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 and stable on the River and water temps are still around 37 degrees. Some minor icing has been occurring but boat ramps remain open. Low levels elevate concern about backing off the back of ramps so use the minimum amount of ramp necessary to launch your boat. If you have angling questions, please call Bellevue Fisheries Management at 563-880-8781. |
| Rainbow Trout - Excellent: The kids trout pond north of the DNR fisheries station is now stocked with trout and can provide fun action for your kids throughout the winter. If you plan to keep trout please limit yourself to 2 trout per child so we can keep good fishing in the pond throughout the winter. |
| The water level at Lock and Dam 13 is stable and near 4.4 feet. Water clarity is good, and the water temperature is around 36 degrees. We are low enough that backing off the ends of the ramps will become an issue again. Use the minimum amount of ramp necessary to launch your boat. |
| Black Crappie - Good: Crappie have moved into slack water brush piles or in slack moving side channels. |
| Largemouth Bass - No Report: Bass have moved into backwater areas for the winter. Fish with spinner baits and chatterbaits very slowly in sunlit areas for best success. |
| Smallmouth Bass - Slow: Try tips of wing dams in moderate currents. Might try a little more vertical jigging in cold water. Smallies were still on the bite last week when temps were in the 40's. |
| Walleye - Slow: Walleye are being caught on jig and minnow rigs and jigging spoons in the tailwaters. Both the City boat ramp and the DNR boat ramp are open. |
| Sauger - Fair: Nice Sauger are being caught in the tailwater mostly on a jig and minnow rig or jigging spoons. The bite seems to have tailed off a bit but certainly could pick up at any time. |
| Yellow Perch - Good: Healthy nine inch yellow perch were reported along vegetation lines and bush piles. Some ring perch are also showing up in10 feet or so water in the tailwaters. |
- 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. Here is a list of current fish consumption advisories for Iowa lakes and rivers.