Iowa River (Coralville Lake to River Junction)
General Information
County: Johnson
Location: This stretch is located in Johnson County. A popular access is the Tailwater East Ramp located right below the Coralville Lake Dam, East of North Liberty and Coralville.
Acres: 29.00
Maximum Depth:
Motoring Restrictions:
Nearby Parks
Amenities
Amenities at Iowa River (Coralville Lake to River Junction) include:
- Boat Access
- Accessible Pier
- Picnic Area
- Trails
- Playground
- Restrooms
- Camping
- Gravel Boat Ramp
- Hard Surface Boat Ramp
- Carry Down Boat Launch
- Accessible Shoreline
- Fish Cleaning Station
- 07/09/2021 - 5,246 Smallmouth Bass (2.9)
- 05/25/2021 - 30,100 Walleye (1.57)
- 04/19/2021 - 1,000 Smallmouth Bass (4.9)
- June 2020 - 12,500 Smallmouth Bass (2)
- 09/25/2020 - 1,249 Smallmouth Bass (1.7)
- 5/24/16 - 25,277 Walleye (Fingerling)
- 4/20/16 - 1,852 Northern Pike (1.4")
- 05/19/2015 - 13,334 Northern Pike (2.9")
- 06/06/2014 - 6,000 Walleye (2")
- 06/04/2014 - 2,904 Northern Pike (2-3")
- 05/28/2013 - 2,916 Northern Pike (2.7")
The
Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit.
- Bigmouth Buffalo
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: none
- Possession Limit: unlimited
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- Black Buffalo
- 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.
- Black Bullhead
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: unlimited
- Possession Limit: unlimited
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- Black Crappie
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined black and white crappie, 25 fish
- Possession Limit: unlimited
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- Bluegill
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: 25 fish
- Possession Limit: unlimited
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- Bowfin
- 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.
- Channel Catfish
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 15 fish
- Possession Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 30 fish
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- Common Carp
- 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.
- Flathead Catfish
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 15 fish
- Possession Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 30 fish
- 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.
- Green Sunfish
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: none
- Possession Limit: unlimited
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- Largemouth Bass
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined black bass, 3 fish
- Possession Limit: combined black bass, 6 fish
- Length Limit: 12-inch minimum
- Other:
- Muskellunge
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined: muskellunge and tiger muskellunge, 1 fish
- Possession Limit: combined: muskellunge and tiger muskellunge, 1 fish
- Length Limit: 40-inch minimum
- Other:
- Northern Pike
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: 3 fish
- Possession Limit: 6 fish
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- Paddlefish
- Season: Closed
- Daily Bag Limit: 2 fish
- Possession Limit: 4 fish
- Length Limit: none
- Other: Snagging is not permitted in the Iowa River from directly below the Coralville Dam to 300 yards downstream
- Quillback
- 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.
- Shorthead redhorse
- 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.
- Shovelnose sturgeon
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: unlimited
- Possession Limit: unlimited
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- Smallmouth Bass
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined black bass, 3 fish
- Possession Limit: combined black bass, 6 fish
- Length Limit: 12-inch minimum
- Other:
- Smallmouth Buffalo
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: none
- Possession Limit: unlimited
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- Spotted bass
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined black bass, 3 fish
- Possession Limit: combined black bass, 6 fish
- Length Limit: 12-inch minimum
- Other:
- Walleye
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined walleye, sauger and saugeye; 5 fish
- Possession Limit: combined walleye, sauger and saugeye; 10 fish
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- White Bass
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: none
- Possession Limit: unlimited
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- White Crappie
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: combined black and white crappie, 25 fish
- Possession Limit: unlimited
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
- Yellow Bullhead
- Season: Continuous
- Daily Bag Limit: unlimited
- Possession Limit: unlimited
- Length Limit: none
- Other:
This is a diverse stretch of the Iowa River. The area from the Coralville Dam to Iowa City has good populations of walleyes, saugeyes, white bass, wipers, smallmouth and largemouth bass and even some northern pike and crappies. The lower end of this stretch is more known for its channel catfish and big flatheads.(2016)
Tip: Click the arrow in the lower right corner to view the Fish Survey Data tool in full-screen mode.
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. Here is a list of current fish consumption advisories for Iowa lakes and rivers.