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Stream Details

Bigalk Creek

General Information

County: Howard
Location: Located 7 miles northeast of Cresco.
Stream Segment Length: 0.60

Amenities

Amenities at Bigalk Creek include:
  • Accessible Pier
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing

Community stockings occurring. To find out when and where the next one will be, check out our website at https://www.iowadnr.gov/Fishing/Trout-Fishing. Don't forget to purchase your 2025 fishing license and trout fee. Trout streams in excellent condition but low.
Brook Trout - Fair: Use midge, minnow, or leach patterns for fish looking to get more bang for their effort.
Brown Trout - Good: Fish around an undercut bank or similar structure. Cloudy days and off color water are a perfect mix for catching this trout.
Rainbow Trout - Good: Rainbow trout spawn is on showing brighter colors. Hatchery holdovers remain in the stream teasing anglers. Use a small spinner bait or hair jig floated past or through deep bank or hole.

Bigalk Creek is stocked weekly April through October with catchable 10-12 inch Rainbow Trout. Fingerling Rainbow Trout were stocked annually from 2003 to 2011. Limited natural reproduction of Rainbow Trout has been documented. 2012 sample data saw 168 fish per mile with fish ranging in size from 6-12 inches. Stream access is easy and an accessible access is located downstream. Please be aware that segments of the stream are on private property where only angling is permitted.(2022)

Stream Maps


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 - 4,350 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2021 - 4,750 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2020 - 4,500 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • August 2019 - 300 Brook Trout (10.8)
  • annual 2019 - 4,552 Rainbow Trout (10.8)
  • August 2018 - 77 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2018 - 4,656 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 1,118 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 3,408 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 400 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 4,550 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2015 - 460 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2015 - 4,200 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)

The Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit.

  • 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: none
    • Other: Anglers must have paid the Trout Fee to fish for or possess trout
  • 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.

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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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