Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.
Fishing regulations in Iowa can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.
Below you will see fishing regulations for catching Channel catfish as of March 29th, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.
Channel catfish
Seasons
Open
Bag limit
8
Special gear
Aggregate
8
No closed season. No size limit.
Daily Bag and Possession Limits:
Inland lakes: daily bag limit = 8 catfish (blue, channel, and flathead, combined); possession limit = 30 catfish.
Coralville, Rathbun, Red Rock, and Saylorville Reservoirs: daily bag limit = 8 catfish (blue, channel, and flathead, combined); possession limit = 30 catfish.
Inland streams: daily bag limit = 15 catfish (blue, channel, and flathead, combined); possession limit = 30 catfish.
Boundary rivers:
Mississippi River: no bag or possession limit on the Mississippi River
Purple Martin Lakes is a lake located in Polk County, Iowa, United States. Its coordinates are:
41°31′50.9″N 93°45′52″W
.
Find the best fishing spots on Purple Martin Lakes by looking at where other anglers have caught fish. This can easily be done in the where it is also possible to see big fish potential and how good fishing is right now along with Garmin® depth maps.
The most common species in Purple Martin Lakes are:
Channel catfish - 16 members reported to have caught this fish
Common carp - 2 members reported to have caught this fish
Shortnose gar - 9 members reported to have caught this fish
The latest Purple Martin Lakes fishing reports are: