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Stream Details

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Stream Details

Maquoketa River (trout portion)

General Information

County: Clayton
Location: The Upper Maquoketa River from Joy Springs downstream to Backbone Lake contains trout year-round. The area 3 miles southwest of Strawberry Point off 400th is stocked with catchable fish.
Stream Segment Length: 8.00

Amenities

Amenities at Maquoketa River (trout portion) include:
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing

Brook Trout - Slow: Brook trout in pre-spawn condition and more interested in spawning than feeding making catching more difficult. Dabbling a fly through narrow vegetated runs or find a deeper pool above a beaver dam may grab a brooks attention.
Brown Trout - Fair: Avoid walking in cleared gravel areas in faster moving water. These are trout nests or redds. Brown trout spawning activity nearing an end. Try using flies imitating minnows or other small fish.
Rainbow Trout - Good: Even though catchable stocking is completed for the season, plenty of fish remain in the stream to confound anglers. A small chunk of worm or cheese under a bobber fished through a deeper hole may turn a rainbow head. Cut line on deeply hooked fish if returning to water.
As of November 1, trout stream stocking is finished for the year. Staff would like to thank all our trout anglers and supporters for making this season fun and rewarding. Fall community pond stocking in full swing. Visit our website to find out more. Many trout streams flow through public areas where hunting occurs.
Brook Trout - Slow: Brook trout more interested in spawning than feeding making catching more difficult. Dabbling a fly through narrow vegetated runs or find a deeper pool above a beaver dam may grab a brooks attention.
Brown Trout - Good: Avoid walking in cleared gravel areas in faster moving water. These are trout nests or redds. Try using flies or crankbaits imitating minnows or other small trout.
Rainbow Trout - Good: With the end of catchable trout stocking, plenty of fish remain in the stream to confound anglers. A small chunk of worm or cheese under a bobber fished through a deeper hole may turn a rainbow head. Cut line on deeply hooked fish if returning to water.
As of November 1, trout stream stocking is finished for the year. Staff would like to thank all our trout anglers and supporters for making this season fun and rewarding. Fall community pond stocking in full swing. Visit our website to find out more. Many trout streams flow through public areas where hunting occurs.

The Maquoketa River receives stockings of catchable rainbow trout from April-October. The river corridor is a combination of state land, trout stream easements open to public fishing and private land. Please obey signage as posted and respect private property rights.(2022)

Stream Maps


Parking Access
Catchable Trout Waters
Fingerling Stocked or Natural Reproduction
Restrictive Regulation Stream

You can zoom the map in and out using the slider on the left hand side, and you can pan the map by clicking and dragging. Rollover features for more information. Click streams to go to their page.

    No known aquatic invasive species have been found

  • Annual 2022 - 4,871 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • 11/28/22 - 1,897 Rainbow Trout (9)
  • Annual 2021 - 4,823 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • 05/11/2021 - 14,972 Brown Trout (1.9)
  • Annual 2020 - 4,510 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • 05/14/2020 - 21,407 Brown Trout (2)
  • annual 2019 - 1,786 Brook Trout (10.8)
  • annual 2019 - 3,045 Rainbow Trout (10.8)
  • 05/16/2019 - 23,400 Brown Trout (1.8)
  • 01/03/2019 - 7,000 Rainbow Trout (6)
  • spring 2018 - 61,146 Brown Trout (2)
  • annual 2018 - 1,097 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2018 - 3,667 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 1,006 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 32,848 Brown Trout (2")
  • annual 2017 - 3,562 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 898 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 3,885 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • 5/27/16 - 15,000 Brown Trout (2")
  • annual 2015 - 910 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2015 - 17,600 Brown Trout (3")
  • annual 2015 - 3,950 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2014 - 750 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2014 - 2,945 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • 06/03/2014 - 10,000 Brown Trout (2")

The Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit.

  • Brown Trout
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 5 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 10 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Anglers must have paid the Trout Fee to fish for or possess trout
  • Green Sunfish
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Rainbow Trout
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 5 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 10 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Anglers must have paid the Trout Fee to fish for or possess trout
  • White Sucker
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: May be taken by hand fishing, by snagging, by spear or by bow and arrow, day or night.

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Iowa-Caught Fish Are Safe to Eat, In Almost All Cases

The vast majority of Iowa’s streams, rivers and lakes offer safe and high-quality fish that pose little or no threat to human health if consumed. Some limitations may apply for young children and pregnant women. Here’s a Fish Consumption Fact Sheet from the Iowa DNR and the Iowa Dept. of Public Health for more information.

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