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
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.
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.
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.
Brook Trout - Good: Water clarity is excellent so be stealthy approaching streams. Find fish in deeper pools above beaver dams.

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)


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
  • 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)
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.
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.

Return