- No recent updates found
Crappie abundance is high and size quality is good. Eleven plus inch crappies were observed during sampling in 2020. Bluegill angling is good with 9 plus inch fish sampled in 2020. Largemouth bass are moderately abundant but the sample from 2020 was relatively poor, likely due to relatively high water temperatures during the sampling period. Channel catfish abundance is down from the mid-2000's as per our management goals. High quality fish greater than 25 inches are present.(2020)
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 .