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Stream Details

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Stream Details

South Bear Creek

General Information

County: Winneshiek
Location: Located at Highlandville.
Stream Segment Length: 5.20

Amenities

Amenities at South Bear Creek include:
  • Trails
  • 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.

South Bear is stocked weekly April through October with catchable 10-12 inch Rainbow Trout. This fishery maintains a wild Brown Trout population. Sampling data from 2009 showed 872 Brown Trout per mile with fish up to 16 inches collected. This is an estimated population and actual trout numbers will be higher. Please be aware that segments of the stream are on private property where only angling is permitted. Primitive camping is allowed on the state owned South Bear Wildlife Management Area. A private campground and general store are located in Highlandville. (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

  • Annual 2022 - 12,760 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2021 - 13,640 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2020 - 13,200 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • August 2019 - 1,320 Brook Trout (10.8)
  • annual 2019 - 12,198 Rainbow Trout (10.8)
  • annual 2018 - 609 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2018 - 12,283 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 3,236 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 10,352 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 1,428 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 12,272 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • 6/6/16 - 5,250 Brown Trout (4")
  • annual 2015 - 1,906 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2015 - 11,528 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • 06/09/2015 - 7,500 Brown Trout (4")
  • 05/13/2015 - 2,000 Brown Trout (4")
  • annual 2014 - 2,622 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2014 - 10,217 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • 06/02/2014 - 3,350 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
  • 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. Here is a list of current fish consumption advisories for Iowa lakes and rivers.

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