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A fisheries survey in 2024 showed all sizes of largemouth bass up to 14 inches. The bluegill size is fair with 7.5 to 8 inch fish making up about half the sample, however, bluegill catch rates are quite low. Black crappie do not seem to have taken hold as only 10+ inch fish were sampled. Redear dominate the panfish fishery having 3 times the electrofishing catch rate as bluegill with majority of the fish in the 7.5 to 8.5 inch range. Unfortunately, outside of the spawn, no one is really able to catch redear.(2024)
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 .