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Pool 17, Mississippi River

General Information

County: Muscatine
Location: Amenities list for Muscatine City Ramp. This ramp is located in downtown Muscatine. Amenities vary by location in Pool 17.
Acres: 7580.00
Maximum Depth:
Motoring Restrictions:

Nearby Parks

Amenities

Amenities at Pool 17, Mississippi River include:
  • Boat Access
  • Accessible Pier
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing
  • Hard Surface Boat Ramp

Mississippi River Pools 16-19: Tailwater stages have been fairly steady this past week but are forecasted to start rising over the weekend. Main channel water temperature is around 49 degrees and water clarity is fair. There has been some tailwater fishing for walleye and saugers on days anglers can get out when there isn't strong winds. If you have questions on fishing Pools 16-19 contact the Fairport Fish Hatchery at 563-263-5062.
Sauger - Fair: We have not received any reports of catching saugers below the Lock and Dam. Fishing should improve as water temperatures fall. Try vertical jigging with minnows or trolling three-way rigs with minnows.
Tailwater stage at Lock and Dam 16 at Muscatine is 4.28 feet and has been fairly steady this past week but forecasted start rising over the weekend. Tailwater stage is forecasted to reach 6.00 feet by the middle of next week. There has been some tailwater fishing for walleye and saugers below Lock and Dam 16 on days that haven't had strong winds.
Walleye - Fair: Look for walleyes on the wingdams. Try casting or trolling crankbaits. Walleyes can also be caught on jigs and nightcrawlers. With the low water conditions, look for walleyes towards the ends of the wingdams where there is more current. Look for walleye below the Lock and Dam. Try vertical jigging with minnows or trolling three-way rigs with minnows.
White Crappie - Fair: Look for crappies around brush piles and snags in the backwaters and side channels. Try fishing with minnows under a bobber or jigs and plastics.
Largemouth Bass - No Report: Try fishing for largemouth bass in areas like Big Timber around logs.

Lake Maps

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You can zoom in on the map for bathymetric information for some lakes

  • 04/30/2021 - 1,200,049 Walleye (Fry)
  • 05/01/2018 - 450,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • 04/28/2018 - 165,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • 5/27/2017 - 3,600 Walleye (2")
  • 5/27/2017 - 22,350 Walleye (1.6")
  • 4/29/16 - 143,000 Walleye (Fry)
  • 4/22/16 - 181,500 Walleye (Fry)
  • 4/22/16 - 247,500 Walleye (Fry)

  • Bighead Carp
  • Brittle Naiad
  • Eurasian Watermilfoil
  • Silver Carp
  • Zebra Mussel

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

  • Bigmouth Buffalo
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Black Crappie
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined bluegill and pumpkinseed, 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined bluegill and pumpkinseed, 50 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Associated chutes and backwaters of border rivers are included where intermittent or constant flow occur
  • Bluegill
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined bluegill and pumpkinseed, 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined bluegill and pumpkinseed, 50 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Associated chutes and backwaters of border rivers are included where intermittent or constant flow occur
  • Bowfin
    • 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.
  • Channel Catfish
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Common Carp
    • 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.
  • Flathead Catfish
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Freshwater Drum
    • 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.
  • Green Sunfish
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Largemouth Bass
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined black bass, 5 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined black bass, 10 fish
    • Length Limit: 14-inch minimum
    • Other: Associated chutes and backwaters of border rivers are included where intermittent or constant flow occur
  • Northern Pike
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: 5 fish
    • Possession Limit: 10 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Paddlefish
    • Season: March 1 through April 15
    • Daily Bag Limit: 2 fish
    • Possession Limit: 4 fish
    • Length Limit: 33-inch maximum length; any paddlefish measuring 33 inches or more when measured from the front of the eye to the fork of the tail must be immediately released alive.
    • Other: Snagging for paddlefish is restricted to the area within 500 yards below the navigation dams and their spillways. No hook larger than a 5/0 treble hook or measuring more than 1 ¼ inches in length when two of the hook points are placed on a ruler are permitted when snagging.
  • Quillback
    • 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.
  • Rock Bass
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: 50 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Associated chutes and backwaters of the Mississippi River are included where intermittent or constant flow occur. In these areas, the daily bag and possession limit for the Mississippi River apply.
  • Sauger
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined walleye, sauger and saugeye; 6 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined walleye, sauger and saugeye; 12 fish
    • Length Limit: 15-inch minimum length limit; all walleye from 20 to 27-inches must be immediately released alive
    • Other: No more than one walleye longer than 27 inches may be taken per day on these pools
  • Shorthead redhorse
    • 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.
  • Shovelnose sturgeon
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: unlimited
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Smallmouth Bass
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined black bass, 5 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined black bass, 10 fish
    • Length Limit: 14-inch minimum
    • Other: Associated chutes and backwaters of border rivers are included where intermittent or constant flow occur
  • Smallmouth Buffalo
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Walleye
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined walleye, sauger and saugeye; 6 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined walleye, sauger and saugeye; 12 fish
    • Length Limit: 15-inch minimum length limit; all walleye from 20 to 27-inches must be immediately released alive
    • Other: No more than one walleye longer than 27 inches may be taken per day on these pools
  • White Bass
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined yellow and white bass, 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined yellow and white bass, 50 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Associated chutes and backwaters of the Mississippi River are included where intermittent or constant flow occur. In these areas, the daily bag and possession limit for the Mississippi River apply.
  • White Crappie
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined bluegill and pumpkinseed, 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined bluegill and pumpkinseed, 50 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Associated chutes and backwaters of border rivers are included where intermittent or constant flow occur
  • Yellow Bass
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined yellow and white bass, 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined yellow and white bass, 50 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Associated chutes and backwaters of the Mississippi River are included where intermittent or constant flow occur. In these areas, the daily bag and possession limit for the Mississippi River apply.
  • Yellow Perch
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: 25 fish
    • Possession Limit: 50 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:

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Contacts

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.