27 public waters in the Northeast Iowa (Driftless) region — 2 lakes/reservoirs and 25 rivers. Every one is public water fishable on a Iowa licence.
See every public fishing venue in Iowa on the map, with boat ramps, camping, parking and full rules for each one.
Fontana Lake (44 acres) sits in Buchanan County, Iowa, managed by US Army Corps of Engineers. Lakes and reservoirs across this region typically hold walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and panfish such as bluegill, crappie and pumpkinseed, with muskellunge present in some larger lakes -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Koutny Pond (16 acres) sits in Buchanan County, Iowa, managed by US Army Corps of Engineers. Lakes and reservoirs across this region typically hold walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and panfish such as bluegill, crappie and pumpkinseed, with muskellunge present in some larger lakes -- species commonly documented across the region's public waters by state wildlife agencies.
Wapsipinicon River runs 340 km through Clinton, Jones, Buchanan and 3 more counties in Iowa: A northeast-Iowa river (the Upper Iowa, Turkey, Yellow, Maquoketa, Volga, Wapsipinicon) — Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish and Rock Bass in clear, limestone-bluff country carved by the same Driftless geology as the Trout streams. The Upper Iowa is a especially scenic float.
Buffalo Creek runs 74 km through Buchanan, Linn, Jones and 1 more county in Iowa: A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Fayette, Bremer, Buchanan and 1 more county in Iowa — Little Wapsipinicon River is a 78 km stream: A northeast-Iowa river (the Upper Iowa, Turkey, Yellow, Maquoketa, Volga, Wapsipinicon) — Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish and Rock Bass in clear, limestone-bluff country carved by the same Driftless geology as the Trout streams. The Upper Iowa is a especially scenic float.
In Bremer, Buchanan, Chickasaw and 1 more county in Iowa, Buck Creek is a 41 km river or creek. A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Fayette, Buchanan and Delaware Counties, Iowa — South Fork Maquoketa River is a 28 km stream: A northeast-Iowa river (the Upper Iowa, Turkey, Yellow, Maquoketa, Volga, Wapsipinicon) — Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish and Rock Bass in clear, limestone-bluff country carved by the same Driftless geology as the Trout streams. The Upper Iowa is a especially scenic float.
Bear Creek (2 km) flows through Buchanan and Benton Counties, Iowa. A northeast-Iowa Driftless Area spring creek (French Creek, Bloody Run, Waterloo Creek, Paint Creek, Big Mill Creek) — cold, clear, spring-fed limestone water with wild and stocked brown and Brook Trout, and stocked rainbows in the put-and-take waters. Classic Driftless coulee-country fly fishing, an extension of the same geology as southwest Wisconsin and southeast Minnesota.
In Buchanan and Fayette Counties, Iowa, East Branch Buffalo Creek is a 23 km river or creek. A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
In Buchanan and Fayette Counties, Iowa, Hunter Creek is a 22 km river or creek. A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
West Branch Buffalo Creek runs 19 km through Buchanan and Fayette Counties, Iowa: A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Black Hawk and Buchanan Counties, Iowa — Spring Creek is a 21 km stream: A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Lime Creek runs 17 km through Buchanan and Benton Counties, Iowa: A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
In Buchanan and Delaware Counties, Iowa, Prairie Creek is a 24 km river or creek. A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Coffins Creek runs 14 km through Delaware and Buchanan Counties, Iowa: A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
In Linn, Benton and Buchanan Counties, Iowa, Blue Creek is a 15 km river or creek. A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
East Branch Spring Creek (14 km) flows through Buchanan and Black Hawk Counties, Iowa. A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
In Buchanan and Linn Counties, Iowa, Walton Creek is a 15 km river or creek. A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
East Branch Blue Creek (15 km) flows through Linn and Buchanan Counties, Iowa. A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Malone Creek (13 km) flows through Buchanan County, Iowa. A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Sand Creek (11 km) flows through Buchanan County, Iowa. A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Buchanan County, Iowa — Lamont Creek is a 10 km stream: A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Fayette and Buchanan Counties, Iowa — Hazelton Creek is a 10 km stream: A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Buchanan County, Iowa — Harter Creek is a 9 km stream: A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
West Branch Pine Creek runs 8 km through Buchanan County, Iowa: A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Buchanan County, Iowa — Nash Creek is a 7 km stream: A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Sand Hagen Creek runs 7 km through Delaware and Buchanan Counties, Iowa: A warmwater Iowa river or large creek — largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, channel and Flathead Catfish, Walleye, Bluegill and Carp. Wade or paddle; access at DNR sites, county parks and bridges.
Across its mapped waters, Buchanan County holds 16 species on PiscaMaps, including Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Bluegill, Flathead Catfish, Common Carp and Northern Pike.
Ramps, put-ins and species for every water — plus the carp layer no other US app has.
Open the Iowa map Join PiscaMapsOne Iowa DNR fishing licence covers every public water in the state — the resident annual is about $22, the non-resident annual about $48, with non-resident 1-day and 7-day options. A ~$16.50 trout fee is required in addition to the fishing licence to fish for or keep trout in the Driftless Area streams. Iowa residents 65 and older can buy a discounted licence, and anyone under 16 fishes free. Buy at iowadnr.gov.