Iowa Fishing Regulations - Iowa Department of Natural Resources

CATFISH DAILY BAG & POSSESSION LIMITS
Inland lakes - Catfish combined daily 8 and possession 30, except for
Iowa boundary lakes listed on p. 23. No limit for bullheads
Inland streams, Coralville, Rathbun, Red Rock and Saylorville
reservoirs - Catfish combined daily 15 and combined possession 30.
No limit for bullheads
Boundary rivers** same as streams except no bag or possession limit
on the Mississippi River.
FROGS, except for the endangered crayfish frog
SEASON: All waters - Continuous
LENGTH LIMITS: All waters - None
DAILY BAG & POSSESSION LIMITS: All waters - All frogs
except bullfrogs and crayfish frogs combined daily: 48 and possession:
96. Bullfrogs combined daily and possession: 12. Crayfish frogs are
protected as an endangered species. See p. 21.
MUSKELLUNGE including Hybrids (Tiger) (Identification p. 35)
SEASON: All waters - Continuous except there is a closed season on
West Okoboji, East Okoboji and Spirit lakes (Dickinson) from Dec. 1
through May 20, each year.
LENGTH LIMITS: All waters - 40 inches minimum length limit
DAILY BAG & POSSESSION LIMITS: All waters - Daily and possession
of 1.
MUSSELS All mussels except for those listed as threatened or endangered
(p. 21) and the zebra mussel (p. 26). The angler is responsible for
the identification of the mussel species in possession.
SEASON: All waters - Continuous but the taking of mussels is restricted
to the hours between sunrise and sunset.
LENGTH LIMIT: All waters - None
DAILY BAG & POSSESSION LIMIT: Inland waters*, Missouri
River and Big Sioux River - Only dead shells may be harvested. Mississippi
River and connected backwaters, live and dead shells may be
harvested. The possession limit for all waters is 24 whole mussels or
48 shell halves. See p. 17 “Mussel Taking.”
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