License Agreements with Bordering States

Name: eRegulations
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Fish privileges on boundary waters common to Iowa and a bordering state are mutually agreed upon by the neighboring states. You can fish boundary waters common to Iowa with a valid fishing license, but it is your responsibility to know which state you are fishing in and the regulations for the water that you are fishing. (See the following table).

A resident or nonresident with a valid Iowa fishing license	Mississippi River		Missouri River Nebraska	Big Sioux River South Dakota	Des Moines River Missouri³	Border Lakes Minnesota
A resident or nonresident with a valid Iowa fishing license	Wisconsin¹	Illinois	Missouri River Nebraska	Big Sioux River South Dakota	Des Moines River Missouri³	Border Lakes Minnesota
May hook and line fish only		X		X
May hook and line fish, spear and archery fish			X		X	X⁴
May hook and line fish, spear and take minnows and crayfish for such fishing	X
May fish all sloughs and backwaters connected with the main channel	X	X	X²		X³
May fish from a boat or the bank of either state	X		X	X		X
May not fish from or attach any device or equipment to the main bank of the state where you are not licensed, cannot fish any tributary		X			X
Must comply with the regulations of the state in which you are fishing	X
When fishing in water in which you are not licensed you must comply with the state having the more restrictive regulations.		X	X	X	X	X⁴

1 Wisconsin-Iowa – You only can fish in the waters of the Mississippi River lying between the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad tracks on the Iowa side of the river and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad tracks lying on the Wisconsin side of the river.

2 Nebraska-Iowa – Waters of the Missouri River include all oxbows, sloughs, chutes and backwaters that draw water from the Missouri River proper. Included are any oxbows, chutes and backwaters separated from the river but through which the Iowa-Nebraska state line passes. In Desoto Bend Lake, you must obey federal refuge regulations.

3 Missouri-Iowa – Included are any oxbow lakes separated from the river but through which the Iowa-Missouri state line passes.

4 Minnesota-Iowa – boundary lakes include Little Spirit Lake (Dickinson), Iowa Lake (Osceola), Burt (Swag) Lake (Kossuth), and Iowa and Tuttle (Okamanpeedan) Lakes (Emmet). The following species have a continuous open season with a daily bag and possession limit set forth below: Walleye, Northern Pike and in combination Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass daily bag and possession limit three. There is no length limit for bass. Channel Catfish daily bag and possession limit eight. Crappie species and sunfish species (Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Green Sunfish, Orangespotted Sunfish, Longear Sunfish, Warmouth and hybrids) in aggregate, bag and possession limit 25. Muskellunge daily bag and possession limit one with an open season beginning May 21 through November 30 and a 40-inch minimum length limit shall apply on all border lakes. Spearing or archery may be used to take carp, buffalo, Bowfin, Freshwater Drum, gar and Quillback Carpsucker. All species not listed above are subject to the inland regulations of the state and have a continuous open season.