Pool 13, Mississippi River
General Information
County: Clinton
Location: Between Bellevue and Clinton, Iowa. Pool 13 Starts at River Mile 556.7
Acres: 28117.00
Maximum Depth:
Motoring Restrictions:
Nearby Parks
Amenities
Amenities at Pool 13, Mississippi River include:
- Boat Access
- Fishing Jetty
- Picnic Area
- Beach
- Playground
- Restrooms
- Camping
- Good/Excellent Shorefishing
- Hard Surface Boat Ramp
- Carry Down Boat Launch
- Accessible Shoreline
| Water has peaked and is presently at moderate or major flood stage throughout the district. Caution is required when boating on the River. Nearly all boat ramps are flooded.
If you have angling questions, please call Bellevue Fisheries Management at 563-880-8781. |
| Channel Catfish - Good: Channel catfish like flood waters and will move along the banks to feed. Try using stink baits. Catfish are in spawning mode soon and rock lines are a good place to start. |
| Water level at Bellevue is presently is near 19.6 feet. The water is receding and is in moderate flood stage, so caution is required when boating on the River. Water temperature is 73 degrees and water is stained. Most boat ramps on Pool 13 are flooded. Please also note the Pleasant Creek campground near Bellevue, Jackson County Campground at Sabula and Bulgers Hollow campground near Clinton are closed. |
| Brown Bullhead - Good: This unique bullhead has been caught in good numbers in the lower pool above Clinton by anglers using egg sinker and worm rigs. |
| Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Drum are a consistent biter in moderate current areas. Use and egg sinker and worm rig. |
| Largemouth Bass - Good: Find weed lines away from the main channel for the best action on bass. Lots of people are using gaudy spinner baits. |
| Walleye - No Report: Use rattle lures too to allow the fish to find the bait in stained waters. |
| White Bass - No Report: White bass are being caught in the Bellevue tailwaters on white jigs or small spinners. |
| Water has peaked and is presently at moderate or lower flood stages throughout the district. Caution is required when boating on the river. Nearly all boat ramps are flooded or will have flood debris on them.
If you have angling questions, please call Bellevue Fisheries Management at 563-880-8781. |
| Water level at Bellevue is receding and presently is near 18.0 feet as of Sunday. Caution is required when boating on the river. Water temperature is 73 degrees and water is stained. Most boat ramps on Pool 13 are flooded or have flood debris on them. Please also note the Pleasant Creek campground near Bellevue, Jackson County Campground at Sabula and Bulgers Hollow campground near Clinton are closed. |
| Brown Bullhead - Good: This unique bullhead has been caught in good numbers in the lower pool above Clinton by anglers using egg sinker and worm rigs. |
| Channel Catfish - Good: Channel catfish like flood waters and will move along the banks to feed. Try using stink baits. Catfish are in spawning mode soon and rock lines are a good place to start. |
| Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Drum are a consistent biter in moderate current areas. Use and egg sinker and worm rig. |
| White Bass - No Report: White bass are being caught in the Bellevue tailwaters on white jigs or small spinners. |
| Largemouth Bass - Good: Find weed lines away from the main channel for the best action on bass. Lots of people are using gaudy spinner baits. |
| Walleye - No Report: Use rattle lures too to allow the fish to find the bait in stained waters. |
- 05/01/2018 - 150,000 Walleye (Fry)
- 04/09/2015 - 150,000 Northern Pike (Fry)
- 04/09/2015 - 250,000 Northern Pike (Fry)
- Bighead Carp
- Brittle Naiad
- Eurasian Watermilfoil
- Flowering Rush
- Largemouth Bass Virus
- Silver Carp
- Zebra Mussel
The
Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit.
- 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
- Channel Catfish
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: none
- Possession Limit: unlimited
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- 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.
- 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:
- 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
- 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
- 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.
Excellent Fishery! Good populations of Black Crappie were reported this fall, surveys indicated an excellent reproduction of yellow perch, and walleye. In fact walleye spawn may be the largest we have ever recorded. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass fisheries are going well and often the target of major fishing tournaments circuits. Channel catfish and freshwater drum also provide a strong viable fishery. (2016)
Tip: Click the arrow in the lower right corner to view the Fish Survey Data tool in full-screen mode.
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. Here is a list of current fish consumption advisories for Iowa lakes and rivers.