Upper Iowa River Fishing Map & Spots (IA)

Hatch outlook

TricoActive window

Typical here: Jul 1 – Sep 15 · heavy on some streams — not every water

dunfemales around 7:30–8:30am
spinnermid-morning — over by the time the sun is high

Same honest limit as everywhere Tricos fall: hardware cannot imitate a #22 spinner. Fish micro-jigs early before the pods form, or fish other water until the fall ends.

The event happens over slow silty pool tails

Terrestrials (hoppers, ants, beetles)Active window

Typical here: Jul 1 – Sep 30 · ants and beetles from late May; hoppers peak in August and grow bigger until frost

adultdaytime on warm, windy days — droppers produce mornings, straight terrestrials by afternoon

The pasture-valley geometry is the story: by late summer the streams fish tight and weed-choked, and trout tuck under grassy undercut banks eating what falls in — approach matters more than pattern.

Legitimate small-topwater water: 1.5–2" surface plugs twitched along the grass edges, or a bubble-and-hopper rig — and cast from the bank, not the stream; the fish are looking up and out.

The event happens over grassy undercut banks and weed-edge pockets

Next on this water

Blue-Winged Olives · mayflySep 1 – Nov 15 · in ~3 days

Winter midges · midgeJan 1 – Mar 31 · in ~4 months

Hendrickson · mayflyApr 1 – May 15 · in ~7 months

Spring black caddis (Grannom) · caddisApr 15 – Jun 5 · in ~8 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Upper Iowa River

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Upper Iowa River on the board.

Fishing Upper Iowa River: what the data says

Decorah to near New Albin The river tops out around 6 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.

Drawn out, this is 2,047 acres of water rimmed by 99.6 miles of bank. With a shoreline index of 15.7, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Tip to tip the water measures near 26.9 mi with a 4.1-mi widest point. The water lies in Allamakee County. The nearest mapped water is South Fork, 17 mi to the northeast.

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Upper Iowa River

Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 6 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 6 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 6 ft. Spring smallmouth bass concentrate at Riffle & run (mile 48.6), a prime-rated rock pile around 3 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Riffle & run (mile 48.6) (3 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	2 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Riffle & run (mile 48.6) (3 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	2 to 6 ft	midday & dawn	Inside bend (mile 22.7) (5 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	2 to 6 ft	midday	Current seam (mile 44.2) (3 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Rainbow Trout fishing at Upper Iowa River

The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 2 to 6 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 6 ft through summer, 1 to 6 ft in winter. The spot to know is Current seam (mile 44.2), a current seam in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 44.2) (3 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	2 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 44.2) (3 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	2 to 6 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 44.2) (3 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	1 to 6 ft	dawn	Current seam (mile 44.2) (3 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Walleye fishing at Upper Iowa River

Early season walleye 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. The chart's best answer is Riffle & run (mile 48.6) — rock pile, 3 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 6 ft	dusk & dawn	Riffle & run (mile 48.6) (3 ft)	1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig
Summer	2 to 6 ft	dusk & dawn	Inside bend (mile 22.7) (5 ft)	Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled)
Fall	2 to 6 ft	dusk & night	Inside bend (mile 22.7) (5 ft)	Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow
Winter	2 to 6 ft	dusk & dawn	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft)	Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait

Channel Catfish fishing at Upper Iowa River

In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 2 to 6 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 6 ft, and they winter in 2 to 6 ft. Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 5 ft, rated prime for summer channel catfish. Time it for after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 6 ft	dusk	Eddy pocket (mile 10.4) (5 ft)
Summer	2 to 6 ft	night & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft)
Fall	2 to 6 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft)
Winter	2 to 6 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft)

Rock Bass fishing at Upper Iowa River

When the water first warms, rock bass slide up into 1 to 6 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 6 ft, winter 2 to 6 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Riffle & run (mile 48.6): a rock pile around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Keep a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 6 ft	midday & dawn	Riffle & run (mile 48.6) (3 ft)	1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner
Summer	2 to 6 ft	dusk	Riffle & run (mile 48.6) (3 ft)	Ned rig (small), Marabou jig
Fall	2 to 6 ft	midday	Riffle & run (mile 48.6) (3 ft)	Small tube jig, Inline spinner
Winter	2 to 6 ft	midday	Riffle & run (mile 48.6) (3 ft)	Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike

Notable structure

Count 36 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), sits near 5 ft.

Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 2.8): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 5.3): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 8.1): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 12.8): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 14.9): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 17.4): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 20.9): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 24.6): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 28.3): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 34.9): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 38.0): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 40.2): creek channel, around 5 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 42.0): creek channel, around 5 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Wild Landing — ramp

Access data: Iowa DNR — Boat Ramps. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

Upper Iowa River fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Iowa waters are set by the Iowa DNR — and special regulations can apply to Upper Iowa River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Iowa fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Upper Iowa River?

Upper Iowa 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.

What fish are in Upper Iowa River?

Anglers target smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, walleye, channel catfish, rock bass on Upper Iowa River.

Where is the best fishing spot on Upper Iowa River?

Riffle & run (mile 48.6) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.

When is the best time to fish Upper Iowa River?

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.

What are the fishing regulations for Upper Iowa River?

Fishing on Upper Iowa 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.

Nearby waters

South Fork 17 mi, MN · Shamrock Impoundment 19 mi, MN · Lake Meyer 23 mi · Mississippi River Pool 8 (La Crosse) 28 mi, WI/MN · Gremore Lake 28 mi, WI · Runge Hollow Lake 32 mi, WI · Sidie Hollow Lake 32 mi, WI · South Branch Root River 34 mi, MN · La Crosse River 34 mi, WI/MN · Volga Lake 35 mi · Lake Onalaska 39 mi, WI · Ferry Lake 40 mi, WI/IA

See how Upper Iowa 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.