Ready to Fish

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a Mom and son fishing off a dock


No matter where you live, you're just a few minutes away from outdoor fun with dozens of easy to get to stocked lakes and ponds in parks and along trails. Find one near you on our interactive map.


Buy Your Fishing License Online


Getting started is easy!

Fishing is fun, inexpensive and a great activity for kids of all ages. What are you waiting for? Grab your family and reconnect with nature. 

Have fun and "fish local" today!

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It’s so easy to buy your fishing license. Just go to our Go Outdoors Iowa online licensing system.

Anyone 16 years and older must have a fishing license to fish Iowa waters. Anglers under the age of 16 may fish Iowa waters without a fishing license and may fish for and keep their own limit of fish, except when fishing for trout they must share their limit with a licensed adult or buy their own trout fee to keep their own limit of trout.

Yearly, seven-day, or 24-hour fishing licenses are available.

2021 Iowa Fishing Regulations

 

Gear to get started

You don't need much to go fishing. With just a few pieces of basic gear, you'll be reeling in fish and making new memories in no time.

  • A close-faced reel with a thumb button to release and stop the line is a great choice for beginners. Watch this video to learn how to hold a spincasting rod and reel.
  • A small tackle box filled with basic necessities.
  • Size 6 or 8 hooks are best for panfish.
  • Bobbers keep bait off the bottom and where the fish are. They go under when you have a bite. Try 1-inch or smaller for panfish.
  • Night crawlers are great for beginners. Thread a piece of worm on a hook for panfish.
Fishing basics in Spanish
Get to know Iowa fish

Check out these helpful tips to help you identify Iowa fish.

Learn how to catch fish

You can fish any time, but they usually bite best from 30 minutes before sunrise until two or three hours after the sun is up. They get hungry again 30 minutes before sunset and bite well for about an hour or two.

Try these easy tricks on how to fish for the most popular species in Iowa.

Know your knots

Knot tying is an essential skill for beginning anglers to learn. Try these tips to help get you started.