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Upper Iowa River Fishing Report

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

Iowa’s wildest river: the Upper Iowa runs smallmouth beneath 300-foot palisades.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
383 cfs
Air / High
92 / 93 F
Wind
S 11 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 05388250, 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.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Upper Iowa River sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. The river is running 383 cfs, steady over the week. Today brings clear skies, wind S around 11 mph, steady 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

MuskellungeExcellent

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

Smallmouth bassGood

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

WalleyeGood

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

Catfish (blue, channel)Good

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

Tomorrow: Similar at 91 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 Upper Iowa River near Dorchester.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 05388250.

449571692383 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp92 F
High / Low93 / 73 F
WindS 11-14 mph
Pressure1009.8 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain2% cloud, 19%
Sunrise / Sunset06:33 / 19:36
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, 93/73 F, wind 11 mph, rain 19%

Fair or better. A 11 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Upper Iowa 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 Upper Iowa 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 Upper Iowa 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 85 F, wind to 10 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 88 F, wind to 14 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Muskellunge led the card at excellent. High of 90 F, wind to 5 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

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 trout waters. Smallmouth and trout limits per current Iowa DNR regulations.

Access

County roads, canoe landings and outfitters from Kendallville through Decorah toward the Mississippi.

About this water

A 156-mile Driftless river through northeastern Iowa to the Mississippi, Winneshiek and Allamakee counties.

Fishing Upper Iowa River: the full guide

A river of palisades

The Upper Iowa River flows about 156 miles through the Driftless Area of northeastern Iowa to the Mississippi, cutting through limestone palisades that rise 300 feet above the water: the most dramatic river scenery in the state. It holds smallmouth bass, northern pike, catfish and, in the spring-fed tributaries and upper reaches, wild brown trout.

Smallmouth and floating

The river is Iowa’s best canoe fishery: paddle the riffles and pools working the rock, wood and current seams with tubes, spinners and topwater. Smallmouth are the target, running modest with better fish in the deeper holes. Outfitters serve the popular reaches around Decorah and Kendallville with rentals and shuttles.

Trout and the tributaries

The upper river and its spring-fed tributaries hold wild brown trout in Driftless spring-creek water, with Iowa maintaining public easements on many. Coldwater Creek, Trout Run and others near Decorah are well known. Combining trout and smallmouth in one trip is straightforward and the standard local approach.

Winneshiek County logistics

Access is via county roads, canoe landings and public areas from Kendallville through Decorah and downstream. Decorah is the base town, with Luther College and a genuine outdoor culture. Summer weekends bring paddling traffic to the popular reaches: fish early or on weekdays for quieter water.

Common questions

Why the palisades?

The Driftless Area escaped glaciation: the river cut limestone bluffs that rise 300 feet, the most dramatic scenery in Iowa.

Is it good for canoe fishing?

The best in the state: outfitters near Decorah provide rentals and shuttles for the popular reaches.

Are there trout?

Yes: the upper river and spring-fed tributaries near Decorah hold wild browns with public easements.

Is fishing good at Upper Iowa River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Mississippi River Pool 922 miLake Onalaska35 miRoot River36 miKickapoo River45 miTurkey River49 miWhitewater River53 mi
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