Today's Best Fishing Times for
Ottumwa, United States ðŸ‡ºðŸ‡¸

Solunar
Weather
7-Day
Spots

How to use our fishing calendar

Planning your next fishing trip in Ottumwa, United States ? Today is a average day for fishing. Our comprehensive fishing almanac combines our popular solunar tables, moon times, sunrise and sunset times, and a 7-day fishing calendar so you always know the best fishing times in your area. We analyse major and minor solunar bite times, rate each day on a five-star scale, and pair it with localized weather forecasts so you can quickly tell whether today is a good day to fish without juggling multiple tabs. Be sure to bookmark this page so you never miss a bite. view bite times...

  • Check our unique Solunar Clock for precise solunar tables and the best moon phases.
  • Use the forecast calendar section to sync bite times with major weather changes.
  • Analyze the forecasted weather conditions, such as wind, barometric pressure and rain to plan your fishing session.
  • Jump to the 7-Day Fishing Calendar for an extended fishing forecast, then explore nearby fishing spots on the interactive map.

Fishing in Ottumwa, Iowa centers around the Des Moines River and nearby lakes, offering excellent angling for catfish, walleye, bass, and panfish. From downtown Ottumwa riverbanks to small public ponds, anglers find year-round opportunities with diverse habitats and structure. Local fishermen target everything from trophy flathead catfish to numbers of crappie and channel cats using both shore and boat tactics. read more...

Sun and Moon Times

The sun will be at it's highest point at . Today we have 12:58 hours of daylight. For shallow water fishing the twilight periods are often the most productive fishing times, especially on days when a major or minor time will coincide with twilight. In low light conditions predators have better cover for their ambush and often hunt in shallow water.
  • Nautical Twilight begins:
    Sunrise:
  • Sunset:
    Nautical Twilight ends:
  • Moonrise:
  • Moonset:
  • Moon over:
  • Moon under:
  • Visibility:
    34%
  • Third Quarter Moon - 34% illuminated Third Quarter Moon
Next New Moon in ~6 days on 10th September
  • Distance to earth:
    363,324 km
    Proximity:
    99.5 %
We can compare the current moon distance to it's minimum and maximum distance from earth and express that as proximity. A high proximity means the moon is closer to earth. At 50% it would be at it's mean distance. A high proximity causes big tides, currents and has a direct effect on increased bite times. A proximity greater than 90% indicates a super moon.
Moon Phases for Ottumwa
New Moon
Thu, 10 Sep
Full Moon
Sat, 26 Sep

Solunar Bite Times

Settings
Display Settings:
  • average Day
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Best fishing times:
  • minor Time:
    12:04 am - 02:04 am
  • major Time:
    07:19 am - 09:19 am
  • minor Time:
    03:15 pm - 05:15 pm
  • major Time:
    07:39 pm - 09:39 pm
All times are displayed in the America/Chicago timezone and are automatically adjusted to daylight savings. The current timezone offset is -5 hours. Green and yellow areas indicate the best fishing times (major and minor). The center shows the current moon phase which is a Third Quarter Moon at 34% lumination. According to the Solunar Theory, today is a average day for fishing, but you need to cross check this with the current weather forecast for a final decision. The next best fishing time ( ) starts in -4 hour and -12 minute. The gray time indicator displays the current local time.
America/Chicago • Sat, 5 Sep 04:06 • 41.02, -92.411
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Current Fishing Weather

Updating Weather Infos...

7 Day Fishing Weather

The weather plays an important role in fishing. Wind strenght and direction often determine where you can fish and where fish might be holding. Although high pressure is usually good for fishing, steep pressure changes often trigger feeding frenzies and are great times for fishing. Of course temperature has also a strong effect on fishing and comfort on the water. So make sure to cross check the weather forecast with the solunar fishing times to determine the best times to go fishing. The graph below shows you the 3 hourly weather progression over the next 7 days. Scroll the graph left or right to see more.
Selected Weather Station: Ottumwa, US
Temperature
Wave Height
Swell Height
Wind
Pressure
Humidity
Cloudcover
Rain Precipitation
UV Index
Retrieving Weather...

7 Day Fishing Forecast Calendar
Date Major Bite Times Minor Bite Times Sun Moon Moonphase
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R:
S: 		R:
S: 		Third Quarter Moon moon phase
Third Quarter Moon
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R:
S: 		R:
S: 		Third Quarter Moon moon phase
Third Quarter Moon
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R:
S: 		R:
S: 		Waning Crescent moon phase
Waning Crescent
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R:
S: 		R:
S: 		Waning Crescent moon phase
Waning Crescent
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R:
S: 		R:
S: 		Waning Crescent moon phase
Waning Crescent
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R:
S: 		R:
S: 		New Moon moon phase
New Moon
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R:
S: 		R:
S: 		New Moon moon phase
New Moon
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R:
S: 		R:
S: 		New Moon moon phase
New Moon
*bold times indicate best fishing times around sunrise or sunset

Fishing Overview Ottumwa

Ottumwa, Iowa fishing revolves around the Des Moines River corridor, smaller feeder creeks, and a mix of city ponds and nearby lakes. The river through Ottumwa holds catfish, walleye, bass, and rough fish, while still waters around town provide dependable action for bass, crappie, and bluegill. Shore access is excellent, making this a productive destination whether you fish from the bank, a small boat, or a kayak.

Seasonal patterns on the Des Moines River are predictable. In early spring, warming shallows and current breaks near Ottumwa’s bridges and riprapped banks draw walleye and sauger. Jig-and-minnow or jig-and-plastic combos drifted through seams and below riffles produce best. As the water warms into late spring, channel catfish and flatheads become more active. Cut bait or live bait fished around logjams, outside bends, and undercut banks is effective. Summer brings reliable nighttime catfishing along deeper holes and wing dams, while early and late in the day are prime for smallmouth and largemouth bass around rocky shorelines, eddies, and laydowns.

Fall fishing in Ottumwa often means aggressive walleye and mixed-species bites as fish feed up before winter. Crankbaits, swimbaits, and heavier jigs worked along the river’s channel edges and deeper runs are solid choices. Panfish in local ponds school tight to structure such as brush piles and docks, where small jigs tipped with waxworms or tiny plastics excel. Through winter, river levels and ice conditions dictate tactics, but open-water stretches below dams can hold concentrated walleye and catfish that respond to slow presentations and baits held just off bottom.

Key habitats in the Ottumwa area include current breaks, outside bends, rock piles, and man-made riprap along the Des Moines River. Focus on the first deep hole downstream of any riffle or obstruction, especially where wood cover meets current. In ponds and small lakes, look for weed edges, submerged brush, and transitions from shallow flats to mid-depth drop-offs. These edges concentrate largemouth bass, crappie, and bluegill throughout much of the year.

Effective techniques are straightforward and tailored to local water conditions. For catfish, most Ottumwa anglers rely on simple slip-sinker rigs with cut shad, live bluegill (for flatheads where legal), or stinkbait presented on the upstream edge of deep holes. For walleye, a 1/8–1/4 oz jig with a plastic minnow or ringworm, slowly hopped along bottom, is a go-to. Bass fishermen do well with spinnerbaits, squarebill crankbaits, and Texas-rigged soft plastics pitched around wood and rock.

To fish Ottumwa efficiently, match your approach to water levels and clarity. After rains and high, off-colored water, move tight to the bank and fish slower, larger-profile baits with strong scent or vibration. In clear, stable conditions, downsize line and lures and target early morning and evening windows. Keep a small selection of jigs, sinkers, hooks, and a couple of multi-species lures in the truck so you can quickly adapt, whether you stop along the Des Moines River downtown or hit a nearby pond on the edge of Ottumwa.

Interactive Fishing Map for the greater Ottumwa area

We found a total of 40 potential fishing spots nearby Ottumwa. Below you can find them organized on a map. Points, Headlands, Reefs, Islands, Channels, etc can all be productive fishing spots. As these are user submitted spots, there might be some errors in the exact location. You also need to cross check local fishing regulations. Some of the spots might be in or around marine reserves or other locations that cannot be fished. If you click on a location marker it will bring up some details and a quick link to google search, satellite maps and fishing times. Tip: Click/Tap on a new area to load more fishing spots.

Kettle Creek - 1.9826465839km , Harrows Branch - 2.24277902191km , Comstock Creek - 11.2678780254km , South Avery Creek - 11.82328248807km , Menneika Creek - 12.61390991231km , Middle Avery Creek - 13.91101046253km , Fudge Creek - 15.96138077277km , North Avery Creek - 16.12362958498km , Morgan Branch - 16.92559709036km , Little Soap Creek - 17.33099077288km , Palestine Creek - 17.51918358569km , Lick Creek - 17.8630757336km , Chippewa Creek - 18.07676248243km , Salt Creek - 19.50230734926km , White Ash Branch - 21.00805299587km , Pepper Creek - 21.58876764865km , Little Competine Creek - 21.72242242524km , North Chequest Creek - 22.37639819667km , Waugh Branch - 23.67243630806km , Butter Creek - 23.99990375883km , Gobbler Creek - 24.02504708248km , Packinghouse Creek - 24.13538980453km , Competine Creek - 24.16226685098km , Muchakinock Creek - 24.46350659742km , South Soap Creek - 24.7876471613km , Lake Wapello Dam - 25.16461210311km , Vesser Creek - 25.80155821282km , Boyd Branch - 25.8708169689km , Grays Creek - 25.87199832781km , Little Avery Creek - 25.98907715612km , Olive Branch - 26.25270715965km , Steady Run - 26.4322662129km , Bonell Creek - 27.16136678212km , Mattix Branch - 27.42799214701km , Hupp Creek - 27.70849641399km , Buzzard Creek - 28.1677320454km , Stump Creek - 28.73968781758km , Miles Branch - 28.74552703863km , Locke Branch - 29.47140139083km , Grubb Run - 30.00334870842km

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