Map Of Cedar River

Can anyone recommend a good map of Cedar River? I’ve never fished it and I would like to check it out first.

Thanks.

Are you looking for a contour map?

Boy, I’d be surprised if one even existed. If you say what area you’re interested in, maybe someone from the site could fill you in with what they know, but outside of that I don’t know how to help. Let me know if you find one though.

I looking at trying to fish the St. Ansgar area for smallies. One thing that would be helpful would be something similar to the canoe maps available for some streams in Minnesota. Gives you in and out locations, camp sites and mile markers. Also give you a brief history of area (travel interests) and an overview of what you might expect to find while fishing. I’ve checked the Iowa DNR site, but have had no luck there. Thanks.

I think I know exactly what you’re looking for. There’s a book called Iowa Fishing Atlas, Volume II: Rivers and Streams that has the information you’re talking about. I don’t have a personal copy, but the library here in town has one, and I’d guess it’s not that hard to put your hands on a copy.

It will tell you canoe launching sites, portage points, bottom type and fish species. It’s a good book, I may have to go looking for a copy one of these days.

Thanks Gianni! That sounds perfect.

Check out the Iowa Geographic Map Server website. Here is the link: Map Server
If you look for St. Ansgar and zoom it in you can get a pretty good map of the Cedar.

Gator Hunter

Gator, that mapping thing you put up is awsome . I spent a lot of years fishing this area around Interstate park in St. Ansger on down to Halverson park in Mitchell. Anyone who lives in that area knows or has most likely expeirienced the great smallie fishing that area has to offer. I spent many a day on that part of the river and do know it well. I would gladly help anyone with questions on that area, from bridge to bridge. I’ve caught several 3 to 4lb smallies on that river stretch.

I do know that it used to, and maybe still is catch and realese from the bridge at interstate park on up. Where the catch and release area ends not sure, never kept any fish so never worried about it.

Lew, you got some prime smallie fishing right there

Forgot to add that that stretch of river has a lot of deeper water, a guy can run a full size boat with no problem if you stay between the bridges.

Awesome site gator hunter,thanks I’ll put that to some use.That is a C&R area I just don’t know exacts on it.

Cedar River, Mitchell County downstream from the Otranto Dam to the bridge on County Road T26, south of St. Ansgar

I found this on the dnr website.

Thank you Gentlemen. All the info has been very helpful. I love the web site. Now for another question. Once the spring high water settles down, what kind of flow does the Cedar have in the St. Ansgar area? I generally use a canoe with a trolling motor. Would I be facing pretty strong current heading up stream? Lew

As for current, you could easily run from Halvorson Park (South of St. A.) upstream to the dam (west of St.A)with an electric, I have done it many times. From the dam west of St. A upstream to about the Hwy 105 bridge is mostly pool area from the dam, so not much current, just above the Hwy 105 bridge is an abandoned dam which you can go downstream through, but not upstream through. The stretch between Otranto to Hwy 105 bridge has many riffles at normal level, would have to get out and pull the canoe. I would say this would be difficult at best to navigate upstream.

jonb nailed it on the hea for you Lew. Thanks for the info jonb. From your post it looks as if you have spent some time in that area . Great smallie fishing in that area isn’t it?

Holy cow Dustin, is that the Loch Ness Monster you’re holding?

As was said, I also doubt you can navigate right below the Otranto dam with a canoe, but don’t discount it just for that reason. The biggest SMB I’ve ever caught came within 100yds of the dam there.

Just food for thought, but I always noticed that above the mitchell dam was mostly smallies, but below i caught more of a mixed bag, smallies, northerns, eyes, cats, perch, crappies, etc. Sure miss the good old days of living up north….

Those same species are just as common above, especially in the St. A area previously mentioned. One would not be too likely to catch many perch in the Cedar in these areas, however.

Hey guys!
You are right on with the St. A pool. Great smallie fishing. People do ski and use personal watercraft during the summer so you may want to consider this in the time you go with a canoe. I live on the Cedar south just below the Floyd, Ia bridge. Very good smallmouth, catfish, and the walleyes have been getting better each year all the way down from the Mitchell dam. Look for deeper pools and you are in business with the low levels the last year. OUT…

Don’t forget to stop in the Barons rod shop for bait and a good conversation. The man builds some nice rods. Can’t wait to get back down there to say hi.
He is on the corner of the Hiway 18 abd the river road just outside of Osage.