22 public waters in the Central Iowa region — 2 lakes/reservoirs and 20 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 Red Rock — Iowa's largest lake by surface area at full pool, a Corps flood-control reservoir on the Des Moines River south of Des Moines. Largemouth and White Bass, Crappie, Walleye, channel and Flathead Catfish, with huge water-level swings.
In Marion County, Iowa, Roberts Creek Lake is a 280-acre lake, 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.
Spanning 551 km across central Iowa from Boone County to the Mississippi confluence, the Des Moines River is a classic Midwest warmwater fishery. Walleye and sauger anchor the catch in deeper pools and current breaks, while largemouth and smallmouth bass thrive in the slower backwater sections. Channel and flathead catfish, white bass, and freshwater drum round out a diverse and accessible public waterway.
White Breast Creek runs 82 km through Marion, Lucas, Clarke 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.
Marion and Lucas Counties, Iowa — English Creek is a 49 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.
Lucas, Marion and Monroe Counties, Iowa — North Cedar Creek is a 2 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.
Mahaska, Marion, Monroe and 1 more county in Iowa — Muchakinock Creek is a 33 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.
Warren and Marion Counties, Iowa — Coal Creek is a 1 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.
Calhoun Creek (4 km) flows through Jasper and Marion 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 Marion and Mahaska Counties, Iowa, Thunder Creek is a 16 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.
North Coal Creek runs 14 km through Mahaska and Marion 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.
Long Branch runs 13 km through Marion and Lucas 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 Marion County, Iowa, Campetine Creek is a 12 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.
Lucas, Monroe and Marion Counties, Iowa — Carruthers Creek is a 13 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.
Coon Creek runs 10 km through Marion and Warren 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.
Hawk Run, a lake in Marion 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.
Marion County, Iowa — Teter 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.
Marion and Jasper Counties, Iowa — Van Zante 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.
Columbia Creek runs 11 km through Lucas and Marion 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.
Tracey Creek (8 km) flows through Marion 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.
Crow Creek runs 8 km through Marion 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.
Wallingslock Creek (8 km) flows through Marion 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, Marion County holds 19 species on PiscaMaps, including Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Walleye, Flathead Catfish, Smallmouth Bass, Common Carp and Black Crappie.
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.