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Bluegill numbers are fair; most fish are 4- to 7-inches. Larger crappies have not been seen since spring. Most fish this fall were 7- to 9-inches. If the bigger ones are still out there, they will be 11- to 13-inches. Largemouth bass numbers are on the rise and most fish are 10- to 17-inches. White bass numbers are moderate with most 10- to 14-inches. Walleyes and saugeyes are difficult to sample here, but there should be many smaller fish, with walleyes up to 28-inches available. Channel catfish and flathead catfish numbers are down from last winter's winter kill, but numbers are still good and most channels are 1-8 pounds and flatheads up to 40-50 pounds.(2015)
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 .