Upper Iowa River

Does anyone here fish the Upper Iowa River?
When?
Where?
What do you target?

I used to fish the Upper Iowa but have not been up that way in a few years. The Upper Iowa is one of if not the best smallie river in Iowa. It is also a very good walleye river in certain areas. I had a DNR inland fisheries biologist tell me several years ago that it was the best inland walleye river in northeast Iowa. He told me that the Upper Iowa river was the best kept walleye secret in the entire state. I don’t remember what he said the average size of the fish caught were but I think it was in the 18 to 20 inch range with fish over 5 Lbs not uncommon. I have fished the river for walleye and have done well in the early spring. There are 2 dams on the river. One in Decorah and one downstream from Decorah about 5 or 6 miles. It is below the lower dam that the walleye congregate in the spring. It can be fished from shore but a canoe or a small boat would help give you full access to the tailwaters. I’m glad that you brought it up. I will have to try and make a trip up there in the next month. I grew up less than 20 miles from the lower dam and have fished there many times.

Many of the smaller rivers in N.E Iowa have good populations of walleye. The DNR stocked the Turkey River with walleye several years ago and the stretch between Clermont and Elkader is full of walleye. I haven’t fished this area but did talk to a DNR man who works at Big Springs hatchery north of ELkader. He told me that he floated down the lower part of that stretch 2 summers ago when we had the hottest days of the summer. In one afternoon he caught something like 19 walleye. He said the fish were congregated in the deeper holes because of the hot weather. If you have ever been on the Turkey the deepest holes are only 4 or 5 feet deep. The Maquoketa River and the Wapsie are also very good inland walleye waters. The Iowa DNR does their inland river walleye studies on the Wapsie in the pool between the dam at Independence down to the dam above Lake Delhi. I have not fished this stretch but really want to try it someday. The river flows through a gravel quarry just south of hwy 20 near Independence and there is plenty of deep water in the quarry. There have been walleye well in excess of 10 Lbs taken out of there every year. A guy needs a little jon boat or canoe to fish some of these smaller rivers as access through private property is limited.

If you get up to the Upper Iowa let us know how you do.

Eyehunter

I to grew up about 20 minutes away from the U.I. It’s a great smallie stream, with some walleyes and trout mixed in to make things interesting. Like eyehunter said, the walleyes are better downstream of the lower dam, upstream more bass with a few trout. The catch and release zone is great for smallies, with some good ones to boot. My favorite time is the fall, flip a rebel crayfish out there and hold on!

The best smallmouth lure ive ever fished with is the heddon tadpoly in crawfish color. They quit making this lure in the tiny tad size that i used and it was so good you had to fish with one to believe it. Absolutely solid hits when pulled near a smallmouth, if only they’d start making them again.

I wish heddon would start making the flaptail again. It is one of my favorite top water baits.

The reason I brought it up was a couple years ago I canoed it and came across a guy @ the Iverson bridge area in Allamakee County that had caught 58 smallies in two days! I’ve yet to fish that area myself, but last year while canoeing it we caught one of the nicest smallies, it jumped right into the canoe! We CPR’d it, I’ll have to dig up that photo. I think that so much of that river is so remote due to the terrain and private property that it goes un noticed by the average angler.

I grew up a mile and a half from the Upper Iowa, and still fish it a few times each summer. I have heard there is some good walleye fishing below Decorah, and better below the lower dam, but I don’t know that part of the river. Up around Granger and Florenceville where I am from, there is outstanding smallmouth fishing, with the occasional trout thrown in. The last few years I have heard of people catching walleye that far upstream, but I haven’t gotten any myself.

When I fish the Upper Iowa, I use a # 9 floating Rapala in silver and black or trout colors. Most of the time that gets me all the smallie action I could ask for. I also bring along some Ratl-traps and other lures in orange, in case the fish are keying on crayfish.

I would say 58 smallies in 2 days would be easily achievable on a good day. I know I’ve had single days with that many fish, but keep that under your hat. Gotta love the upper Iowa, never know what your gonna hook into.

Yes, I have no trouble believing 58 smallies on a good day on the Upper Iowa.

I am heading up to Minnesota next week, so if weather and time works for me, I am going to go try the lower dam. I fished it for the first time last April, but didn’t catch anything. There were a lot of people fishing there…but they all seemed to be fishing for redhorse.