← All States

Fishing in Iowa

Iowa's Mississippi River pools hold walleye, sauger, smallmouth, and some of the biggest blue catfish in the Midwest. The Iowa Great Lakes — Spirit, West Okoboji, and East Okoboji — are the state's premier walleye and yellow perch destination. The Driftless Area in northeast Iowa hides hundreds of miles of cold-water trout streams. Coralville, Saylorville, and Red Rock reservoirs add white bass, hybrid stripers, and crappie.

License Types & Fees

LicenseFee
Resident Annual Fishing$22.00
Resident 1-Day Fishing$10.50
Resident 7-Day Fishing$15.50
Resident Angler's Special (3-Year)$62.00
Resident Lifetime Fishing (65+)$61.50
Resident Lifetime Trout Fee (65+)$65.00
Resident Outdoor Combo (Hunt/Fish/Habitat)$55.00
Resident Trout Fee$14.50
Resident Boundary Water Trotline$26.00
Bonus Line (3rd Line Stamp)$14.00
Non-Resident Annual Fishing$48.00
Non-Resident 1-Day Fishing$12.00
Non-Resident 3-Day Fishing$20.50
Non-Resident 7-Day Fishing$37.50
Non-Resident Trout Fee$17.50
Non-Resident Boundary Water Trotline$49.50

Fees are subject to change. Confirm current pricing on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources website before purchasing.

Residents under 16 fish without a license but may need a trout fee. Iowa-resident military on authorized leave fish free. 100% of license revenue is reinvested in Iowa conservation.

Log Your Iowa Catches

CatchVault is available on iOS. Identify species with AI, measure with LiDAR, and keep a private journal of every fish you land in Iowa.