If you imagine Iowa as a flat landscape of cornfields and farmland—a landscape that doesn’t exactly scream “trout country”—you’re only seeing part of the picture.
Iowa is home to some truly excellent trout streams. They are, almost without exception, located in the northeast corner of the state, in the hilly, wooded region known as the Driftless Area.
The Driftless Area spans over 24,000 square miles in northeastern Iowa, southeastern Minnesota, southwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois. Bisected by the Mississippi River, it lacks the glacial “drift” left elsewhere when glaciers retreated at the end of the last Ice Age.
The result is a rugged outdoor playground that is, among other things, a trout fishing paradise. Hundreds of miles of coldwater streams crisscross the Driftless Area, supporting brown, brook and rainbow trout.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) supplements trout populations by stocking most of these streams, but many outstanding waterways also support wild trout.
Waterloo Creek
A tributary of the Upper Iowa River, Waterloo Creek enjoys a reputation as one of Iowa’s premier trout streams. It’s especially known for its naturally reproducing population of wild brown trout and for having one of the highest densities of trout in the state.
Recent estimates put the brown trout population at about 700 fish per mile. About 10.5 miles of Waterloo Creek have public access, and the creek is broken into multiple sections with varying regulations.
Waterloo Creek starts in Minnesota (it’s known as Bee Creek on the other side of the state line) as a narrow stream with cold, clear water and mostly cobble bottom.
From April to October, the DNR stocks catchable rainbow and brook trout into the upper portion of the Iowa section of Waterloo Creek. These 10- to 12-inch fish provide fairly easy fishing and attract a lot of attention to the upper end of the creek.
Further down, the section of Waterloo Creek between the two State Route 76 bridge crossings requires catch and release with artificial lures only, and all the trout are wild. This stretch is ideal for fly fishing and the best area to find big wild brown trout.
Some browns in the catch and release section measure 20-plus inches, and many are 13 to 16 inches. Streamer flies account for many of the largest catches.
Waterloo Creek supports most insect hatches typical of the Driftless Area, including Dark Hendricksons and Blue Winged Olives starting in March and various Caddis species starting in April. Spring offers the most consistent hatches.
Bloody Run Creek
A good-sized creek that empties directly into the Mississippi River in Clayton County, Bloody Run Creek is an excellent stream. It’s both heavily stocked and supports wild brown trout. It’s also easy to access and not too challenging to fish.
The most popular section flows through Bloody Run Park. The park provides ample stream access as well as campsites within walking distance of the water.
DNR stocks catchable rainbow trout and brown trout from April to October. Bloody Run is one of the larger trout streams in the area, with deep pools and classic-looking riffles and runs. Lots of logs, boulders and undercut banks hold trout.
The fishing here isn’t usually very technical and doesn’t require matching the hatch with scientific precision. Lots of trout in Bloody Run Creek fall for commonplace fly patterns like Wooly Buggers, Stimulators and Parachute Adams. Spinners, Trout Magnets, and old-fashioned worms and bobbers work, too.
Upriver from Bloody Run Park, the creek flows through a state wildlife management area. This section has more wild trout and is catch and release with artificial lures only. Getting into this section requires a hike upstream from the park.
The farther you go, the fewer other anglers you’re likely to see. The Canadian Pacific Railway crosses the creek multiple times, and there are some productive pools beneath its bridges. The railroad is active, so use caution.
North & South Bear Creek
Two of the best trout streams in the Driftless region, North Bear Creek and South Bear Creek each offer wild populations of brown trout as well as stocked browns and rainbows. Both are popular and get a fair amount of fishing pressure.
Which stream is better? That depends on who you ask. Both offer deep pools and pocket water that harbor an abundance of trout, and both are easily accessible.
Anglers will find several miles of public access on both forks, including roadside parking and trails that follow the stream through WMA land. Some private sections are also accessible through easements with the landowners, so watch for signage.
Nymphing with a strike indicator is a popular and effective tactic. The catchable fish stocked from April through October commonly fall for spinners and small trout jigs, but the older, wiser wild brown trout are not as easily fooled.
Blue Winged Olive and Midge hatches are fairly reliable in spring and fall, and there are some Caddisflies here, too. Terrestrials are excellent in summer and early fall, especially in areas where the surroundings are grassy and meadow-like.
North and South Bear creeks flow through Winneshiek County, connecting to form the mainstem Bear Creek just before crossing into Allamakee County. Bear Creek ultimately feeds the Upper Iowa River.
French Creek
A fertile, spring-fed creek that meanders through Allamakee County, French Creek is among the best in Iowa for wild brown trout. Like a lot of the top trout streams in the region, it’s a tributary of the Upper Iowa River.
French Creek is just about 10 miles in total length, and about 6 miles of it flow through wildlife management areas with public access. The WMA section is catch and release and artificial lures only.
French Creek stays fairly cool in the summer, making it essentially fishable year-round. Depending on ice coverage, there are opportunities to hook up with some sizable browns in winter, too. Low angling pressure makes the colder months an underrated time to fish.
Brown trout numbers are highest in the section downstream of French Creek Drive. The feeder streams that form the upper part of French Creek also contain some brook trout.
Scuds and sowbugs are a big part of the trout diet here. There are some Blue Winged Olive hatches, too, and Caddisflies hatch sporadically throughout the warmer months, prompting some great dry fly opportunities.
French Creek is a rewarding stream with brown trout in the 20-inch class, but it’s not necessarily an easy place to fish. Anglers must contend with gin-clear water and abundant streamside vegetation that creates tight casting conditions.
Paint Creek & Little Paint Creek
A pair of excellent trout streams that intersect within the Paint Creek Unit of Yellow River State Forest, Paint Creek and Little Paint Creek offer a healthy mix of stocked brookies and rainbows along with wild brown trout that commonly measure 15 to 18 inches.
Paint Creek is the larger and more heavily fished of the two, but it also suffers from warm water in summertime and tends to be a bit overrun with anglers. Little Paint Creek, while still popular, is a smaller and more intimate fishing experience slightly farther from the beaten path.
The water is generally fairly clear except during the high flows of early spring, though the creeks have suffered from flooding in recent years. There are plenty of good deep pools and some shoreline brush and trees that often hold fish.
Typical insect hatches are available, but generic flies and Attractor patterns usually work. Pink Squirrel flies, a regional favorite throughout the Driftless area, are a top choice here. Small streamers work well when the water is a little high and colored.
Multiple paved roadside access sites are available alongside both creeks, and the state forest also provides camping for anglers within walking distance of the water.
Honorable Mentions
Coldwater Creek
Just north of Bluffton in Winneshiek County, Coldwater Creek offers a chance to catch some very fat, healthy trout in a beautiful setting. The stream has been the beneficiary of some major habitat improvements in recent years.
Wild brown trout reside in Coldwater Creek, and the state stocks catchable 10- to 12-inch rainbow trout from April through October. Limited natural reproduction of rainbow trout has also been documented.
With cold water that emerges from underground at Coldwater Cave State Preserve, the stream sustains trout year-round, and it’s not unusual to catch rainbow trout up to 15 inches and browns up to 19 inches. A 4-mile section is publicly accessible, with parking along Coldwater Creek Road.
Yellow River
The Yellow River is Iowa’s largest and longest cold-water river, and trout fishing can be excellent. Officials stock fingerling rainbow trout yearly, and a substantial brown trout population sustains itself through natural reproduction.
The problem is access. The overwhelming majority of the Yellow River flows through private property, so the only way to legally fish it is to float it. Even wading is prohibited on private sections without landowner permission.
The only places to access the cold water section of the Yellow River are Stonebrook Park, Forest Mills Road and the Volney Canoe Access. Paddlers can access some excellent deep pools and target some relatively unpressured trout.
Spring Branch (Bailey’s Ford)
One of the most well-known and heavily fished streams in Iowa, Spring Branch still produces some monster trout, even though the fish that live here have pretty much seen it all. Spring Branch flows through Delaware County near Manchester, and several sections are of interest.
The lower end of the creek flows through Bailey’s Ford Park, and the name “Bailey’s Ford” is sometimes applied to the stream itself in this section. Thanks to regular plantings of easily-fooled 10- to 12-inch rainbow trout, it’s a good spot for a family fishing trip.
Farther upriver, there’s a catch-and-release, artificial lures-only section from just above US-20 to around Jefferson Road, and this stretch is better for fly fishing.
The Manchester Fish Hatchery is alongside Spring Branch and available for tours.
Turkey River
A 153-mile tributary of the Mississippi River, the Turkey River is primarily a warm-water fishery that supports smallmouth bass and walleye. But the state-operated Big Springs Trout Hatchery is also located alongside the river.
The DNR stocks brook, brown and rainbow trout in the Turkey River near the hatchery from April to October. Cold springs in the area keep this stretch cool enough to support trout, though much of the rest of the river does not.
That makes this a great place to take kids fishing. There’s a campground nearby and angler access trails alongside the water. The Turkey River is also a designated water trail and offers excellent paddling.
South Pine Creek
Native brook trout are a rare find in Iowa. Wild brookies require very specific habitat, water temperature and pH range, and only a handful of small streams in northeastern Iowa support them. Of those that do, South Pine Creek is almost certainly the best.
Anglers can access a 1.3-mile section of the creek from a parking area on Spring Creek Road, but getting to the water requires a 1-mile hike on a mowed path. Primitive camping is allowed in the wildlife management area that surrounds the stream.
Anglers must use artificial lures on South Pine Creek, and all brook trout must be released immediately. There are naturally reproducing brown trout in South Pine Creek as well, but there is no stocking here, so you can be assured that any trout you catch is wild.
Trout River
The promisingly-named Trout River is a quality trout stream in Winneshiek County. A tributary of the Upper Iowa River, the Trout River offers two public segments totalling 5 miles of fishable water.
The primary access is through the Trout River Wildlife Management Area, and a short hike is required to reach the water. Catchable rainbows are stocked from April to October, and the river also harbors a good number of wild browns that average 10 inches but occasionally surpass 16 inches.
This is a beautiful stream that flows through forested land that gradually opens up into meadows. It often clears quickly after a rain, making it a good option when other streams are blown out in springtime.
Swiss Valley (Catfish Creek)
Catfish Creek is a small to midsize stream just a few miles from Dubuque. The upper portion of the stream, which flows through Swiss Valley Park and is sometimes referred to as Swiss Valley Creek, supports a respectable trout fishery.
A fairly modest number of wild brown trout swim here alongside the catchable rainbow trout that are abundantly stocked. The park is a popular and easily accessible place to fish, with streamside trails, campsites, picnic areas and ample parking.
Habitat improvements have helped reduce sedimentation and boost trout fishing here. It’s a great option for kids and beginners, and you can catch plenty of rainbow trout using worms and bobbers. The occasional brown trout up to 16 inches is a nice bonus.
Big Mill Creek
Mill Creek—more often referred to as “Big” Mill Creek to differentiate it from its tributary, Little Mill Creek—is a small tributary that flows through Jackson County before emptying into the Mississippi River in Bellevue.
A section measuring 0.9 miles in Big Mill Wildlife Management Area is stocked with catchable rainbow trout from April through October, as is an additional 0.3-mile section in Bellevue’s Felderman Park.
The former offers plenty of access and trout catches with spinners, jigs and worms. Fly fishing with basic patterns is also effective, and there are a few wild brown trout here as well.
Community Trout Ponds
Every year, the Iowa DNR stocks catchable rainbow trout in over a dozen ponds and small lakes across the state. These community fishing waters offer seasonal put-and-take trout fisheries stocked each spring and, in some cases, again in the fall and winter.
Most of these waters span just a few acres inside city and county parks that provide bank access. In some cases, boats with electric motors and non-powered craft are also allowed.
A complete guide to trout stocking in community trout fishing ponds and lakes, along with other trout fishing resources, is available here via the Iowa DNR.
Catch More Trout
Learn the most effective tactics in our basic trout fishing guide.