Map

Elk River

Fishing spots, fishing reports, and regulations in

Iowa, United States

5.0·6 catches

Top fish species at Elk River

App Section

Check which species have trophy potential in Elk River

Elk River fishing reports

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

Largemouth bass

length · weight

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

Smallmouth bass

length · weight

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

Channel catfish

length · weight

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

length · weight

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

length · weight

fish catches icon
recently logged catches
Loading...

Black crappie

length · weight

Fishbrain
More catches in the app...

Continue browsing catches and catch locations in the Fishbrain app

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

General info

Elk River is a stream located in Clinton County, Iowa, United States. It is also intersecting with Jackson County, Iowa. It is most popular for fishing Channel catfish, Smallmouth bass, and Largemouth bass.

Location

42°01′26.3″N 90°17′6.4″W
Directions

Amenities

When are Largemouth Bass biting on Elk River?

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

Bite time image

Fishing regulations at Elk 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 Channel catfish as of April 22nd, 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 
  • Other boundary rivers: same as streams

Ictalurus punctatus

Regulations for

42°01′26.3″N 90°17′6.4″W
Regulations in the map
License Icon
Local laws and licenses

Iowa fishing license

Get license

Reviews of Elk River

5.0
Loading...

1 ratings

5
4
3
2
1
Top reviews

Cities nearby

Andover

3.5 miles away

Sabula

6.3 miles away

Goose Lake

6.3 miles away

Spragueville

8.3 miles away

Savanna

8.8 miles away

Thomson

9.5 miles away

Charlotte

10.3 miles away

Clinton

12.7 miles away

Fulton

12.7 miles away

Springbrook

14.0 miles away

Low Moor

15.7 miles away

Hanover

16.0 miles away

Mount Carroll

16.5 miles away

Albany

16.8 miles away

Welton

17.9 miles away

Bellevue

18.1 miles away

DeWitt

19.3 miles away

Chadwick

20.4 miles away

McCausland

21.1 miles away

Morrison

22.4 miles away

Grand Mound

23.3 miles away

Lanark

23.8 miles away

Cordova

24.0 miles away

Princeton

24.6 miles away

Anything missing or inaccurate?

Suggest changes to improve what we show.

Suggest changes

FAQ about Elk River fishing

the Elk River is a stream located in Clinton County, Iowa, United States. It is also intersecting with Jackson County, Iowa. Its coordinates are:
42°01′26.3″N 90°17′6.4″W
.
Find the best fishing spots on the Elk 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 Elk River are:
The latest Elk River fishing reports are:
App Section
Download Fishbrain and fish smarter
Unlimited access to the best fishing spot finder in the game. Get all the fishing intel you need to start catching more, and bigger, fish.

Free trial available

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...