Iowa Fish Species – Pike Family

Pike have long, cylindrical bodies with a short dorsal fin far back on the body. Their heads are flattened and duckbill-shaped jaws are lined with very sharp teeth. They are cool water fish found in shallow weedy areas where they lie motionless and ambush their prey. Both members of the family described here are very popular sport fish.

For more information about pike, visit the DNR website.

Northern Pike

The “northern” is probably the best known and most widely distributed member of this family. It is found in the upper two-thirds of Iowa in natural lakes and large rivers. It is bluish green to gray on the back with irregular rows of yellow or gold spots on the sides. The cheek (forward part of the gill cover) is fully scaled. Individuals weighing ten pounds or more are not uncommon in larger lakes and rivers.

Northerns move into shallow marshy areas of rivers or flooded grassy margins of lakes and spawn just after ice-out. Adhesive eggs are deposited over the bottom or submerged vegetation and left. The young remain in shallow areas eating zooplankton and, later, fish.

Northern pike are daylight feeders, depending largely on sight. They are among the most predatory fish in Iowa waters, eating literally anything that moves. They can be caught with minnow-imitating plugs or bright spoons. They may follow a lure a distance before striking or strike repeatedly before they are hooked. Trolling along the outer edge of weed beds is a popular method of enticing northerns to strike.

Muskellunge

The “muskie” is similar in appearance to the more common northern. The lower half of the cheek has no scales and faint dark, vertical bars (not spots) often are present on the sides. It is found in habitats similar to northerns.

Muskellunge spawn several weeks later than northerns. In northern states they move to tributary streams and shallow lake channels, rather than the shallow marshy areas used by northerns. Like northerns, they broadcast their eggs on the bottom and leave them unattended. Iowa populations are dependent on stocking.

Muskellunge are voracious predators much like the northern pike. They are world-famous for their difficulty to hook and successfully land. Anglers use ten to twelve-inch live fish or artificial lures such as large spoons, plugs, and bucktails when fishing for muskellunge. It also is necessary to use heavy line or wire leaders to deal with their sharp teeth.

Trout Spawning Indoors

By Joe Wilkinson

Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Are there 100,000 tiny brown trout darting along the concrete raceway, inside the Manchester hatchery? Just take their word for it. The tiny, just hatched fry resemble a black wriggling cloud rolling through the water.

These brown trout were spawned in the hatchery in November. Brook trout are worked up in October. Rainbow trout eggs are taken through December and into January. From previous years, hatchery workers know about how many eggs come from females of each species and their hatch rates. That provides a handle on, for instance, how many three-inch brown trout fingerlings will be on hand to stock this spring.

In the wild, reproduction rates run well below one percent. In the labor intensive spawning and rearing world at the hatchery, survival rates clear 60 percent. The cost of doing business is covered—barely—by your $12.50 annual trout fee.

“These take about three years to get to maturity; nine or 10 inches,” outlined DNR hatchery technician Randy Mack. He had sorted and anesthetized a few dozen females already and—with hatchery manager Dan Rosauer—was now stripping eggs from them, to mix with sperm from brood males kept  on the hatchery, too. 

“Anglers like these wild, stream raised fish. They are harder to catch. They’re prettier in color. They’re just a more wild fish,” noted Mack.

Having lost some of the larger brood fish this year, workers made do with 10-inch brown trout. Though still mature, each smaller female yielded only about 400 eggs, instead of 1,500. As a result, it took more of them--and more time--to reach 2015 quotas.

Different fish, different sizes…but the process is much the same. Firmly stroking fish bellies, workers strip eggs from each fish into a fabric net, then a pan to be fertilized, mixed and poured into specially designed hatching tray. The trays sit under constant cold water from nearby Spring Branch. They hatch in 30 to 40 days, depending on the water temperature.

The brown trout used for spawning are captured wild from French Creek in Allamakee County. They are held at the hatchery, across two spawning cycles. That guarantees wild, brown trout fingerlings going back into northeast Iowa streams to grow up that way.

There is natural reproduction of brown trout in northeast Iowa’s coldwater streams. However, it does not meet the demand from trout anglers who fan out across 50 or so streams through the year.  Besides brown trout, about 100,000 brook trout…and 400,000 rainbow trout are stocked each year.

The brooks are also from wild stock; out of South Pine Creek in Winneshiek County. The rainbow trout are from two hatchery developed strains. Those two species are reared for over a year—until they are 10-to 12-inch, half pound keeper-sized fish. They tend to be more ‘angler friendly’ in the streams as about 40,000 of us pursue them—primarily from April through October.

As they grow, they go outside to larger raceways at Manchester or are trucked to rearing stations near Decorah and Elkader. As they hit stocking size, crews from all three facilities stock them in nearby streams.

The brooks and rainbows are also stocked at nearly 20 urban locations through the cold weather months.

Iowa Fish Species – Trout Family

Trout are cold water game fish; therefore, their distribution in Iowa is limited to the cool streams of nine northeastern counties, but catchable-sized fish are stocked in several locations across the state during colder months. They are slender with a body covering of tiny scales, a hooked lower jaw, and an adipose fin behind the dorsal fin.

For more information about trout, visit the DNR website.

Brook Trout

The brook trout is the only trout species native to Iowa. They originally were abundant in northeast Iowa’s spring fed streams, but now natural reproduction is limited. Hatchery-reared fish are stocked to provide additional fishing opportunities.

Brook trout are small, averaging less than a pound. They are distinguished from other trout by vivid white lines on the front edge of the lower fins and light worm-like mottling on the back. Male “brookies” may develop a deep red-crimson yellow color on the belly and numerous red and pale yellow spots (possibly surrounded by blue circles) along the sides during the fall spawning season.

Individuals live in confined areas, often spending their lives in a single pool-riffle. They require clean, cold water and often are found near springs. They eat aquatic insects and readily strike worms, minnows, or small lures.

Rainbow Trout

Rainbows are most easily separated from other trout by the bright pink-red horizontal stripe along the side of the body. They are olive to greenish blue over most of the upper body and silvery-white along the belly. The sides, back, and dorsal and tail fins are covered with small black spots. Rainbows often are in open-water areas of streams eating aquatic insects and other small invertebrates.

 

Rainbow trout were first stocked in Iowa waters over one hundred years ago and current populations are completely dependent on stocking. Most fish caught in Iowa streams weigh less than one pound. Rainbows can be caught with a variety of small flies, lures, and baits.

Brown Trout

As its name implies, it is generally brown, shading to green or yellow. It has spots on the sides, but they are much larger than those found on the rainbow and often are bordered by a light-colored “halo.”  The brown trout is secretive, heading for cover at the first sign of movement along the bank.

Some natural reproduction occurs in Iowa, but it is limited by poor water quality caused by extensive soil erosion in the watershed, winter flooding, and stream bank erosion. The female digs a redd (saucer-shaped nest) in late fall. After spawning, she covers the eggs with gravel and they incubate through the winter. The eggs hatch during late winter and fry emerge during the first warm days of spring.

 

Brown trout eat largely insects, worms, and small crayfish. They often eat at night when aquatic insects are hatching. They are a challenge for any angler, but can be caught with a variety of flies, as well as streamers. Other lures (e.g., small plugs, spoons, and spinners) and baits (e.g., nightcrawlers, minnows, or crayfish) also may work.

Iowa Fish Species – Perch Family

Three of Iowa’s popular game fish belong to the perch family. It also contains many other smaller members known as darters. Members of this family have rather slender, elongate bodies and a large bone on the gill cover that ends in a flat spine. The spiny and soft portions of the dorsal fin are completely separated. Larger family members feed mostly on fish, while smaller members eat small aquatic insects and crustaceans.

For more information about perch, visit the DNR website.

Yellow Perch

The yellow perch has a dark back with sides that are bright yellow to brassy green with seven dark, vertical bars. The lower fins are often tinged red-orange. It ranges from six to ten inches long and eats small aquatic insects, crustaceans, and fish. The perch is essentially a lake fish; it’s most abundant in the natural lakes. (It is common in some locations in the Mississippi.)

 

Perch move into shallows and deposit long, ribbon-like masses of eggs over sandbars, submerged vegetation, or brush in early spring. Young perch remain in schools near weed beds and are important food for other game fish and fish-eating birds. Larger perch move to deeper, cooler waters where they also form schools. Perch can be caught with a variety of natural baits with light tackle.

Walleye

This is the largest member of the perch family, attaining weights over 20 pounds. (Most are much smaller.) It is a brassy olive buff above with a white belly. The tail fin has a white tip on the lower half. It has large, glossy whitish eyes and very sharp teeth.

Schools of walleye are found in natural lakes and larger rivers as well as larger constructed lakes. Shortly after ice-out, they move into shallow areas with gravel or rubble bottoms and some current to spawn. Adults return to deeper water after spawning where they feed mostly on fish near the bottom.

Walleye will take slowly trolled lures or rigged nightcrawlers. Casting minnows or small jigs with plastic tails also work effectively.

Sauger

Sauger are very similar in appearance to walleye, but are smaller (most caught are less than 15 inches long). Three or four dark “saddles” mark their back and extend onto the sides. The bottom of the tail fin does not have a white tip.

Sauger distribution in Iowa is limited to the border rivers and the lower reaches of their tributaries. Although more likely to be found in turbid waters than walleye, their choice of habitat and their habits are similar.

Classroom Connections

Try these fun ideas to help your students learn more about identifying Iowa fish species.

• Identification Relay: Have small groups of students start in designated place in your classroom marked by a cone. In the middle of the room, place Iowa fish name cards and pictures. When told to start, one person from each group runs to the cards. They must select a picture and it’s matching name card and bring it back to the group at their designated place. The group decides if it is a match. If it is the next person goes to the middle to attempt to bring back another match. This continues until a group has correctly matched all name and picture cards.
• Fitness Fish:  Appoint an activity to each Iowa fish picture (ex. Brown trout=10 pushups, rainbow trout=10 crunches, brook trout=10 lunges).  List these on the whiteboard. The students will be in groups with a cone marking their starting line. On the start command, one person from the group runs to the middle where the pictures are located face down, picks one, and then returns to group with card. The group must then perform the activity associated with the species of fish. 

Paddlefish Fishing Returns To Missouri and Big Sioux Rivers In 2015

Paddlefish fishing will return to the Missouri and Big Sioux rivers for the first time since 1986, when the Iowa Department of Natural Resources opens the season on March 1.

The paddlefish season had been closed on Missouri River in 1986 due to concerns that habitat loss, altered hydrology and migration barriers created by reservoirs could jeopardize the population. In 1979, the Iowa Geological Survey Bureau reported that 61,642 acres of habitat between Sioux City and Hamburg was lost when the river was channelized.

Paddlefish are one species that have demonstrated resilience to changes in the river. Catch rates from netting surveys mirror results from other large Midwestern rivers. Unfortunately, usable population estimates from mark and recovery studies have eluded biologists. But that could change with help from anglers.

“This new season could provide us with enough angler collected data of recaptured tagged fish to provide us with a population estimate that we would have some level of confidence in. We encourage anglers to report any tagged fish they catch,” said Van Sterner, fisheries biologist for the Missouri River with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The tag is a small aluminum band around the fish’s lower jaw. Each tag has a unique identification number, tagging agency information and a phone number.

To participate, anglers will need a special Missouri and Big Sioux River paddlefish license – limited to 950 resident and 50 nonresident – that are on sale only from Dec. 15 to Jan. 31. A resident license sells for $22 and nonresident for $42. Anglers must also have a valid Iowa fishing license.

The Missouri and Big Sioux paddlefish season is March 1 to April 15. Those season dates were selected to coincide with the increasing discharge from the upstream federal reservoirs and when the fish are in their prespawn migratory pattern. Catch rates from netting surveys are highest during the spring rising discharge.

Snagging paddlefish on the Missouri River is different than other rivers where paddlefish will concentrate in tail water areas.

“These fish are extremely migratory, traveling hundreds of miles. They will try to get out of the current when they can so areas behind wing dykes with slow moving, deep water will be places to target,” Sterner said. “They don’t associate with the bottom like catfish, but will be suspended so watch the electronics and if they are there, you should see them.”

The flood of 2011 created scour holes in the river that have been popular with paddlefish and for anglers who can find them.

The Missouri River is a fast flowing river so anglers should be prepared to use heavy weights – from one ounce on up to 4-4-1/2 ounces, a medium-heavy to heavy rod at least six feet long and braided line of at least 50 pound test strength. Treble hooks can be no larger than 5/0 or measuring more than 1-1/4 inches in length when two hook points are placed on a ruler.  It would also be wise to wear a lifejacket while on the water.

The state record 107 pound paddlefish was caught in the Missouri River in Monona County in 1981. Paddlefish is an ancient species. It doesn’t have any bones and eats by straining zooplankton from the water. It reaches maturity at 6 or 7 years of age and can live for 30 years or more.

The slot limit requiring the release of all 35-45 inch fish protects the primary breeding stock. Most of the fish harvested will probably below the slot limit. The firm white flesh of the paddlefish is excellent table fare as long as the red meat near the skin is trimmed off.

The paddlefish license is required for the Missouri and Big Sioux rivers, but not for the Mississippi and Des Moines rivers.

MEDIA CONTACT: Van Sterner, Fisheries Management Biologist, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 712-249-1997.

Iowa Fish Species – Catfish Family

Catfish are the most widely distributed and abundant sport fish in Iowa waters. Ten species of catfish are found in Iowa. Channel catfish and flatheads make up an important part of the commercial fishery catch in the Mississippi River, and are one of the most popular game fish.

They have no scales and eight fleshy barbels (“whiskers”) surround the mouth. They also have an adipose (fat) fin behind the dorsal (back) fin.

Most catfish are opportunistic bottom feeders that eat all types of living or dead animal and plant material. They depend heavily on their senses of smell and taste to locate food. The characteristic barbels are highly sensitive to touch and contain taste buds as well. As a matter of fact, catfish have taste receptors all over their bodies.

For more information about catfish, visit the DNR website.

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish are common to abundant in most Iowa rivers and have been stocked into nearly all lakes and reservoirs as well as many farm ponds. They have a deeply forked tail fin and dark spots on the body that distinguish them from other species. (The only other catfish with a forked tail is the much less common blue catfish.) They spawn in the late spring and summer in secluded, often enclosed, places along the bank or bottom. The male guards the eggs until they hatch.

Channel catfish eat at all times, but are most aggressive at night. The best times to fish for them are early morning, late evening, or at night. They are caught with nightcrawlers, chicken livers, or prepared baits on a treble hook fished on the bottom. Deep holes or tail waters of dams are favored channel cat habitat.

Bullheads

There are three types of bullheads found in Iowa waters, but black bullheads are, by far, the most common. Bullheads are much smaller than channel catfish (very rarely exceeding one to two pounds) and have rounded or square, rather than forked, tail fins. Bullheads usually are found in shallow, quiet, weedy waters. They grow rapidly and it is not unusual for them to overpopulate an area and become stunted.

They fan out saucer-shaped nests and both parents guard the eggs. The fry are herded about in tight schools by the parents for a while. Like the channel catfish, bullheads can be taken using worms or prepared baits on a treble hook fished on the bottom. They are more active after waters have warmed to at least 60 ^oF.

Flathead Catfish

The flathead, one of the largest catfish, commonly reaches twenty pounds. It has a flattened head and mottled brown color. It is found mainly in the border rivers and large interior rivers in Iowa.

Flatheads spawn in secluded hides during June and July. They build nests and guard the eggs and young. They usually are in deep pools with mud bottoms. Although they are more important as a commercial species, flatheads can be caught with large live baits fished on the bottom. They feed mostly at night.

Classroom Connections

Try these fun ideas to help your students learn more about identifying Iowa fish species.

• Ask small groups of students to brainstorm as many species of fish that can be found in an Iowa aquatic habitat as they can. After 3-4 minutes, ask each group to share one of the species they discussed.  
• Provide pictures of each fish species found in Iowa waters on a card along with the name card for each species.  Have your students (working in small groups) match the name card to the picture card. 

Tips for Cold-weather Trout Fishing

If you want to fish this winter in Iowa without stepping out on the ice, check out northeast Iowa’s trout streams, which rarely freeze and are open for fishing year-round. Or if you’re not able to make the trip, a number of urban lakes statewide are stocked with trout for a new fishing experience through the ice.

If you’re angling for trout this winter, here are some tips:

Trout streams
Go small for winter stream trout.
Small jigs, midges and wooly buggers - black in color - work great, along with small black spinners and raps that imitate minnows.

Go wild.
Many northeast Iowa streams offer plenty of wild brown trout, along with the holdover stocked fish throughout the winter into spring.

Take it slow.
Fish still need to feed in the winter, but they aren’t as active and won’t travel as fast or as far to strike. That means presentation is key during winter - move, cast and retrieve, being precise, slow and easy. If using an indicator, downsize that as well.

Urban trout
Freeze it up.
Unlike trout streams, winter fishing for trout in stocked urban ponds is done through the ice. Typical ice fishing equipment should be used, and bait your hooks , ice jigs, etc., with waxworms and don’t forget jigging spoons.

Get flashy.
Try jigging spoons, small black spinners and raps that imitate minnows. Add some flash to your presentation.

Fish keep close to home.
Fish close to the stocking area early on. As the fish become accustomed to their new home, they begin to spread out. Fish close to the surface, as that’s where trout are used to feeding.


Learn more about Iowa’s trout streams, including maps and stocking schedules.

Iowa Fish Species

The next couple of weeks we will feature Iowa fish families and species. We begin with the sunfish family. For more information about sunfish, visit the DNR website.

Twelve species of sunfishes inhabit Iowa waters. Because of their diverse habits, sunfishes of one kind or another are found in every part of the state. All sunfishes have at least one spine at the front part of the dorsal fin, which is never completely separated from the rear portion. Their bodies are deeply compressed laterally with pelvic fins nearly beneath the pectoral fins. Members of the sunfish family are popular sport fish.

Largemouth bass

This fish has a very large mouth that, when closed, extends past at the eye. The spiny and soft portions of the dorsal fin are almost separated and the slender body is shaded green with a continuous dark stripe along the side. The belly is light green to white. Largemouth bass reach lengths up to 16 inches in their third year of life.

The largemouth is found statewide in weedy lakes, ponds, and quiet rivers. It seldom is found deeper than 20 feet, preferring warmer water. The largemouth usually deposits its eggs on roots of submerged plants or grass over rocky or mud bottoms in water one and one-half to three feet deep. The male usually builds a nest prior to spawning.

Largemouth eat mainly fish, crayfish, and large insects but will eat most any animal in the water that it can swallow. It is active at night.

Bluegill

Bluegill is the most abundant and widespread member of the sunfish family in Iowa. It is found in nearly all waters of the state but is far more abundant in lakes and ponds than is streams and rivers. It has a dark back, yellow or reddish-orange belly, vertical bars along the sides, and a bright blue chin and gill covers. Like other sunfish that live in still waters, bluegill usually are located near weed beds where they can find both food and hiding areas.

White bass

This fish has a deep body that is flattened side to side, two dorsal fins, spines in the anal and dorsal fins, and a spine on the gill cover. The body is blue-gray on the back and silver on the sides. The dorsal, anal, and tail fins are slate gray. The eyes are yellow. The sides have dark stripes, but they may be hard to see. The first stripe below the lateral line (sensory organ on the side of the fish) is not continuous; it has spaces between the dark sections. Teeth are present on the back of the tongue.

 

White bass live in lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, preferring those with a sand or rock bottom. It lives in schools that hunt together. It feeds near the surface in the early morning and late evening, eating fish and insects. Small fish sometimes may be seen jumping out of the water to avoid being eaten by this predator. White bass seldom lives longer than four years.

Black crappie

The black crappie is a deep-bodied fish, flattened side to side. Its back is arched in front of the dorsal fin and dips over the eye giving it a “hump-backed”appearance. It has a green back, silver or white sides with black or green speckles, and a silver or white belly. The anal fin is nearly as long as the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin has seven or eight spines, differing from that of the white crappie that has six. The dorsal, tail, and anal fins are heavily pigmented with black.

 

The black crappie lives in creeks, rivers, lakes, and ponds. It prefers clear water with little or no current and many hiding places like submerged logs and plants. It eats insects, small fish, and crustaceans. It moves in groups around submerged objects and may be found at depths of 15 feet or more but moves to shallow water to spawn.

Classroom Connections
Try these fun ideas to help your students learn more about the general characteristics of Iowa fish species.

• Ask students to describe a fish. Compare fish characteristics to human characteristics. Do you think these sense functions the same way for humans?
• Have students compile a list of fish species common to your area.
• Create a class fish identification booklet - include general characteristics, habitat, where found in Iowa, foods, etc.

Tips for Selecting the Right Bow

If you’ve decided to take up bowhunting or bowfishing – or maybe you’ve been inspired by Katniss Everdeen to learn how to shoot a bow and arrow – you’ll need to have the right equipment. If you’re just starting, the best way to find a bow is to take an experienced archer or hunter with you to an experienced archery shop.

Use these tips to find the right bow for you:

Know your bows.
While “bow and arrow” might bring up visions of Robin Hood, modern bows are much more sophisticated and varied. Recurve bows are more like the traditional bow, as you draw them back by hand. The bow’s limbs curve slightly and point away from you when the bow is in shooting position. Longbows have straighter, more narrow limbs. A compound bow uses cables and wheels to ease the draw of the arrow and reduce the arm strength needed to shoot the arrow. Compound bows are often the best bows for beginners.

Measure your draw length and weight.
You’ll want a bow that fits you, so you’ll need an appropriate draw length – the distance between the bowstring and your grip on the arrow when the bow is at full draw. You can do this by measuring your wingspan – hold out your arms away from your body and measure from one fingertip, across your back and to the other fingertip. A number of charts online can help you convert your wingspan to draw length. If you’re looking for a bow for kids, bows without a draw length allow the bow to grow along with your kids. The draw weight is the pressure it takes to draw the bow back. Start with a bow weight you’re comfortable with and work your way up.

Find your dominant eye.
Just like you’re probably right- or left-handed, you also have one eye that you tend to use more than the other. That’s called eye dominance, and it’s easy to determine if you’re left eye or right eye dominant – and it’s not always the same as your hand dominance. Take both hands and make a hole or circle between your hands; hold the circle in front of your body with your arms extended and both eyes open. Frame an object in the distance with the circle and slowly bring your hands to your eye. The eye you bring it to naturally is your dominant eye. There are right-handed and left-handed bows – but go by your eye dominance. So if you’re right-handed but left eye dominant, buy a left-handed bow.

Target shooting
Target archery is the best way to get started in archery, allowing you to practice and gain experience with the bow before heading out to the field. Many archery ranges have archery facilities, or you can buy a target and practice in your backyard, if city ordinances allow. Kids can get started in the Archery in the Schools program, too. With some practice, you could even end up in the Olympics, like Iowan Miranda Leek.

Turkey hunting
If you plan on using your new archery skills to take a turkey, you’ll want to look for a compound bow. Because these bows can be held longer and shoot flatter, they’re a good choice for hunters using ground blinds. But be sure to match your bow to your blind and give yourself plenty of room for the limbs of the bow. Longbows and recurves are generally better for stalking, since they feature a quick draw and release. They’re also usually too tall for a blind. Once you have your new bow, be sure to practice with the new bow with your hunting clothes on.

Deer hunting
Start with a compound bow – other bows take more time to become proficient. Compounds can be more forgiving and are easy to learn to shoot on. Get comfortable before the season starts and practice shooting with your hunting clothes on. If you’ll be using a tree stand, familiarize yourself with the harness on the ground first and practice shooting from a sitting position.

Bowfishing
It’s not necessary to buy a separate bow for every use – you can use one bow for everything, including bowfishing. You’ll just need to modify the bow by adding an arrow rest for the heavier fiberglass arrow, as well as a reel to bring the arrow back in. Be sure to get familiar with both state regulations and local ordinances on bowfishing before you head out.

Learn more about shooting sports from the DNR's Shooting Sports program.

Trout Streams Provide Quality Fishing Through the Winter

Driving around northeast Iowa last weekend, it was apparent that trout fishing remains a popular fall activity when every parking spot at North and South Bear Creek and Waterloo Creek was filled.

“That was good to see,” said Mike Steuck, fisheries supervisor for interior streams with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Interest in trout fishing usually peaks from April through October, which is the DNR stocking season for roughly 325,000 catchable-size trout each year. But many of those fish will remain in the stream through the winter, providing an experience of fishing for more wild fish with possibly fewer competing anglers.

In addition to the hold-over stocked fish, Iowa has more than 40 trout streams with consistently naturally reproducing brown trout and another 30 streams where natural reproduction is occurring, but not consistently. These streams have a lot of wild fish available for anglers to test their skills.

“It’s a busy place this time of year,” Steuck said. “We have quite a bit of public ground and public streams so you can always find a place to fish.”

Iowa’s trout season is open all year. Iowa’s trout streams are too.

Even during the coldest of cold spells, the streams are not likely to freeze over for very long due to a steady flow of spring-fed water around 50 degrees.

The spring fed streams also have occasional insect hatches on warm afternoons during the winter, which is good news to anglers using dry flies.

“Most common hatches in the winter are midges and they are really small, so dry flies will need to be size 24 or smaller,” Steuck said. When midges are not hatching, he suggests sticking with nymphs.

“Of course if you don’t have the patience for fly fishing, you can always use minnows, spinners, jigs, and the plain hook with a night crawler,” he said. Black or brown jigs that imitate beetles and scuds, minnow imitations, small raps, and rooster tails and panther martens work also.

Fall offers an opportunity to catch some larger brown trout that spawn in shallow rocky areas in the fall.

“Be careful where you’re stepping, to avoid disturbing the redds,” he said. Redds are a cleared area in the gravel, usually with a bit more current in it to keep the nest clean.

While much trout fishing attention in the fall and winter focuses on the events surrounding the stocking in ponds and small lakes around the state, plenty of good fishing remains in trout country, Steuck said.

“We have a lot of fish remaining in our streams and plenty of opportunities to catch them,” he said.

For more information, contact Mike Steuck, Fisheries Supervisor for Interior Streams, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 563-927-3276.

Fishing and Engineering

Looking for ways to incorporate engineering principles into your Fish Iowa! program? Try these activities shared with us by Ti Piper, New Mexico Department of Game & Fish Fishing Skills Educator Contractor.

Ordered Pairs Activity

Materials

casting gear with 1/4 ounce plastic casting weights

100 foot (or metric) tape

25 foot (or metric) tape

3x5 cards for data recording

pens (no pencils for data recording in science engineer field journals).

Doing the Activity

• Lay out 100 foot tape in safe casting zone on playground
• Students cast down the 100' tape while other students report length and “off course” measurement (e.g.,  43' long and -7': cast was seven feet left of the 100' tape, thus the negative seven).
• Data is recorded using pen and 3x5 card by the casting student who then gets back in line.
• All students cast three times and end up with three ordered pairs (e.g., 43,-7; 38,2; 49,15).
• Back in classroom, students make a scatter graph of all data points.
• Pretend that Student Pat is not in class today, and that Student Pat would have made a cast to the average of the data points....find that point.

Options: pick a casting lane that is left/right in the wind, then do the opposite for another set of data points, figure the average effect of the wind on the class's casting results; use three different casting weights.

Line Strength Activity

Materials

Mono fishing line in 2/4/6 pound test

digital fish weighing scales

Doing the Activity

• Remove the pound test information from the spools of line.
• Wrap the end of four feet of line to a wooden dowel; wrap the other end to the 'hook' of the digiscale. (No knots are used in the experiment, only wraps.)
• Two students, each with one end of the experiment, slowly pull the line till it break while a third student reads the scale.
• Record and share all data.
• Do all line/breaks three times.

Options: put an overhand knot in the middle of the line - do the knot test wet and dry; use different brands of six pound line

Berkley High School Fishing Club Challenge - Register by November 30

It's time to start the 2015 challenge - get your team ready and register for the 2015 Berkley® High Fishing Club Challenge. 

The Berkley High Challenge promotes the joy of fishing while learning techniques to develop the skills to create lifelong anglers. Your club can be big or small, skilled or novice, and can fish for any species. It’s not about the biggest or the most fish, it’s about the joy of the sport.

Monthly Challenges

Your club will participate in “I dare you” type monthly challenges for extra challenge points. Each month a new challenge will be posted with the instructions, timeline and the prizes for that month.

October’s challenge: Berkley’s Scariest Bait –

Select the Berkley bait you think is the SCARIEST and tell us why. (Example – the design, it’s amazingly fierce ability to catch fish, the smell, etc.) Post your answer on Berkley Facebook. Be sure to mention the Berkley High School Club and include the name of your school. All who post will receive ten bonus points for their team. Include a picture of the bait and win a Berkley Line Winding Machine for your team. Competing in these can earn you extra points BUT this is how EVERY TEAM can win prizes throughout the year.

Team and Individual Tasks (Report Card)

All team and individual tasks are simple things all fishing club members should be doing to improve their personal, professional and angler skills.  Each task will earn your team points toward winning the Challenge. Uploading fishing action photos of your team members on the Berkley High School page, participating in a local fishing tournament, renewing your fishing license, or assisting with the clean-up of a local waterway are just a few of the tasks that you can complete to have the opportunity to add hundreds or even thousands of dollars to your club’s arsenal of fishing supplies.  

2015 Fish Iowa! Games

Get Your School Hooked!

"Fish Iowa! Games is a great confidence builder for students. It doesn’t matter your size, age, or gender – everybody can compete on a fair level.”

Fish Iowa! Games is a competition where students cast from three distances using the flipping, pitching, and overhand techniques. It was developed by the Iowa Sports Foundation, in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in 2006. Since then, over 73,000 K-12 students throughout the state have participated.

All medalists (gold, silver, bronze) from each school are invited to compete in the Fish Iowa! Games Finals on June 6 at the Liberty Centre Pond in North Liberty.

2015 Registration Now Open!!!

Register your school or your class now to secure your competition kit. The competition may be held anytime between February 1 and May 1. Competition kits will be shipped beginning mid January.

Competition Kit

• Guidelines and diagrams
• 2 targets
• 2 contest spincast rods & reels
• 16 casting plugs (5/16 oz) for practice
• Participation ribbons – 1 per contestant
• Medals – gold, silver, and bronze for each class
• Sample press release

Special Walleye Stocking

Spawned this past spring, then raised at the Department of Natural Resources’ Rathbun Hatchery, the 8- to 10-inch advanced fingerlings join walleyes already in Pleasant Creek Lake, Lake Macbride and five other Iowa lakes; introduced as tiny, recently hatched fry.

Each just-stocked advanced fingerling walleye has its left pectoral fin clipped to identify it as it shows up in future population surveys…or on the end of an angler’s line. Each year a different fin will be clipped to mark the year the fingerling was stocked in an ongoing research project on Macbride and six other Iowa lakes.

In contrast, fry stocked in the spring are not clipped or marked each year. Due to their larger size at stocking, advanced fingerlings are expected to survive well and may provide more consistent recruitment of walleyes, year to year.

“We stock many more fry, but they have a higher mortality rate than advanced fingerlings. These advanced fingerling walleyes are more expensive to raise; however, a larger percentage may reach (catchable) size,” explains Rebecca Krogman, DNR reservoir research biologist. “We will be able to determine more clearly several years down the road whether one group grows faster, survives better and ultimately recruits to the fishery more successfully.”

The project will include study of the otoliths, scales and spines, referred to collectively as “age structures,” from a sample of walleyes. The otolith is a sort of fish ‘ear bone’ which shows a record of growth, similar to tree rings.

About 9,400 fingerlings went into Macbride this week. Pleasant Creek received about 4,100. They will grow alongside survivors from 2.8 million Macbride fry and 1.2 million fry in Pleasant Creek.

"Every few years, we hope to get a big walleye year from the fry stockings,” notes DNR fisheries management biologist Paul Sleeper. “If the food source is there, typically zooplankton, the fry get a good start. If we have a cold front moving through, reducing zooplankton growth, we will have poorer survival.”

During these “off years” for fry, the advanced fingerling stocking is particularly important for strategically augmenting walleye populations in Iowa reservoirs.

2015 Take It Outside Art Contest

Celebrating wildlife artist, Maynard Reece & Iowa Fish

“We really had a good time doing the contest. It brought in a lot of good discussion and even the teacher aides were surprised at some of the facts I shared from the DNR website. The kids loved it.”

The Department of Natural Resources invites you to enroll your class in our fourth annual “Take It Outside” Art Contest.

This year’s contest will celebrate the great contributions of wildlife artist, Maynard Reece. Reece is considered one of the founding fathers of wildlife art. As a child, he spent many hours exploring Lake Okoboji. His teachers discovered his artistic ability at the age of 13 and entered one of his drawings in the Iowa State Fair. As a young adult, Maynard worked at what is today known as the State Historical Museum collecting specimens for the museum’s collection and painting fish to create the plates for the original publishing of Iowa Fish and Fishing – this was instrumental in launching his career as a freelance artist. Reece’s fish drawings can be viewed on the DNR website. 

Students are encouraged to use their artistic skills to create an image of their favorite Iowa fish (see the eligible fish list in the complete contest rules) in its natural habitat. Fish species fact sheets are available on the DNR Education website (click on Fact Sheets/Fish in the Document Library). Starting next month, check out our Take It Outside: Fish Iowa! blog for more information about Iowa fish and Maynard Reece.

New This Year!

We are partnering with the Wildlife Forever^® State-Fish Art^® Contest to host an Iowa State-Fish Contest in conjunction with our annual Take It Outside Art Contest. The first place artwork in each judging category will be submitted for National Awards. First place winners at the state level will be honored at the annual State-Fish Art Expo this summer.

For more information visit our website.

Complete Contest Rules
Student Entry Form
Educator Registration Form

Celebrate Food Day – Add More Fish to Your Diet

Fish are low in saturated fat and contain protein, calcium, iron, zinc and many vitamins. Eating fish can contribute to a healthy heart, the prevention of diseases and a child’s proper growth. The Iowa Dept. of Public Health recommends eating two meals of fish per week.

There are many easy ways to cook fish. If you are preparing fresh fish, rinse them in cold water and pat dry. Make several shallow, diagonal cuts in the flesh of large fillets to hasten cooking time. No matter the method of cooking you choose, the most important thing to remember is not to overcook the fish.

Try these quick and easy fish recipes. Visit our From Hookin' To Cookin' website for more recipes and tips for cooking fish.

Lemon Fried Bluegill

1 cup flour

1 cup water

1 cup water

2 tsp. grated lemon peel

1 ½ lb. bluegill

¼ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. salt

Flour

oil

Blend flour, lemon peel, salt and pepper. Add water and chill 30 minutes. Heat two inches of oil in fryer to 375 degrees. Coat fish in flour and dip in batter. Fry three minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Mustard fried bluegill

1 16 oz. sour cream

1 cup mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

3 cups yellow cornmeal

Oil

Coat cleaned bluegill fillets with sour cream and mustard mixture and let stand for 20 minutes in refrigerator. Season cornmeal with salt and pepper before dredging fish in mixture. Deep fry in hot oil.

Beer battered bluegill

1 lb. bluegill fillets

1 egg

Oil

1 cup flour

¾ can of beer

Pat fish dry with paper towels. In a bowl, mix egg, flour, and beer until smooth. Let stand 15 minutes. Dip fish in batter and fry in hot oil until both sides are browned.

Fried bluegill

Bluegill fillets

Garlic salt

Pepper

Oil

Yellow cornmeal

Mix ingredients in a bag, using your own estimates according to quantity and taste. Fry in hot oil until crisp.

Fried crappie

1/3 lb. crappie fillets

2 cups pancake mix

Lemon pepper

Salt

Oil

Dip fish in water and sprinkle with salt and lemon pepper. Coat lightly with pancake mix. Fry 4-5 minutes or until fillets flake easily. Serve with cocktail sauce.

Classic fried catfish

¾ cup yellow cornmeal

2 tsp. salt

¼ cup all purpose flour

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Vegetable oil

1 catfish fillet

¼ tsp. garlic powder

Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Coat fillets with mixture, shaking off excess. Fill deep pot or 12 inch skillet half full with oil. Heat to 350 degrees. Add catfish in single layer and fry until golden brown (about 5-6 minutes depending on size). Remove and drain on paper towels.

Homemade tartar sauce

1 cup light mayonnaise

1 tbs. finely chopped parsley

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbs. chopped, drained sweet pickle

Salt & pepper to taste

1 tbs. fresh lemon juice

Optional: 1 tbs. chopped drained capers, 1 tbs. chopped drained green olives. Combine ingredients and mix well. Yield about 2/3 cup (6 servings).