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Stream Details

West Canoe Creek

General Information

County: Winneshiek
Location: About 5.5 miles north of Decorah off CR W34, 320th Street, and Fox Hollow Road.
Stream Segment Length: 3.00

Amenities

Amenities at West Canoe Creek include:
  • Trails
  • 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.
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.

The catchable stocked portion of West Canoe is stocked weekly April, May, June, September, October with 10-12 inch Rainbow Trout. West Canoe is not stocked in July and August because water temperatures are usually too warm for Rainbow Trout. The lower 1.75 mi portion of West Canoe Creek open to public fishing is not stocked, but contains wild Brown Trout. Please be aware that all of the stream is on private property and areas open to fishing are signed. Only angling is permitted on portions open to the public.(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

  • Annual 2022 - 1,850 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2021 - 1,665 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2020 - 1,665 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • annual 2019 - 1,950 Rainbow Trout (10.8)
  • annual 2018 - 1,717 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 2,035 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 1,900 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2015 - 1,850 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2014 - 1,746 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

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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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