16 public waters in the Central Iowa region — 3 lakes/reservoirs and 13 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.
Lake Hendricks (48 acres) sits in Howard 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.
Lylah's Marsh, a 46-acre lake in Howard 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.
Vernon Springs Mill Pond, a 45-acre lake in Howard 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.
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.
The Upper Iowa River in the Driftless northeast corner — a scenic, spring-influenced float through limestone bluffs, with Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish and Rock Bass. One of Iowa's most popular canoe rivers.
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.
Bohemian Creek (20 km) flows through Howard, Winneshiek and Chickasaw 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.
Silver Creek (19 km) flows through Howard and Winneshiek 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.
North Branch Turkey River (14 km) flows through Howard 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 Howard and Mitchell Counties, Iowa, Staff 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.
Howard and Winneshiek Counties, Iowa — Bigalks Creek is a 14 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 Howard County, Iowa, West Branch Turkey River is a 16 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.
Minor Creek runs 12 km through Howard 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.
Howard and Mitchell Counties, Iowa — Watsons 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.
In Howard County, Iowa, South Branch Turkey River is a 9 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.
In Howard County, Iowa, Mead Creek is a 6 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.
Across its mapped waters, Howard County holds 18 species on PiscaMaps, including Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Bluegill, Northern Pike, Rock Bass and Flathead Catfish.
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.