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Elkader to the Mississippi backwaters at Millville. Northeast Iowa's driftless smallmouth float. The river tops out around 9 ft. This chart interpolates between a real shoreline and a known maximum depth. It will point you at likely water, but it is not a navigation product. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Turkey River maps at 982 acres behind 67.6 miles of shoreline. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 15.4) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Tip to tip the water measures near 19.9 mi with a 3.9-mi widest point. Clayton County claims this one. Ferry Lake sits 10 mi northeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 2 to 9 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 9 ft, winter 3 to 9 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Tailout eddy (mile 0.3): an eddy pocket around 5 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 9 ft | dawn & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (5 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 3 to 9 ft | dawn & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (5 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 3 to 9 ft | midday & dawn | Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (5 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 3 to 9 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 0.3) (5 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 2 to 9 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 9 ft, and they winter in 3 to 9 ft. Volga River confluence (Garber) is the standout, an inflow / creek mouth at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring walleye. Time it for the evening and early morning. You won't need more than a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 9 ft | dusk & dawn | Volga River confluence (Garber) (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 3 to 9 ft | dusk & dawn | Elkader Milldam tailrace (8 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 3 to 9 ft | dusk & night | Elkader Milldam tailrace (8 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 3 to 9 ft | dusk & dawn | Elkader Milldam tailrace (8 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for channel catfish tight to the bank in 2 to 9 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 9 ft; the winter hold is 3 to 9 ft. Start at Volga River confluence (Garber). It's an inflow / creek mouth holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 9 ft | dusk | Volga River confluence (Garber) (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 9 ft | night & dusk | Elkader dam (7 ft) | |
| Fall | 3 to 9 ft | dusk | Elkader dam (7 ft) | |
| Winter | 3 to 9 ft | midday | Elkader dam (7 ft) |
14 pieces of structure are mapped here — Elkader Milldam tailrace, around 8 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. 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 Turkey River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Iowa fishing regulations →
Turkey River is about 9 ft (3 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 on Turkey River.
Volga River confluence (Garber) is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for walleye 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 Turkey 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.
Ferry Lake 10 mi, WI/IA · Long Slough 17 mi, WI · McCartney Lake 19 mi, WI · Gremore Lake 22 mi, WI · Silver Lake (Delaware) 25 mi · Volga Lake 29 mi · Maquoketa River 29 mi · Woodman Lake 31 mi, WI · Bullhead Slu 32 mi, WI · O'Leary Lake 34 mi, WI · Fontana Mill Lake 36 mi · Wapsipinicon River 39 mi
See how Turkey River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Iowa · best walleye 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.