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Fishing regulations at West Branch Iowa 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 Northern pike as of April 22nd, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.
Seasons
Bag limit
Special gear
Statewide regulations:
No closed season. No size limit.
Inland waters daily bag limit = 3 northern pike; possession limit = 6 northern pike.
Boundary rivers daily bag limit:
- Mississippi River: bag limit = 5 northern pike; possession limit = 10 northern pike
- Missouri River: bag limit = 5 northern pike; possession limit = 10 northern pike
- Big Sioux River: bag limit = 6 northern pike; possession limit = 12 northern pike
- Boundary lakes [including Little Spirit Lake (Dickinson), Iowa Lake (Osceola), Burt (Swag) Lake (Kossuth), and Iowa and Tuttle (Okamanpeedan) Lakes (Emmet)]: bag limit = 3 Northern Pike; possession limit = 3 northern pike.
Esox lucius
Regulations for
FAQ about West Branch Iowa River fishing
- Northern pike - 5 members reported to have caught this fish
- Common carp - 3 members reported to have caught this fish
- Channel catfish - 1 members reported to have caught this fish
- @sweeneycaleb reported a nice Tadpole fish.
- @Skunk_slayer reported a nice Common carp.
- @jackbasser71 reported a nice Channel catfish.
- @KyleBurk2432 reported a nice Northern pike.
- @KyleBurk2432 reported a nice Northern pike.
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