Guide To Excellent Hybrid Striped bass Fishing In Iowa

Striped bass are rare in IA. The state record was caught from Lake Rathbun in 1983. Since that time stocking of striped bass has been discontinued. Recently hybrid striped bass (the cross of a female ocean striped bass and a male white bass.) have been stocked in urban lakes such as Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake, Black Hawk Lake, Blue Heron Lake, Copper Creek Lake, Coralville Reservoir, Gray's Lake, Lake MacBride, Lake Manawa, Lake Wapello, Pleasant Creek Lake, Prairie Park Fishery, Rathbun Lake, Red Rock Reservoir, Roberts Creek Lake, Sand Lake, Saylorville Reservoir and Three Mile Lake.

Click the images and links above for species details.

Iowa State Record Striped Bass

The state record striped bass was caught from Rathbun Reservoir.

The state record hybrid striped bass came from Saylorville Reservoir.

While stripers are native to salt water, they naturally migrate into fresh water streams to spawn. Their eggs must remain in motion in order to hatch so the fresh water rivers and streams become the ideal spawning grounds for stripers. Landlocked stripers then populate the lakes.

Fishing for Stripers in Iowa

When fishing for stripers concentrate on the deeper waters in the lake. If you can locate schools of shad, stripers are often close by. When the baitfish are shallow over the deep water, you can catch stripers on crankbaits or by swimming spoons at appropriate depths. Check Iowa fishing reports for current striper information. And for the ultimate thrill try large topwater baits if you see any surface feeding action. When the stripers are deep, jigs and jigging spoons work well. Live and cut bait will also take striped bass when they are in medium to deeper water. Fish nearby or in the river channel if it is a defined depth change. Trolling is also an excellent way to fish for stripers. Use flashy lures in bigger sizes.

Striper Fishing Video

Learn the basics for catching striped bass.

Striped bass fishing information, by state.