ARC 0271D

ARC 0271D

NATURAL RESOURCE COMMISSION[571]

Adopted and Filed

Rulemaking related to fishing regulations

    The Natural Resource Commission (Commission) hereby rescinds Chapter 81, “Fishing Regulations,” Iowa Administrative Code, and adopts a new Chapter 81 with the same title.

Legal Authority for Rulemaking

    This rulemaking is adopted under the authority provided in Iowa Code sections 481A.38, 481A.39, 481A.67 and 481A.76.

State or Federal Law Implemented

    This rulemaking implements, in whole or in part, Iowa Code sections 481A.38, 481A.39, 481A.67 and 481A.76.

Purpose and Summary

    Chapter 81 establishes seasons, territories, daily bag limits, possession limits, and length limits for Iowa sport fishing. The regulation of fisheries ensures sustainable populations and recreational opportunities for Iowans into the future. This chapter has been reviewed and edited consistent with Executive Order 10. 

Public Comment and Changes to Rulemaking

    Notice of Intended Action for this rulemaking was published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin on January 7, 2026, as ARC 9916C. A public hearing was held on the following date(s):

     ?   January 28, 2026

     ?   February 4, 2026

    No one attended the public hearings. No public comments were received. No changes from the Notice have been made.

Adoption of Rulemaking

    This rulemaking was adopted by the Commission on April 9, 2026.

Fiscal Impact

     This rulemaking has no fiscal impact to the State of Iowa.

Jobs Impact

    After analysis and review of this rulemaking, no impact on jobs has been found.

Waivers

    This rulemaking is subject to the waiver provisions of 571—Chapter 11. Any person who believes that the application of the discretionary provisions of this rulemaking would result in hardship or injustice to that person may petition the Commission for a waiver of the discretionary provisions, if any.

Review by Administrative Rules Review Committee

    The Administrative Rules Review Committee, a bipartisan legislative committee which oversees rulemaking by executive branch agencies, may, on its own motion or on written request by any individual or group, review this rulemaking at its regular monthly meeting or at a special meeting. The Committee’s meetings are open to the public, and interested persons may be heard as provided in Iowa Code section 17A.8(6).

Effective Date

    This rulemaking will become effective on June 17, 2026.

    The following rulemaking action is adopted:

    ITEM 1.  Rescind 571—Chapter 81 and adopt the following new chapter in lieu thereof:

CHAPTER 81

FISHING REGULATIONS

571—81.1(481A) Seasons, territories, daily bag limits, possession limits, and length limits.

*Exceptions noted in 571—81.2(481A).

571—81.2(481A) Exceptions to seasons and limits, set in 571—81.1(481A).

    81.2(1) Exception closed season. In lakes West Okoboji, East Okoboji and Spirit, there shall be a closed season on walleye beginning February 15 each year through the first Saturday in May. Open season for muskellunge and tiger muskie shall be from May 21 through November 30.

    81.2(2) Black bass. The department may post season, bag or possession limits, length limits, and catch and release regulations specific to a body of water at that body of water. For bodies of water without posted regulations, the following regulations apply to black bass:

    a.  A 15-inch minimum length limit shall apply in all public lakes.

    b.  A 12-inch minimum length limit shall apply in all interior streams, river impoundments, and the Missouri River including chutes and backwaters.

    c.  A 14-inch minimum length limit shall apply to the Mississippi River including chutes and backwaters.

    81.2(3) Walleye.

    a.  West Okoboji, East Okoboji, Spirit, Upper Gar, Minnewashta, and Lower Gar Lakes in Dickinson County; Storm Lake in Buena Vista County; Clear Lake in Cerro Gordo County; and Big Creek Lake in Polk County. The daily bag limit shall be three, with a possession limit of six.

    b.  Length limits. Length limits shall apply to walleye in public waters that have length limits posted or published.

    81.2(4) Paddlefish snagging is permitted in waters of the state designated in 571—81.1(481A) except as follows:

    a.  There shall be no open season above the Interstate 29 bridge in the Big Sioux River, nor in any tributary of this stream within 200 yards immediately upstream of a tributary confluence.

    b.  Snagging for paddlefish on the Missouri and Big Sioux Rivers is limited to Iowa waters only, beginning in the Big Sioux River below the Interstate 29 bridge to the Big Sioux River’s confluence with the Missouri River and in the Missouri River, including all backwaters and sloughs and any tributary of the Missouri River, beginning at the Big Sioux River confluence and extending to the Hamburg Landing boat ramp.

    (1)  There shall be an open season from February 1 through April 30.

    (2)  Snagging hours are from sunrise to sunset.

    (3)  Bag limit is one paddlefish per paddlefish fishing license.

    (4)  Paddlefish fishing license quota is 950 for resident anglers and 50 for nonresident anglers. Anglers may purchase one paddlefish license from December 15 through December 31 and either a first or second license between January 1 and January 7.

    (5)  Each angler fishing for paddlefish and any species listed in 81.2(11) on the Missouri and Big Sioux Rivers shall have a valid paddlefish license and unused tag.

    (6)  Immediately upon an angler’s taking into possession a legal paddlefish, a valid transportation tag issued with the license shall be visibly attached to the fish’s lower jaw. The transportation tag shall remain affixed to the paddlefish until the paddlefish is processed for consumption. The transportation tag shall be proof of possession of the carcass by the above-mentioned licensee. During the closed season, the possession of paddlefish on the Missouri and Big Sioux Rivers is prohibited unless the paddlefish are legally taken in Nebraska or South Dakota.

    (7)  A gaffe hook or other penetrating device cannot be used as an aid in the landing of a snagged fish.

    c.  Snagging for paddlefish on the Mississippi River is restricted to the area within 500 yards below the navigation dams and their spillways. The open season on the Mississippi River is the period from March 1 through April 15.

    d.  On the Mississippi River, a 33-inch maximum length limit shall apply; any paddlefish measuring 33 inches or more when measured from the front of the eye to the natural unaltered fork of the tail must immediately be released alive. On the Missouri and Big Sioux Rivers and on each Missouri River tributary from its confluence and extending to below its Interstate 29 bridge, a 35-inch to 45-inch protected-slot limit shall apply; a paddlefish measuring 35 inches to 45 inches when measured from the front of the eye to the natural unaltered fork of the tail shall immediately be released alive. To measure a paddlefish, the angler shall use a flexible tape and measure along and over the center line contour of the fish while it is lying flat.

    81.2(5) Trout regulations. The department may post season, bag or possession limits, length limits, catch and release regulations, and tackle restrictions specific to a body of water at that body of water. On bodies of water posted as artificial lure only, “artificial lure” means a lure that does not contain or have applied to it any natural or synthetic substances designed to attract fish by the sense of taste or smell. For bodies of water without posted regulations, the following regulations apply to trout:

    a.  Open season is continuous.

    b.  A five-fish daily bag limit and ten-fish possession limit shall apply to any combination of brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, and their hybrids.

    c.  A trout fee is required to fish for and possess trout.

    81.2(6) Exception border lakes. In Little Spirit Lake, Dickinson County; Iowa and Tuttle (Okamanpedan) Lakes, Emmet County; Burt (Swag) Lake, Kossuth County; and Iowa Lake, Osceola County, the following species have a continuous open season and daily bag and possession limits as set forth below:

    a.  Walleye—daily bag and possession limit 3;

    b.  Northern pike—daily bag and possession limit 3;

    c.  Largemouth and smallmouth bass—daily bag and possession limit 3;

    d.  Channel catfish—daily bag and possession limit 8;

    e.  Yellow perch—daily bag and possession limit 25;

    f.  Crappie species—combined daily bag and possession limit 25;

    g.  Sunfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, green sunfish, orangespotted sunfish, longear sunfish, warmouth, and hybrids)—combined daily bag and possession limit 25;

    h.  Muskellunge—daily bag and possession limit one. Open season shall be May 21 through November 30. A 40-inch minimum length limit shall apply on all border lakes;

    i.  Spears and bow and arrow may be used to take carp, buffalo, bowfin, gar, freshwater drum, and quillback with a continuous open season;

    j.  All species not listed above are subject to the inland regulations of the state and have a continuous open season.

    81.2(7) DeSoto Bend Lake. All fishers shall conform with federal refuge regulations as posted under the authority of 50 CFR Section 32.34(a) effective as of June 17, 2026. The text of the rules will be contained on the signs as posted.

    81.2(8) General restriction. Anglers must comply with the most restrictive set of regulations applicable to the water on which they are fishing. Where length limits apply, fish less than the legal length must be immediately released into the water from which they were caught.

    81.2(9) Catfish. For the purpose of this rule, stream catfish bag and possession limits apply at the federal flood control impoundments of Rathbun Lake, Red Rock Lake, Saylorville Lake, and Coralville Lake.

    81.2(10) Identification of catch. No person shall transport or possess on any waters of the state any fish unless (a) the species of any such fish can be readily identified and a portion of the skin (at least 1 square inch) including scales is left on all fish or fillets and (b) the length of fish can be determined when length limits apply. “On any waters of the state” includes from the bank or shoreline in addition to wading and by boat.

    81.2(11) Method of take. Artificial light may be used in the taking of any fish. The following species of fish may be taken by snagging, spearing, and bow and arrow: common carp, bighead carp, grass carp, silver carp, black carp, bigmouth buffalo, smallmouth buffalo, black buffalo, quillback, highfin carpsucker, river carpsucker, spotted sucker, white sucker, shorthead redhorse, golden redhorse, silver redhorse, freshwater drum, shortnose gar, longnose gar, dogfish, gizzard shad, and goldfish. All other species of fish not hooked in the mouth, except paddlefish legally taken by snagging, must be returned to the water immediately with as little injury as possible. Snagging is defined as the practice of jerking any type of hook or lure, baited or unbaited, through the water with the intention of hooking fish in an area other than the mouth. No hook larger than a 5/0 treble hook or measuring more than 1¼ inches in length when two of the hook points are placed on a ruler are permitted when snagging. Exceptions to snagging as a method of take are as follows:

    a.  No snagging is permitted in the following areas:

    (1)  Des Moines River from directly below Saylorville Dam to the Southeast 14th Street bridge in Des Moines.

    (2)  Cedar River in Cedar Rapids from directly below the 5 in 1 Dam under Interstate 380 to the 1st Avenue bridge.

    (3)  Cedar River in Cedar Rapids from directly below the “C” Street Roller Dam to 300 yards downstream.

    (4)  Iowa River from directly below the Coralville Dam to 300 yards downstream.

    (5)  Chariton River from directly below Lake Rathbun Dam to 300 yards downstream.

    (6)  Spillway area from directly below the Spirit Lake outlet to the confluence at East Okoboji Lake.

    (7)  Northeast bank of the Des Moines River from directly below the Ottumwa Dam, including the catwalk, to the Jefferson Street Bridge. Snagging from the South Market Street Bridge is also prohibited.

    (8)  Missouri River, any Missouri River tributary beginning at its confluence and extending below its Interstate 29 bridge and the Big Sioux River from the Interstate 29 bridge to the confluence with the Missouri River, with the exception of snagging paddlefish or any of the species listed in 81.2(11) during the paddlefish open season.

    (9)  Des Moines River from directly below the Hydroelectric Dam (Big Dam) to the Hawkeye Avenue Bridge in Fort Dodge.

    (10)  Des Moines River from directly below the Little Dam to the Union Pacific Railroad Bridge in Fort Dodge.

    (11)  Skunk River from directly below Oakland Mills Dam to the downstream end of the 253rd Street boat ramp.

    b.  No snagging, bow and arrow fishing, or spearing of fish is permitted in the following areas:

    (1)  Clear Lake and Ventura Marsh from the Ventura Grade, Jetties and Bridge.

    (2)  Lost Island Lake Inlet within 300 feet of the concrete culvert and metal fish barrier.

    (3)  Lost Island Lake Outlet within 300 feet of the outlet structure and metal fish barrier.

    (4)  Barringer Slough Outlet within 300 feet of the outlet and metal fish barrier.

    (5)  The outlet area of Lower Gar Lake beginning at 230th Avenue and extending downstream to the signed Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District property line.

    81.2(12) Panfish. The daily bag limit for crappie and bluegill applies only to public waters of the state. In all waters of the Mississippi River, the daily bag and possession limit applied individually to crappie, yellow perch and rock bass shall be 25 and 50, respectively. In all waters of the Mississippi River, the daily bag and possession limit applied in the aggregate for bluegill and pumpkinseed and for white bass and yellow bass shall be 25 and 50, respectively.

    81.2(13) Culling. It is prohibited to sort, cull, high-grade, or replace any fish already in possession. Participants in permitted black bass fishing tournaments are exempted, as are participants in catch and release catfish fishing tournaments if the participants are fishing from a boat with a functioning aerated or water-circulated live well. Any fish taken into possession by holding in a live well, on a stringer, or in other fish-holding devices is part of the daily bag limit. Once the daily bag limit of a particular species is reached, fishing for that species is permitted as long as all fish of that species caught are immediately released.

571—81.3(481A) Trotlines and throw lines.

    81.3(1) Where permitted. It shall be lawful to use trotlines or throw lines in all rivers and streams of the state, except in Mitchell, Howard, Winneshiek, Allamakee, Fayette, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, and Jackson counties. Trotlines or throw lines may be used in the above nine counties in the following stream segments: Mississippi River; Maquoketa River, mouth to Backbone State Park Dam; North Fork Maquoketa River, mouth to Jones-Dubuque County line; Turkey River, mouth to the Elkader Dam; and Upper Iowa River, mouth to the first dam upstream in Winneshiek County.

    81.3(2) Removal of lines. All trotlines and parts thereof shall be removed from the shore when not being actively fished. A trotline shall be considered actively fished if at least once daily the trotline is left with at least one baited hook in the water.

These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code sections 481A.38, 481A.39, 481A.67 and 481A.76.

[Filed 4/17/26, effective 6/17/26]

[Published 5/13/26]

EDITOR’S NOTE: For replacement pages for IAC, see IAC Supplement 5/13/26.