des Moines River
Flowing across central Iowa, the Des Moines River offers walleye, smallmouth, white bass, and sizable catfish; early-season walleyes concentrate below dams, while summer drifting and night fishing produce cats near Ottumwa and Des Moines .
East Okoboji Lake
Long and narrow East Okoboji Lake fishes well for bluegill, crappie, walleye, and yellow bass; summer panfish stack on docks and vegetation, while spring and fall walleyes cruise channel areas connecting to West Okoboji Lake and Big Spirit Lake .
Iowa River
The Iowa River supports walleye, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, and seasonal flatheads; spring and fall see walleyes on riprap and tailwaters, with summer smallmouth and catfish along current breaks near Marshalltown and Iowa City .
Lake Macbride
Lake Macbride features quality largemouth bass, crappie, walleyes, and unique spotted bass; spring crappie floods the shallows, summer bass relate to laydowns and rocks, and evening walleyes bite along riprap near Solon .
Lake Red Rock
Iowa’s largest reservoir, Lake Red Rock, shines with white bass, walleye, and strong catfish numbers; work windblown points, flooded timber, and the tailwater below the dam near Pella and Knoxville .
Maquoketa River
The Maquoketa River is a scenic stream with strong smallmouth bass in rocky runs, plus walleye and channel catfish; float-fishing shines in summer, while spring and fall bring shallow smallmouth action above and below Delhi .
Rathbun Lake
Rathbun Lake is a southern Iowa powerhouse for crappie, walleye, white bass, and channel catfish; spring crappies stack in coves and riprap, summer white bass blitz shad on windblown points, and fall walleyes prowl rocky areas and the dam near Centerville .
Saylorville Lake
Near Des Moines , Saylorville Lake is popular for spring white bass and walleye in the tailwater, summer catfish on channel edges, and fall schooling white bass and wipers; wind-driven points and the upper lake are consistent producers.
Big Spirit Lake
Big Spirit Lake is a classic natural lake with strong walleye bites during spring and fall, along with smallmouth bass, perch, and seasonal muskie; drift weedlines and rock reefs, with shore opportunities around the spillway near Orleans .
Storm Lake
Windy and productive Storm Lake boasts excellent walleye, abundant white bass, and strong channel catfish; shoreline rock and dredge cuts fish well in spring, while summer trolling and drifting are effective near Storm Lake .
Turkey River
The driftless-influenced Turkey River features clear-water smallmouth bass and seasonal walleye, with thriving channel catfish; wade or float to fish rocky pools and riffles around Elkader and Clermont , especially during summer low flows.
Wapsipinicon River
The Wapsipinicon River yields quality northern pike, smallmouth and largemouth bass, plus channel catfish and walleye; focus on backwaters and woody cover near Independence and Anamosa , especially in spring and fall.
West Okoboji Lake
Crystal-clear West Okoboji Lake offers trophy muskellunge, quality smallmouth and largemouth bass, plus walleye and panfish; target rocky points and deep weed edges in summer and chase fall smallmouths on reefs around Arnolds Park .
Lake Sugema
Lake Sugema in southeast Iowa is known for quality largemouth bass, slab crappie, and dependable bluegill and channel catfish; brush piles, timbered coves, and riprap hold fish from spring spawning through fall feeding near Keosauqua .