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Stream Details

Paint Creek

General Information

County: Allamakee
Location: Located in Yellow River State Forest, 3 miles west of Harpers Ferry off of State Forest Road or CR B25.
Stream Segment Length: 11.00

Amenities

Amenities at Paint Creek include:
  • Picnic Area
  • Trails
  • Restrooms
  • Camping
  • 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.

Paint is stocked weekly from April through October with catchable 10-12 inch Rainbow Trout and also provides opportunities for wild Brown Trout. Sampling data from 2009 indicated 136 French Creek strain Brown Trout per mile with fish up to 19 inches collected. This is an estimated population and actual trout numbers will be higher. Bank access is easy and universally accessible at Kolsrud Park on the west edge of Waterville. Farm 55 south of Waterville provides easy bank access with scenic limestone ledges and a shelter for picnicking. A portion of Paint is located in the Yellow River State Forest where there are non-electric campsites, restrooms and miles of trails of all levels of difficulty located within the park.(2022)

Stream Maps


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

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    No known aquatic invasive species have been found

  • Spring 2022 - 2,633 Rainbow Trout (10)
  • Annual 2022 - 10,840 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2021 - 10,880 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2020 - 9,584 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • annual 2019 - 11,680 Rainbow Trout (10.8)
  • 07/24/2019 - 31,613 Rainbow Trout (3.8)
  • 01/16/2019 - 2,956 Rainbow Trout (6.2)
  • annual 2018 - 8,480 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 2,305 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 9,875 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 1,170 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 9,620 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • 5/16/16 - 3,038 Rainbow Trout (10")
  • annual 2015 - 1,475 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2014 - 2,082 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2014 - 6,297 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
  • 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
  • Smallmouth Bass
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined black bass, 3 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined black bass, 6 fish
    • Length Limit: 12-inch minimum
    • Other:
  • 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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