Fish Iowa - Rivers and Streams - West Nodaway River (above Villisca)

Fishing Forecast

The fishery in the West Nodaway suffers due to lack of connectivity with the Missouri River and habitat degredation from past channelization. The lowhead dam at Clarinda blocks the movement of fish including channel and flathead catfish up the West Nodaway. The fishery would improve significantly if fish passage around this dam was developed.(2020)

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 .