Percent occurrence in all samples of the nine common Iowa fish species. The Official Home page for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, DNR. Sources: Harlan, J.R., E.B. Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa…
Their body is deeply compressed laterally with pelvic fins nearly beneath the pectoral fins.Two kinds of crappie are found in Iowa. This list of birds of Iowa includes species documented in the U.S. state of Iowa and accepted by the Iowa Ornithologists' Union (IOU). Knowing key characteristics of different kinds of fish will help you identify them.

What to look for? Iowa is home to 148 different fish species. Trout are covered by tiny scales and their fins have no spines. Most coldwater streams are in private ownership, with trout fishing allowed by public access agreements between the Department of Natural Resources and the landowners. The lower jaw is longer than the upper and they are “humped-backed.” Crappies seldom exceed two pounds.All sunfish have at least one spine at the front part of the dorsal fin, which is never completely separated from the rear portion. Their body is deeply compressed laterally with pelvic fins nearly beneath the pectoral fins.All sunfish have at least one spine at the front part of the dorsal fin, which is never completely separated from the rear portion. Photos should be sent via email to cmsadmin@dnr.iowa.gov; Email must include the species, date of catch, and location. The characteristic mouth is on the underside of the head and surrounded by fleshy lips. The head is scaleless and the fins lack rays.Many suckers are often confused with minnow species, but they differ in many features. Bluegill are the most commonly caught, and one of the most highly sought after, species in Iowa. The pharyngeal tooth pattern is wholly different in the suckers.Iowa has several peculiar families with only one or two members. Members of the perch family have rather slender, elongated bodies and a large bone on the gill cover that ends in a flat spine. Iowa's Disappearing Prairie Species Iowa greeted the earliest European settlers with a vast 30-million-acre sea of tallgrass prairie interspersed with woodlands and wetlands.
Their body is deeply compressed laterally with pelvic fins nearly beneath the pectoral fins.Iowa’s popular gamefish, walleye, sauger and yellow perch, are some of the 20 members of the perch family in Iowa. Most suckers have 10 or more dorsal fin rays, which is always one or two more than the native minnows. Minnows have scaleless heads.Once referred to as "sea basses", three members of this family are found in Iowa. Photos of a nice stringer of fish may also be considered. Ten species of catfish live in Iowa waters. Customer Service: 515-725-8200 | Iowa DNR Headquarters Wallace State Office Building | 502 East 9th Street, 4th Floor | Des Moines, IA 50319-0034 Support conservation in Iowa by buying a Experience Iowa's natural beauty and all the fun our state parks offer. Of them, 92 are classed as accidental, 25 are classed as casual, eight have been introduced to North America, three are extinct, and one has been extirpated. Their heads are flattened with duckbill-shaped jaws lined with very sharp teeth.The Iowa DNR used data collected from muskellunge in the Iowa Great Lakes (East and West Okoboji, and Spirit Lake) to create a length-weight conversion chart to help catch-and-release anglers determine the weight of their fish.This is a very diverse family with 50 representatives in Iowa; most are small, less than 12 inches long as adults.