Fishing Iowa

If you have never fished in Iowa, here’s a little secret that most non-Iowans don’t know – the ponds are where the “catching” is. Most, if not all, of Iowa’s native caught their first fish at one of the over 110,000 private or public ponds in the state. Due to the fertility of the land, a pond in Iowa will allow more fish species to thrive and grow than in most other states. So whether you want to get yourself some Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, or Channel Catfish, Iowa ponds got it. However, as noted earlier, a lot of these ponds are on private property, so either ask permission from the land owner or be social and ask around for public property to fish on.

Fortunately for the rest of you out there that don’t have a friend or relative with a pond, Iowa also has well over 1,200 public lakes, ponds and rivers to fish on that are sure to provide great catching. These other bodies of water range from 1/10th of an acre and up to just under 36,000 acres.

For a list of licenses, fees and where to buy, see our Iowa Fishing License page.