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← Iowa fishing maps

Bank and shore fishing in Iowa

No boat? You still have 120 Iowa waters with listed public access, 325 access sites in all. Open any water below to see its depth map, the rated spots within reach of each access point, and what to throw this season.

Access sites come from official agency access inventories where the state publishes one, with OpenStreetMap filling gaps. A carry-in site means you park and walk your gear in. We list where public access exists; always respect posted signs on the ground.

What the Iowa access records show

The current roster links 325 documented public-access sites to 120 waters. 64 waters have more than one listed access option, while 0 have at least one site explicitly described as carry-in, walk-in or shore-oriented. The largest attached site counts are Iowa River (25), Cedar River (23) and Des Moines River (18). A larger count can offer more launch choices, but it does not make unlisted shoreline public.

Map quality is independent of access quality: 112 charts use measured bathymetry and 8 use labeled approximations. Use the table to shortlist a legal entry point, then open the water page to compare that point with contour breaks and rated fishing spots. Confirm parking, fees, opening hours, seasonal closures and bank-fishing rules with the managing agency before leaving; an access inventory is planning evidence, not a guarantee that every technique is allowed at every site.

WaterAccess sitesCarry-inChart
Lake Macbride10— survey
Lake Manawa10— survey
East Okoboji Lake9— survey
Brushy Creek Lake8— survey
Spirit Lake8— survey
Lost Grove Lake7— survey
Trumbull Lake5— survey
Five Island Lake4— survey
Lake Sugema4— survey
Little River Watershed Lake4— survey
Mississippi River Pool 13 (Clinton)4— survey
Pleasant Creek Lake4— survey
Black Hawk Lake3— survey
Ingham Lake3— survey
Lake Geode3— survey
Lake Icaria3— survey
Lower Pine Lake3— survey
Mississippi River Pool 19 (Keokuk)3— survey
Rice Lake3— survey
Three Mile Lake3— survey
Twelve Mile Creek Lake3— survey
Arrowhead Lake2— survey
Big Creek Lake2— survey
Black Hawk Pits2— survey
Blue Lake2— survey
Briggs Woods Lake2— survey
Carter Lake2— survey
Clear Lake2— survey
DeSoto Bend at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge2— survey
Don Williams Lake2— survey
Green Castle Lake2— survey
Hawthorn Lake2— survey
Hickory Grove Lake2— survey
Kent Park Lake2— survey
Lake Ahquabi2— survey
Lake Anita2— survey
Lake Darling2— survey
Lake Miami2— survey
Little Wall Lake2— survey
Lizard Lake2— survey
Loess Hills State Forest - Jones Creek2— survey
Meadow Lake2— survey
Minnewashta Lake2— survey
Peterson Pit West2— survey
Pickeral Lake2— survey
Prairie Rose Lake2— survey
Red Haw Lake2— survey
Roberts Creek Lake2— survey
Rock Creek Lake2— survey
Silver Lake (Dickinson)2— survey
Silver Lake (Worth)2— survey
South Twin Lake2— survey
Storm Lake (incl Little Storm Lake)2— survey
Union Grove Lake2— survey
Viking Lake2— survey
Virgin Lake2— survey
West Swan Lake S.W.M.A.2— survey
Atlantic Quarry Pond 41— survey
Avenue of the Saints Pond1— survey
Badger Creek Lake1— survey
Beaver Lake1— survey
Beeds Lake1— survey
Big Hollow Lake1— survey
Bluebill Lake1— survey
Browns Lake1— survey
Casey Lake (aka Hickory Hills Lake)1— survey
Center Lake1— survey
Cold Springs Lake1— survey
Crawford Creek Impoundment1— survey
Crystal Lake1— survey
Desoto Bend1— survey
East Lake (Osceola)1— survey
Eldred Sherwood Lake1— survey
Elk Lake1— survey
Fogle Lake S.W.A.1— survey
Fort Des Moines Pond1— survey
George Wyth Lake1— survey
Grays Lake1— survey
Greenfield Lake1— survey
Harold Getty Lake1— survey
Hooper Area Pond1— survey
Iowa Lake (Iowa Co.)1— survey
Lacey Keosauqua State Park Lake1— survey
Lake Cornelia1— survey
Lake Hendricks1— survey
Lake Keomah1— survey
Lake Meyer1— survey
Lake Miss (Tug Fork West)1— survey
Lake of the Hills1— survey
Lake of Three Fires1— survey
Lake Pahoja1— survey
Lake Virginia1— survey
Little Spirit1— survey
Loch Ayr1— survey
Lost Island Lake1— survey
Lower Gar Lake1— survey
Mariposa Lake1— survey
Moorehead Park Pond1— survey
Prairie Park Fishery1— survey
Railroad Lake1— survey
Rock Valley Pit1— survey
Silver Lake (Palo Alto)1— survey
Slip Bluff Lake1— survey
Snyder Bend Lake1— survey
Summit Lake1— survey
Swan Lake1— survey
Upper Gar Lake1— survey
Upper Pine Lake1— survey
Volga Lake1— survey
West Okoboji Lake1— survey
Willow Lake1— survey
Yellow Smoke Park Lake1— survey
Iowa River25—modeled
Cedar River23—modeled
Des Moines River18—modeled
Wapsipinicon River11—modeled
Shell Rock River6—modeled
Turkey River6—modeled
Maquoketa River4—modeled
Upper Iowa River1—modeled

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