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Stream Details

Little Paint

General Information

County: Allamakee
Location: Located in Yellow River State Forest, 3 miles west of Harpers Ferry just off of State Forest Road or CR B25.
Stream Segment Length: 3.00

Amenities

Amenities at Little Paint include:
  • Accessible Pier
  • Picnic Area
  • Trails
  • Restrooms
  • Camping
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing

Water flows elevated at most locations. Stream clarity highly variable depending on where rain fell but most are clear or clearing. Use care when wading streams with elevated flows. All streams were stocked this week. Gnats and no-see-ums out in force. Wild parsnip is beginning to bloom. Do not touch this plant. It can cause painful blisters.
Brook Trout - Slow: Brook trout take more persuasion to bite in off-color water. Sneak up on brook trout for a better chance at catching one of these beauties. Good hatches of gnats, mayflies, caddis flies, and midges.
Brown Trout - Good: Fish near or around logs or undercut banks. Spinner baits work well. Also try using streamers on larger waterbodies for some exciting action. Brown trout like cloudy water.
Rainbow Trout - Good: Use spinner baits, hair jigs, or hooks tipped with a small piece of worm, bread, or cheese floated through deeper holes.

Little Paint is stocked weekly from April through October with catchable 10-12 inch Rainbow Trout and provides anglers opportunities for wild Brook and Brown Trout. It was sampled in September 2013 after catastrophic June flooding. At that time, 160 French Creek strain Brown Trout per mile with fish up to 12 inches were collected. The upstream end of this creek, 0.5 mile above the last camping area, contains a small population of South Pine strain Brook Trout. A genetics study in 2018, yielded 122 Brook Trout per mile with fish up to 13 inches. These are estimated populations and actual trout numbers will be higher. Little Paint is located in the Yellow River State Forest. Bank access is easy with a small paved area for universal access. There are non-electric campsites, restrooms and miles of trails of all levels of difficulty located within the park.(2021)

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

  • Annual 2022 - 13,325 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2021 - 11,652 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • 04/29/2021 - 1,015 Brook Trout (2)
  • Annual 2020 - 11,442 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • summer 2019 - 1,430 Brook Trout (10.8)
  • annual 2019 - 10,259 Rainbow Trout (10.8)
  • annual 2018 - 9,080 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 1,850 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 9,280 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 900 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 9,995 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2015 - 1,575 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2015 - 9,775 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2014 - 2,431 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2014 - 8,726 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.

  • Brook 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
  • 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

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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. Here is a list of current fish consumption advisories for Iowa lakes and rivers.

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