Monthly Archives: May 2019

FISHING PRIVATE WATERS Much fishing in Iowa is done on private waters with consent of the property owner. Iowa residents and nonresidents 16 years old and older are required to have a valid Iowa fishing license to fish farm ponds, trout streams and privately owned lakes. Only owners or tenants of land and their children under 18 may fish on such lands without a license. All anglers on private waters must abide by rules and regulations governing fishing, including bag limits, except there is no daily bag limit for bluegill or crappie for private waters. Statewide length limits do not apply on private waters. Just because a pond was stocked by the DNR does not open that pond to public fishing. When fishing privately owned waters, be sure to ask the property owner for permission to fish, do not block lanes and driveways, close any gates opened, do not damage fences and leave the area clean and unlittered.