34 public waters in the Northeast Iowa (Driftless) region — 3 lakes/reservoirs and 31 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.
Volga Lake, a 132-acre lake in Fayette County, Iowa, managed by Iowa Department of Natural Resources (significant public lake): A small Iowa state or county park lake — Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Crappie and Channel Catfish, often with a boat ramp and shoreline fishing access. Managed by the DNR fisheries bureau; many have had aeration or renovation work.
In Fayette County, Iowa, Oelwein Lake is a 59-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.
In Fayette County, Iowa, Quarry Lake is a 20-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.
In Clayton, Fayette, Winneshiek and 1 more county in Iowa, Turkey River is a 242 km river or creek. 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.
Maquoketa River runs 246 km through Jackson, Delaware, Jones and 2 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.
Volga River (128 km) flows through Fayette and Clayton Counties, 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.
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 Fayette, Chickasaw, Winneshiek and 1 more county in Iowa, Little Turkey River is a 83 km river or creek. 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.
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.
Otter Creek (24 km) flows through Fayette County, 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.
Little Volga River runs 13 km through Fayette County, 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.
In Fayette County, Iowa, Brush Creek is a 18 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 Fayette and Clayton Counties, Iowa, Deep Creek is a 13 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.
Simpson Creek runs 16 km through Chickasaw 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.
Nutting Creek runs 16 km through Fayette and Winneshiek 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.
Fayette and Clayton Counties, Iowa — Mink Creek is a 11 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 Fayette County, Iowa, Coulee 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 Winneshiek and Fayette Counties, Iowa, Dry Branch 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.
Stoe Creek (11 km) flows through Fayette 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.
Fayette and Winneshiek Counties, Iowa — Dibble Creek 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.
Bruce Creek (10 km) flows through Fayette and Clayton 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.
Fitzgerald Creek (11 km) flows through Fayette and Winneshiek 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.
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.
Beaver Creek (8 km) flows through Fayette and Clayton 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 Fayette County, Iowa, North Branch Volga River is a 8 km river or creek. 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.
Fayette and Winneshiek Counties, Iowa — Quinn Creek is a 8 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 County, Iowa — Grannis 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.
In Fayette County, Iowa, Glover Creek is a 8 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.
Bass Creek runs 8 km through Fayette 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.
In Fayette County, Iowa, Haugh Creek is a 8 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.
Clayton and Fayette Counties, Iowa — Nagle 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.
Across its mapped waters, Fayette County holds 18 species on PiscaMaps, including Largemouth Bass, Walleye, 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.