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Manchester to Monticello The river tops out around 6 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Maquoketa River maps at 870 acres behind 64.3 miles of shoreline. The 15.6 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. End to end it runs roughly 21.7 mi, about 3.2 mi across. Delaware County claims this one. If the bite dies, Silver Lake (Delaware) is 4 mi to the north.
Early season smallmouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 6 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 6 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 6 ft. Put Riffle & run (mile 28.1) first on the milk run — a rock pile near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 28.1) (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 28.1) (3 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Inside bend (mile 15.4) (5 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 0.6) (3 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 2 to 6 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 6 ft through summer, 2 to 6 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Riffle & run (mile 28.1), a rock pile in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 28.1) (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | Inside bend (mile 15.4) (5 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & night | Inside bend (mile 15.4) (5 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5) (5 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring channel catfish on Maquoketa River hold shallow, usually 2 to 6 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 6 ft in summer, 2 to 6 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5) — creek channel, 5 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dusk | Eddy pocket (mile 8.8) (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5) (5 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5) (5 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5) (5 ft) |
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 6 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 6 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 6 ft. Put Inside bend (mile 15.4) first on the milk run — a point near 5 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | open water | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Inside bend (mile 15.4) (5 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Inside bend (mile 15.4) (5 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Inside bend (mile 15.4) (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
In spring, rock bass run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 6 ft, and they winter in 2 to 6 ft. Spring rock bass concentrate at Riffle & run (mile 28.1), a prime-rated rock pile around 3 ft. Fish it in the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 28.1) (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dusk | Riffle & run (mile 28.1) (3 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Riffle & run (mile 28.1) (3 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Riffle & run (mile 28.1) (3 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
26 pieces of structure are mapped here — Outside-bend hole (mile 2.5), around 5 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Iowa DNR — Boat Ramps. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Iowa waters are set by the Iowa DNR — and special regulations can apply to Maquoketa River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Iowa fishing regulations →
Maquoketa River is about 6 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, walleye, channel catfish, northern pike, rock bass on Maquoketa River.
Riffle & run (mile 28.1) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For smallmouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Maquoketa River is regulated by the Iowa DNR. Check the official Iowa regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Silver Lake (Delaware) 4 mi · Wapsipinicon River 15 mi · Central Park Lake 20 mi · Turkey River 29 mi · Long Slough 30 mi, WI · Pleasant Creek Lake 30 mi · McCartney Lake 31 mi, WI · Prairie Park Fishery 33 mi · Fontana Mill Lake 35 mi · O'Leary Lake 37 mi, WI · Ferry Lake 38 mi, WI/IA · Cedar River 38 mi
See how Maquoketa River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Iowa · best walleye lakes in Iowa · best northern pike lakes in Iowa · best channel catfish lakes in Iowa
Browse all Iowa fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.