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South Fork Maquoketa River

Fishing spots, fishing reports, and regulations in

Iowa, United States

4.0·4 catches

Top fish species at South Fork Maquoketa River

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South Fork Maquoketa River fishing reports

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Brown trout

9 in · 1 lb

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Largemouth bass

length · weight

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Brown trout

length · weight

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length · weight

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General info

South Fork Maquoketa River is a stream located in Fayette County, Iowa, United States. It is also intersecting with Buchanan County, Iowa. It is most popular for fishing Brown trout and Largemouth bass.

Location

42°39′57.3″N 91°43′24.8″W
Directions

When are Brown trout biting on South Fork Maquoketa River?

Learn what time of year and day to go fishing at South Fork Maquoketa River. Download Fishbrain today to look for new fishing spots, scout new fishing access, or prep for your next trip.

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Fishing regulations at South Fork Maquoketa River, IA

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 Brown trout as of April 2nd, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.

Brown trout

Seasons

Open

Bag limit

5

Special gear

Aggregate

5
Licensed anglers must pay the Trout Fee to fish for or possess trout. Children (under 16) may fish for trout without paying the Trout Fee if they fish with a licensed adult who has paid the Trout Fee.

No closed season. No size limit. Possession limit = 10 trout total (all species combined). 

Exceptions to statewide regulations:

  • Size Limit: 14-inch minimum length limit for all trout in Spring Branch (Delaware), from the spring source to County Hwy. D5X as posted, and on Brown Trout only in portions of Bloody Run Creek (Clayton) where posted. 
  • Catch & Release Only: You must release alive immediately all trout caught from the posted portion of Hewett and Ensign Creeks; McLoud Run; and Waterloo Creek; and Brown Trout caught from French Creek and West Fork of French Creek; and Brook Trout caught from Casey Springs, Falcon Springs Pine Spring Creek and South Pine Creek
  • Artificial Lure Only: You can only use artificial lures in the posted areas of Bloody Run Creek, Ensign Creek and Hewett Creek (Ensign Hollow), French Creek, McLoud Run, South Pine Creek, Spring Branch, Waterloo Creek, Casey Springs, Falcon Springs and Pine Spring Creek. Artificial lures don't 
Excellent

Salmo trutta

Regulations for

42°39′57.3″N 91°43′24.8″W
Regulations in the map
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Local laws and licenses

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Reviews of South Fork Maquoketa River

4.0
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1 ratings

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Cities nearby

Waterloo

34.2 miles away

Cedar Falls

38.5 miles away

Marion

43.5 miles away

Cedar Rapids

48.4 miles away

Dubuque

53.0 miles away

North Liberty

64.0 miles away

Coralville

67.1 miles away

Iowa City

70.5 miles away

Marshalltown

74.5 miles away

Mason City

81.8 miles away

Austin

93.9 miles away

Newton

95.0 miles away

Oskaloosa

105.9 miles away

Ames

106.5 miles away

Albert Lea

107.2 miles away

Altoona

114.1 miles away

Ankeny

116.0 miles away

Boone

117.8 miles away

Johnston

122.5 miles away

Des Moines

122.7 miles away

Fort Dodge

125.1 miles away

Grimes

126.1 miles away

Urbandale

127.0 miles away

Clive

128.7 miles away

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FAQ about South Fork Maquoketa River fishing

the South Fork Maquoketa River is a stream located in Fayette County, Iowa, United States. It is also intersecting with Buchanan County, Iowa. Its coordinates are:
42°39′57.3″N 91°43′24.8″W
.
Find the best fishing spots on the South Fork Maquoketa River 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 the South Fork Maquoketa River are:
The latest South Fork Maquoketa River fishing reports are:
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