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Spring electrofishing indicated good numbers of largemouth bass of all sizes up to 20 inches in length. Good numbers of bluegills were sampled especially in the 5-7 inch length range. Spring electrofishing indicated a moderate abundance of crappies. Most of the crappies were 8-10 inches in length, but crappies exceeding 11 inches are available to anglers.(2018)
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 .