Fishing Iowa’s trout streams is a unique way to enjoy the cool fall weather and marvel at the amazing colors of Iowa’s prize trout. Male brown and brook trout display their brightest, most vibrant spawning colors this time of year.
Iowa boosts some of the most beautiful and plentiful trout streams in the Midwest. A true angler’s paradise, Northeast Iowa is dotted with hundreds of miles of trout streams. From easily accessible streams in state or county parks, to those found in Iowa’s most wild and remote natural spaces, there are plenty of places to catch rainbow, brown and brook trout.
Although a little late for peak fall colors, the bluffs, valleys and rock outcroppings offer spectacular views. View some of the best bluffs in Northeast Iowa, starting with the narrow valley of Paint Creek, west of Harpers Ferry. Several overlooks give excellent views of the stream from above.
Look for trout behind larger boulders and under rock ledges. Let your lure or bait drift around the boulders and just in front of the ledges.
Catch stream-reared brown trout up to 18-inches and 10- to 12-inch stocked rainbow trout in the Maquoketa River. Several public access points connect to miles of river in Clayton and Delaware counties. Find rainbow trout in pools and runs while brown trout will be near wood habitat.
The best chance to catch all three trout species in one trip is at North Cedar Creek, southwest of McGregor. For anglers willing to hike, the remote Wildlife Management Area provides access to more than 1.5 miles of coldwater stream.
Learn to “read” a stream, to identify habitats that offer food and cover. Trout are not randomly scattered in a stream. They locate themselves along the edge of the current flow near protective cover. The stream current carries food to the trout while it waits.
Trout try to bulk up in the fall for winter and are always hungry. Brown and brook trout lay their eggs in nests called redds in October and November. The eggs stay in these areas of cleaned gravel on the stream bottom until they hatch in late winter or early spring. Be careful where you walk to avoid stepping in or directly above these nests.
When using spin fishing gear it’s best to fish on overcast and gray days. Trout are less wary of lures at this time. If fly fishing, target midday on sunny and bright days. In cooler fall temperatures, bright warm days can stimulate an insect hatch. Dry flies can still be productive, but the insect hatches become more sporadic and less intense than in the summer so nymphs may be a better option.
Northeast Iowa draws thousands of anglers from across the Midwest to its coldwater streams and excellent trout fishing. Iowa’s trout season is open all year. Iowa’s trout streams are too. About 80 coldwater trout streams await anglers in ten northeast Iowa counties.
Anglers need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout. The daily limit is five trout per licensed angler with a possession limit of ten.
Learn more about Iowa’s trout streams, including maps and amenities, and tips and tricks to catch trout on the Iowa DNR’s website at www.iowadnr.gov/trout.