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Turkey River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Northeast Iowa’s Driftless river: the Turkey runs smallmouth through bluffs to the Mississippi.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
501 cfs
Air / High
92 / 93 F
Wind
SSW 9 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 05412500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Turkey River sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. The river is running 501 cfs, steady over the week. Today brings clear skies, wind SSW around 9 mph, falling pressure near 1010 hPa and a high of 93. Water sits around 73 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassExcellent

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

WalleyeExcellent

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

MuskellungeExcellent

Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel)Excellent

Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

Tomorrow: Similar at 90 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Turkey River at Garber.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 05412500.

8181,4262,033501 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp92 F
High / Low93 / 72 F
WindSSW 9-12 mph
Pressure1010.1 hPa, falling
Sky / Rain0% cloud, 13%
Sunrise / Sunset06:33 / 19:34
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~73 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Partly cloudy, 93/72 F, wind 9 mph, rain 13%

Fair or better. A 9 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Turkey River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Muskellunge illustration

Muskellunge

Best: Sep-Nov

The fish of ten thousand casts. Weed edges, rock bars and big-water structure. Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Good year-round

The most reliable bite on most southern waters. Blues run big; channels fill the cooler. Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

When to come: the Turkey River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Muskellunge
Catfish (blue, channel)
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 73 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~73 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Turkey River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 88 F, wind to 14 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 86 F, wind to 8 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 90 F, wind to 6 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Iowa requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Iowa license plus trout fee for tributaries. Smallmouth and catfish limits per current Iowa DNR regulations.

Access

County road crossings, public areas and canoe landings from Elkader toward the Mississippi.

About this water

A 150-mile Driftless river through northeastern Iowa to the Mississippi near Guttenberg, Clayton County.

Fishing Turkey River: the full guide

A river through the bluffs

The Turkey River flows about 150 miles through the Driftless bluff country of northeastern Iowa to the Mississippi near Guttenberg. It runs clear over limestone and gravel through steep valleys, holding smallmouth bass, channel and flathead catfish, northern pike and walleye, with wild trout in the spring-fed tributaries feeding it.

Smallmouth and catfish

Smallmouth hold the rock, riffles and deeper bends, taking tubes, small crankbaits and topwater on light tackle, fished by wading or canoe. Channel catfish are abundant and flatheads grow large in the deeper holes. The river is genuinely productive and sees far less attention than the Mississippi it joins.

Trout in the tributaries

The Driftless tributaries feeding the Turkey hold wild and stocked brown trout in classic spring-creek water: Iowa manages numerous public access easements on them, and combining a morning on a trout stream with an afternoon of smallmouth on the main river is the standard local approach.

Clayton County logistics

Access is via county roads, public areas and canoe landings from Elkader down toward the Mississippi. Elkader and Guttenberg provide services. The Driftless bluffs make it one of Iowa’s more scenic corners, and the river rises quickly with rain but clears within a day or two.

Common questions

Are there trout?

In the spring-fed tributaries, yes: wild and stocked browns with numerous public access easements.

What is the main species?

Smallmouth bass on the rock and riffles, with catfish in the deeper holes.

Is it scenic?

Yes: Driftless bluffs and limestone valleys make it one of Iowa’s more attractive rivers.

Is fishing good at Turkey River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Mississippi River Pool 934 miUpper Iowa River49 miCedar River56 miLake MacBride66 miKickapoo River67 miCoralville Lake71 mi
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