Fish Iowa - Rivers and Streams - Des Moines River (Ottumwa Dam to Farmington)

Rivers and Streams DNR Homepage

About Des Moines River (Ottumwa Dam to Farmington)

River length (miles): 61.00
See below for additional location-specific regulations

Location

County: Van Buren
Description: 11 ramps in this stretch in Wapello and Van Buren counties.
Coordinates: 40.63668028, -91.74368942

Nearby Parks

Shimek State Forest

Amenities

Amenities at Des Moines River (Ottumwa Dam to Farmington) include:
  • Hard Surface Boat Ramp

Fishing Report

- No recent updates found

Popular Fish Species

Fishing Forecast

- No results found

Consumption Guidelines

Iowa-Caught Fish Are Safe to Eat, In Almost All Cases

In nearly all cases, Iowa fish are safe to eat. Cleaning and/or preparing the meal causes most of the problems regarding taste or color of fish. Like all living creatures, fish are susceptible to diseases, parasites, and other naturally occurring conditions in the water. If you suspect your fish is affected by any of these conditions, do not eat it. Consider eating smaller and younger fish which usually have lower levels of contaminants than larger ones. Most contaminants accumulate in larger, older fish. For additional information, check out our resources for eating and cooking Iowa caught fish.

To learn more about fish tissue monitoring, visit our Fish Tissue Monitoring page .

Stocking

- No results found

Management

  • 2021 - Ramp-Construction: Concrete boat ramp location for Douds Access, Van Buren County
  • 2012 - RAFT sampling-RAFT: Common carp collected at the Keosauqua site
  • 2012 - Ramp-Maintenance: Concrete boat ramp location for Cliffland Access, Wapello County.
  • 2012 - Ramp-Maintenance: Concrete boat ramp location for Eldon Access, Wapello County.
  • 2012 - Ramp-Maintenance: Boat ramp location at Shidepoke Access, Van Buren County.
  • 2012 - Ramp-Maintenance: Concrete boat ramp location for Austin Park, Van Buren County.
  • 2012 - Ramp-Maintenance: Concrete boat ramp location in Keosauqua, Van Buren County.
  • 2012 - Ramp-Maintenance: Boat ramp location for Riverside Park in Bentonsport, Van Buren County.
  • 2012 - Ramp-Maintenance: Boat ramp location in Bonaparte, Van Buren County.
  • 2012 - Ramp-Maintenance: Concrete boat ramp location for Des Moines River Access, Van Buren County.
  • 2012 - Ramp-Maintenance: Concrete boat ramp location in Farmington, Van Buren County.
  • 2012 - Ramp-Maintenance: Concrete boat ramp location for the Bridge View Center ramp, Wapello County.

Motoring Restrictions

Motoring Restrictions: None

Contacts for this Location

Fishing Regulations

  • Channel Catfish
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 15 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 30 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:
  • Common Carp
    • 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.
  • 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.
  • Shovelnose sturgeon
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: unlimited
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other:

Aquatic Invasive Species

  • Bighead Carp
  • Silver Carp

To learn more about AIS, visit the Iowa DNR's Aquatic Invasive Species page for more information and resources.

Fish Surveys

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