More than 2,000 updated fish structure locations and 215 lake contour maps have been added to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website at www.iowadnr.gov/Fishing/Fishing-Maps.
Anglers can download the fish structure locations to their fish finders and GPS units to easily find brush piles, rock reefs and gravel spawning beds. DNR Fisheries staff and partners, such as county conservation staff and fishing clubs, strategically place fish structures in Iowa lakes to attract fish for anglers. Fish hide out in these structures throughout the year.
Since 2013, DNR fisheries staff has collected data on Iowa lakes by using specialized equipment connected to computers aboard a boat. The software records lake depth along with information on what type of material is on the lake bed (sand, gravel, muck) and, if aquatic vegetation is present, the height and density of that vegetation. This data is used to generate more accurate maps for anglers. Each map includes depth contours, boat ramp locations, and other amenities.
Find more information about a specific structure such as GPS coordinates on the interactive Fishing Atlas or a downloadable GPX fish structure file on the Fishing Maps webpage. These tools are updated each year as new content is available.