Stream Details

Spring Branch

General Information

County: Delaware
Location: 3 miles east-southeast of Manchester off 205th Avenue. Parking available near highway 20 overpass and Manchester Fish Hatchery
Stream Segment Length: 2.20

Amenities

Amenities at Spring Branch include:
  • Picnic Area
  • Accessible Facilities
  • Restrooms
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing
Trout streams are in excellent condition. The warm weather forecast for this coming Friday through Monday should provide some good insect hatches for trout fishing, match the hatch.

A special regulation fishery with 14 inch minimum length limit and artificial lures only. Primarily on private land with some state land and some permanent public fishing easement. A fish population assessment completed during 2021 showed a high-density population of resident brown trout is present with fish up to 22 inches, while low-density populations of brook and rainbow trout are present with few fish over 14 inches.(2022)


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

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    No known aquatic invasive species have been found
  • Annual 2022 - 783 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2021 - 699 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2020 - 701 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • annual 2019 - 225 Brook Trout (10.8)
  • annual 2019 - 374 Rainbow Trout (10.8)
  • annual 2018 - 154 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2018 - 2,799 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • 10/01/2018 - 32,571 Brook Trout (8)
  • 10/01/2018 - 18,684 Rainbow Trout (6.5)
  • annual 2017 - 199 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 449 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • 2/26/16 - 200 Rainbow Trout (7-10")
  • 11/2/16 - 200 Brook Trout (8")
  • 12/28/2015 - 200 Brook Trout (9")
  • 04/16/2015 - 200 Rainbow Trout (1.6/lb)
The Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit.

  • Brook 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: 14-inch minimum from the spring source to County Highway D5X as posted
    • Other: Artificial lures only in posted areas. Artificial lure means lures that do not contain or have applied to them any natural or human-made substance designed to attract fish by the sense of taste or smell.
  • 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: 14-inch minimum from the spring source to County Highway D5X as posted
    • Other: Artificial lures only in posted areas. Artificial lure means lures that do not contain or have applied to them any natural or human-made substance designed to attract fish by the sense of taste or smell.
  • 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: 14-inch minimum from the spring source to County Highway D5X as posted
    • Other: Artificial lures only in posted areas. Artificial lure means lures that do not contain or have applied to them any natural or human-made substance designed to attract fish by the sense of taste or smell.
  • White Sucker
    • 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.
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.

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