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Stream Details

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Stream Details

Trout River

General Information

County: Winneshiek
Location: Located 5 miles southeast of Decorah off of 133rd Avenue.
Stream Segment Length: 5.00

Amenities

Amenities at Trout River include:
  • Trails
  • Camping
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing

Brook Trout - Fair: Brook trout taking a variety of flies imitating gnats, midges, caddis or an occasional mayfly. Use care not to alarm it when approaching the stream in gin clear water.
Brown Trout - Good: Best time to fish spooky brown's is when water is off color. Use lures that mimic small minnows or midges.
With turkey season in full swing, anglers should avoid wearing red, white, or blue. Streams maintain nice holdover numbers for the casual angler. Stream stocking continues even though they are not announced. The calendar is now available on-line at https://www.iowadnr.gov/Fishing/Trout-Fishing.
Rainbow Trout - Good: Use a small piece of worm on a hook and fish through a deeper hole.

Trout River is stocked weekly April through October with catchable 10-12 inch Rainbow Trout. It contains a self-sustaining Brown Trout population. Sampling data from 2009 showed 224 Brown Trout per mile with fish up to 15 inches. This is an estimated population and actual trout numbers will be higher. Primitive camping is available at the state owned Trout River Wildlife Management Area.(2022)

Stream Maps

Download Printable Stream Map

Parking Access
Catchable Trout Waters
Fingerling Stocked or Natural Reproduction
Restrictive Regulation Stream

You can zoom the map in and out using the slider on the left hand side, and you can pan the map by clicking and dragging. Rollover features for more information. Click streams to go to their page.

    No known aquatic invasive species have been found

  • Annual 2022 - 6,300 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2021 - 6,975 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2020 - 6,760 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • August 2019 - 561 Brook Trout (10.8)
  • annual 2019 - 6,074 Rainbow Trout (10.8)
  • August 2018 - 115 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2018 - 5,500 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 4,694 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 1,629 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 3,015 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 3,712 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2015 - 3,565 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2015 - 3,927 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2014 - 4,086 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2014 - 2,320 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)

The Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit.

  • Brown Trout
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 5 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 10 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Anglers must have paid the Trout Fee to fish for or possess trout
  • Rainbow Trout
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 5 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 10 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Anglers must have paid the Trout Fee to fish for or possess trout

Tip: Click the arrow in the lower right corner to view the Fish Survey Data tool in full-screen mode.

Iowa-Caught Fish Are Safe to Eat, In Almost All Cases

The vast majority of Iowa’s streams, rivers and lakes offer safe and high-quality fish that pose little or no threat to human health if consumed. Some limitations may apply for young children and pregnant women. Here’s a Fish Consumption Fact Sheet from the Iowa DNR and the Iowa Dept. of Public Health for more information. Here is a list of current fish consumption advisories for Iowa lakes and rivers.

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