17 public waters in the Iowa Great Lakes & North Central region — 5 lakes/reservoirs and 12 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.
Lost Island Lake (1,166 acres) sits in Palo Alto and Clay Counties, Iowa, managed by Iowa Department of Natural Resources (significant public lake). A natural Iowa lake (Clear Lake, Storm Lake, Tuttle Lake, Lost Island Lake, Trumbull Lake, Five Island Lake, Silver Lake) — shallow, glacial or prairie-pothole lakes across north-central Iowa. Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Crappie, Yellow Perch and Channel Catfish. Many have seen major water-quality restoration work in recent decades.
Trumbull Lake, a 1,076-acre lake in Clay County, Iowa, managed by Iowa Department of Natural Resources (significant public lake): A natural Iowa lake (Clear Lake, Storm Lake, Tuttle Lake, Lost Island Lake, Trumbull Lake, Five Island Lake, Silver Lake) — shallow, glacial or prairie-pothole lakes across north-central Iowa. Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Crappie, Yellow Perch and Channel Catfish. Many have seen major water-quality restoration work in recent decades.
In Clay and Palo Alto Counties, Iowa, Mud Lake is a 297-acre lake, managed by Iowa Department of Natural Resources (significant public lake). A natural Iowa lake (Clear Lake, Storm Lake, Tuttle Lake, Lost Island Lake, Trumbull Lake, Five Island Lake, Silver Lake) — shallow, glacial or prairie-pothole lakes across north-central Iowa. Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Crappie, Yellow Perch and Channel Catfish. Many have seen major water-quality restoration work in recent decades.
Elk Lake (260 acres) sits in Clay 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.
Clay County, Iowa — Stolley Gravel Pit is a 40-acre lake, 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.
Clay, Cherokee, Woodbury and 3 more counties in Iowa — Little Sioux River is a 384 km stream: A western Iowa river (the Little Sioux, Big Sioux, Boyer, Nishnabotna) — channel and Flathead Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Carp and Drum in muddy, meandering loess-hills country rivers.
North Branch Lizard Creek runs 82 km through Pocahontas, Palo Alto and Clay 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.
Ocheyedan River (81 km) flows through Osceola, Clay and O'Brien 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.
Big Muddy Creek runs 47 km through Dickinson and Clay 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 Dickinson, Clay and Osceola Counties, Iowa, Stony 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.
Clay, Palo Alto and Emmet Counties, Iowa — Pickerel Run is a 29 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.
In Clay and Dickinson Counties, Iowa, Little Muddy Creek is a 14 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 O'Brien and Clay Counties, Iowa, Sewer Creek is a 14 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.
Clay County, Iowa — Lost Island Outlet River is a 12 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.
O'Brien and Clay Counties, Iowa — Henry 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.
Montgomery Creek runs 12 km through Clay 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.
Lexington Creek runs 8 km through Clay 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.
Across its mapped waters, Clay County holds 15 species on PiscaMaps, including Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Smallmouth Bass, Flathead Catfish 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.