Stream Details

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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

Brown Trout - Good: Try small jigs or spinner baits for brown trout. Try fly fishing top water with the upcoming warm weather.
Rainbow Trout - Good: Try small jigs or spinner baits for rainbow trout.
Manchester District area trout streams are currently in excellent condition. Next weeks weather forecast should produce some intense hatches for some top water fly fishing action.

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)

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.

  • 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)
  • 03/04/2013 - 200 Rainbow Trout (2.0")
  • 11/30/2012 - 200 Brook Trout (9")
  • 11/30/2012 - 200 Rainbow Trout (9")

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. Here is a list of current fish consumption advisories for Iowa lakes and rivers.

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