Welcome to Iowa Trout Country!

 

Plenty of opportunities await trout anglers in Iowa:

 

Plan your Iowa Trout Fishing Adventure

Get the most out of your trout fishing trip with information about each stream's location, qualities, and other fun facts on the trout streams webpage.

Check out the overview map of all trout streams in Northeast Iowa online.

Visit one of Iowa's trout hatcheries during your next trip to northeast Iowa - Manchester, Decorah, or Big Spring. The grounds to each facility are open to the public year round from sunrise to sunset.

 

2024 Trout Stream Stocking Calendar [PDF]

2024 Community Trout Stocking Schedule

Each community trout stocking location is stocked twice. Every location receives about 1,500 trout each stocking.

 

Waterbody Location 2024 Spring Stockings 2024 Fall Stockings
Big Lake Council Bluffs   10/18/2024 - 3:00 p.m.
Moorland Pond Moorland/Fort Dodge   10/18/2024 - Noon.
Sand Lake Marshalltown 4/19/24 -  Noon 10/18/2024 - Noon
Ottumwa Park Pond (South Pond) Ottumwa 3/23/24 - 11:00 a.m. 10/24/2024 - 11:00 a.m.
Prairie Park Fishery Cedar Rapids 3/21/24 - 10:00 a.m. 10/25/2024 - 10:00 a.m.
Liberty Centre Pond North Liberty 3/21/24 - 10:30 a.m. 10/25/2024 - 10:30 a.m.
Industrial Park Pond Fairfield   10/26/2024 - 11:00 a.m.
Emma Young Park Pond Clinton   10/26/2024 - 10:00 a.m.
Discovery Park Pond Muscatine   10/26/2024 - Noon
Triumph Park West & East Waukee   10/28/2024 - 1:30 p.m.
Terra Lake Johnston   10/28/2024 - Noon
Lake Petocka Bondurant   10/31/2024 - Noon
Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake Ames   10/31/2024 - Noon
Bacon Creek Lake Sioux City   11/5/2024 - 1:30 p.m.
Scharnberg Pond Spencer   11/5/2024 - Noon
North Prairie Lake Cedar Falls 4/20/24 - 10:00 a.m. 11/8/2024 - 11:30 a.m.
Heritage Pond Dubuque 4/20/24 - 10:00 a.m. 11/8/2024 - 11:00 a.m.
Blue Pit Mason CIty   11/27/2024 - 11:00 a.m.
Lake of the Hills Davenport

3/22/24 - 10:00 a.m. 

 
East Lake Park Pond Mount Pleasant 3/22/24 - 10:30 a.m.   
Wilson Lake Fort Madison 3/22/24 - Noon   

 

 

 

The following stocking locations are paired with a family-friendly event to help anglers have success and fun while fishing. Fall: Jefferson County Park Pond (Fairfield), Emma Young Park Pond (Clinton), Discovery Park Pond (Muscatine), Triumph Park East & West (Waukee) and Terra Lake (Johnston).

Catchable Trout Streams

The Iowa DNR stocks more than 300,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout in 50 Northeast Iowa streams each year from April through October. More than 600 extra brood trout, weighing over 2 pounds each, are also released in small numbers into each stream. The number of trout stocked into each area varies, depending on length of the stream and how many anglers use the area. These criteria also determine how often each area is stocked.

Surveys show there are still good numbers of trout several days after the most recent stocking and throughout the winter. Along with the stocked trout, many areas have good to excellent numbers of wild brown trout that challenge even the best anglers. Brown trout up to 20 inches are possible.

Trout streams will receive both announced and unannounced stockings. There has been no change to the frequency of stockings or the number of fish stocked at any of our trout streams. Moving to unannounced stockings has given DNR fisheries staff more flexibility in completing the stockings and improving efficiency. This has allowed for improved stream access (mowing) and hatchery maintenance, completing projects around the hatchery and planning for stream improvement projects that they otherwise didn't have the time to complete. Almost all of the streams in Northeast Iowa have natural reproduction of brown trout and several have natural reproduction of brook trout. Streams with brown trout reproduction have populations that range from 500 to 2,000 fish per mile that rival driftless streams in Minnesota or Wisconsin.

 

Trout Information

Several accessible trout fishing areas are available to anglers in northeast Iowa. The most accessible trout fishing is located at the Chuck Gipp Decorah Fsh Hatchery. Several streams have improved access.

Community Trout and Trout Streams Stockings