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Stream Details

Joy Springs

General Information

County: Clayton
Location: South on Alpha Ave, off Highway 3 about 3 miles west of Strawberry Point in Joy Springs County Park.
Stream Segment Length: 0.80

Amenities

Amenities at Joy Springs include:
  • Picnic Area
  • Camping

Brown Trout - Good: Be stealthy approaching streams due to clear water. Flip a fly along the edge of vegetation. Try using a fly that imitates minnows or other small fish.
Rainbow Trout - Good: Use a small chunk of worm or cheese through a deeper hole. Tossing spinners through deeper holes will also show good results.
A good trout stream stays open during cold weather. Avoid walking on cleared gravel areas in faster moving water. These are brook and brown trout nests or redds. Wear plenty of orange so hunters can see you as many streams flow through public hunting areas.
Brook Trout - Good: Water clarity is excellent so be stealthy approaching streams. Find fish in deeper pools above beaver dams.

Joy Springs is stocked with catchable rainbow trout from April - October. The Upper Maquoketa River (Joy Springs) also has stream-reared brown trout. In a 2024 summer fisheries survey a twenty inch brown trout was collected and measured. A recent fish habitat project was completed in the late fall of 2021. Primitive camping is allowed on this county park area along with a picnic shelter.(2025)

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 - 8,018 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • 11/28/22 - 2,504 Rainbow Trout (9)
  • Annual 2021 - 7,953 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2020 - 7,478 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • annual 2019 - 2,922 Brook Trout (10.8)
  • annual 2019 - 4,780 Rainbow Trout (10.8)
  • annual 2018 - 1,945 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2018 - 4,933 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 2,097 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 5,643 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 1,345 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 7,158 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2015 - 1,744 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2015 - 6,165 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)

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.

Tip: Click the arrow in the lower right corner to view the Fish Survey Data tool in full-screen mode.

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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