Pool 13, Mississippi River
General Information
Location: Between Bellevue and Clinton, Iowa. Pool 13 Starts at River Mile 556.7
Acres: 28117.00
Motoring Restrictions:
Nearby Parks
Amenities
Amenities at Pool 13, Mississippi River include:
- Boat Access
- Fishing Jetty
- Picnic Area
- Beach
- Playground
- Restrooms
- Camping
- Good/Excellent Shorefishing
- Hard Surface Boat Ramp
- Carry Down Boat Launch
- Accessible Shoreline
| Water levels are low. Boaters should use caution to avoid backing off end of ramps. Fall fishing can be great on the River right until ice in. If you have angling questions, please call Bellevue Fisheries Management at 563-880-8781. |
| Water level at Bellevue is stable and presently is near 4.0 feet. Water is clear with the temperature near 65 degrees. |
| Channel Catfish - Excellent: Channel catfishing remains good with most anglers using stink bait. |
| Freshwater Drum - Excellent: Drum are a consistent biter in moderate current areas. Use and egg sinker and worm rig. |
| Walleye - Good: Anglers are still mainly targeting wing dams for walleyes using crankbaits. |
| White Bass - Excellent: White bass are being caught in the Bellevue tailwaters on white jigs or small spinners. |
| Black Crappie - Good: Crappie are starting to show up in the creel with anglers using minnows in brush piles in the larger sloughs. |
| Bluegill - Excellent: Some sorting to find nicer bluegill may be necessary but many are being caught with worm rigs along the main channel shoreline. |
| Flathead Catfish - Fair: Some nice flathead catfish are still being caught occasionally in the tailwaters. |
| Largemouth Bass - Excellent: Find weed lines away from the main channel for the best action on bass. Anglers mainly use gaudy spinner baits or frog imitation lures. |
| Smallmouth Bass - Excellent: Try rock lines with spinners or jigs for abundant smallies. You need to be in areas with strong current. |
- 05/01/2018 - 150,000 Walleye (Fry)
- 04/09/2015 - 150,000 Northern Pike (Fry)
- 04/09/2015 - 250,000 Northern Pike (Fry)
- Bighead Carp
- Brittle Naiad
- Eurasian Watermilfoil
- Flowering Rush
- Largemouth Bass Virus
- Silver Carp
- Zebra Mussel
The
Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit.
- Black Crappie
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined bluegill and pumpkinseed, 25 fish
- Possession Limit: combined bluegill and pumpkinseed, 50 fish
- Length Limit: none
- Other: Associated chutes and backwaters of border rivers are included where intermittent or constant flow occur
- Bluegill
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined bluegill and pumpkinseed, 25 fish
- Possession Limit: combined bluegill and pumpkinseed, 50 fish
- Length Limit: none
- Other: Associated chutes and backwaters of border rivers are included where intermittent or constant flow occur
- Channel Catfish
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: none
- Possession Limit: unlimited
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- Flathead Catfish
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: none
- Possession Limit: unlimited
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- Freshwater Drum
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: none
- Possession Limit: unlimited
- Length Limit: none
- Other: May be taken by hand fishing, by snagging, by spear or by bow and arrow, day or night.
- Largemouth Bass
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined black bass, 5 fish
- Possession Limit: combined black bass, 10 fish
- Length Limit: 14-inch minimum
- Other: Associated chutes and backwaters of border rivers are included where intermittent or constant flow occur
- Northern Pike
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: 5 fish
- Possession Limit: 10 fish
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- Sauger
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined walleye, sauger and saugeye; 6 fish
- Possession Limit: combined walleye, sauger and saugeye; 12 fish
- Length Limit: 15-inch minimum length limit; all walleye from 20 to 27-inches must be immediately released alive
- Other: No more than one walleye longer than 27 inches may be taken per day on these pools
- Smallmouth Bass
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined black bass, 5 fish
- Possession Limit: combined black bass, 10 fish
- Length Limit: 14-inch minimum
- Other: Associated chutes and backwaters of border rivers are included where intermittent or constant flow occur
- Walleye
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined walleye, sauger and saugeye; 6 fish
- Possession Limit: combined walleye, sauger and saugeye; 12 fish
- Length Limit: 15-inch minimum length limit; all walleye from 20 to 27-inches must be immediately released alive
- Other: No more than one walleye longer than 27 inches may be taken per day on these pools
- White Bass
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined yellow and white bass, 25 fish
- Possession Limit: combined yellow and white bass, 50 fish
- Length Limit: none
- Other: Associated chutes and backwaters of the Mississippi River are included where intermittent or constant flow occur. In these areas, the daily bag and possession limit for the Mississippi River apply.
Excellent Fishery! Good populations of Black Crappie were reported this fall, surveys indicated an excellent reproduction of yellow perch, and walleye. In fact walleye spawn may be the largest we have ever recorded. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass fisheries are going well and often the target of major fishing tournaments circuits. Channel catfish and freshwater drum also provide a strong viable fishery. (2016)
Contacts
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.