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Stream Details

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Stream Details

Yellow River

General Information

County: Allamakee
Location: Coldwater section begins below Livingood Springs and east of Old Stage Road flowing through Allamakee County and the Effigy Mounds National Monument where it empties into the Mississippi River.
Stream Segment Length: 25.00

Amenities

Amenities at Yellow River include:
  • Picnic Area
  • Restrooms
  • Carry Down Boat Launch

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.
Brook Trout - Slow: Brook trout 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 - Good: Avoid walking in cleared gravel areas in faster moving water. These are trout nests or redds. Try using flies or crankbaits imitating minnows or other small trout.
Rainbow Trout - Good: With the end of catchable trout stocking, 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.

Fingerling Rainbow Trout are stocked annually. Brown Trout reproduce in the wild and are not stocked. Fishing the Yellow River by canoe or kayak is the only legal means to trout fish without landowner permission on most of this river. There are three areas that provide public access for fishing along this stream. There is public fishing, picnic facilities, and a rustic restroom at Stonebrook Park along Yellow River Drive. There is a public fishing access at Forest Mills Road. There is also a public fishing access and a picnic area available at the Volney Canoe Access. See the printable stream map for more details. Remember to always respect private property along the Yellow River.(2022)

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

  • May 2022 - 7,461 Rainbow Trout (9.7)
  • 6/14/22 - 44,488 Rainbow Trout (2.8)
  • Annual 2021 - 56,765 Rainbow Trout (4.4)
  • 06/22/2021 - 10,000 Rainbow Trout (2.9)
  • 04/15/2020 - 54,802 Rainbow Trout (1.9)
  • July 2019 - 105,034 Rainbow Trout (3.56)
  • 09/03/2019 - 20,742 Rainbow Trout (4.8)
  • 07/16/2019 - 24,260 Rainbow Trout (4)
  • 05/23/2019 - 2,415 Rainbow Trout (9.9)
  • 01/15/2019 - 14,655 Rainbow Trout (6.2)
  • 01/03/2019 - 45,201 Rainbow Trout (6.1)
  • 08/24/2018 - 104,501 Rainbow Trout (3.9)
  • 05/22/2015 - 50,000 Rainbow Trout (4")
  • 06/13/2014 - 50,000 Rainbow Trout (2")
  • 06/11/2014 - 33,000 Brown Trout (2")

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.

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