Island Spear Co.

Regulations Iowa

Spearfishing Regulations in Iowa

Checked against the primary source (Iowa DNR) on July 5, 2026state

Governing agency: Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR). Last verified July 5, 2026 by independent primary-source check.

Summary

Iowa is a landlocked state, so there is no saltwater/marine spearfishing. In fresh water, Iowa allows spearing and bow-and-arrow fishing (day or night) only for a defined list of rough/nongame fish - carp, buffalo, suckers/redhorse/carpsuckers, gar, bowfin (dogfish), sheepshead (freshwater drum), gizzard shad, and goldfish (Iowa Admin. Code 571-81.2(11)). Every game fish - bass, walleye, northern pike, muskellunge, catfish, crappie, panfish, trout, paddlefish, sturgeon - may NOT be speared and must be released immediately if taken by these methods. A valid Iowa fishing license is required and enforced for everyone 16 and older.

License

What you need to be legal

LegalA license is required
License
Iowa fishing license (resident or nonresident)
Who needs it
Everyone 16 years of age or older who fishes Iowa public waters must carry a valid Iowa fishing license, and that includes taking fish by spear, bow and arrow, or snagging. Residents and nonresidents under 16 may fish without a license (a trout fee may still apply to keep trout). 3
Resident cost
Resident annual fishing license $22.00. Short-term resident options: 1-day $10.50, 7-day $15.50. A resident trout fee ($14.50) is required in addition to the base license to fish for or possess trout. 3
Non-resident cost
Nonresident annual fishing license $48.00. Short-term nonresident options: 1-day $12.00, 3-day $20.50, 7-day $37.50. A nonresident trout fee ($17.50) is required in addition to the base license to fish for or possess trout. 3
Where to buy
Online through the Go Outdoors Iowa licensing system (gooutdoorsiowa.com) or in person from license agents (bait, tackle, and sporting-goods retailers) and Iowa DNR offices. 3

Exemptions

  • Residents and nonresidents under 16 years of age may fish without a license (a trout fee may still be required to keep trout) 3
  • Iowa residents age 65 or older, or permanently disabled, with household income below federal poverty guidelines may qualify for a Free Annual Hunting and Fishing License by application; residents 65+ may also buy a discounted Lifetime Fishing license ($61.50) 3

The full story

The full story

Iowa is landlocked, so the only spearfishing question that matters here is fresh water. The controlling rule is Iowa Administrative Code 571-81.2(11) ('Method of take'), and it is refreshingly explicit: it names exactly which fish may be taken by snagging, spearing, and bow and arrow, and it says everything else 'not hooked in the mouth' must go back in the water immediately. That list is all rough/nongame fish - carps, buffalo, the suckers/redhorse/carpsucker complex, gar, bowfin (listed as 'dogfish'), sheepshead (freshwater drum), gizzard shad, and goldfish. If a fish is not on that list, you cannot spear it. That means bass, walleye, northern pike, muskellunge, catfish, crappie, bluegill, perch, trout, sturgeon, and paddlefish are all off-limits to a speargun or bowfishing rig.

A common point of confusion is catfish: it is abundant and often lumped in with 'rough fish' colloquially, but in Iowa's code catfish is a game fish with bag and length rules, and it is NOT on the 81.2(11) spear/bow list. Do not spear catfish. Paddlefish is another trap - it can be legally taken, but only by snagging under the special paddlefish season rules, never by spear or bow.

On licensing there is no law-versus-practice gap. Iowa actively sells and enforces fishing licenses through the Go Outdoors Iowa system; anyone 16 or older must carry one to fish by any method, including spearing and bowfishing. The resident annual license ($22) and nonresident annual license ($48) are real, sold products, and a separate trout fee applies to trout. This is a genuine, enforced requirement, not a paper-only rule.

Two practical gear notes. First, Iowa's fishing code says nothing about SCUBA, free diving, or diver-down flags, and sets no spear tine or size limits - the legal line is drawn by species, not by how you dive or what spear you carry. Second, individual waters can be stricter: several named spots (Clear Lake/Ventura Marsh, the Lost Island Lake inlet/outlet, Barringer Slough outlet, the Lower Gar Lake outlet) ban snagging/bow/spearing outright, DeSoto Bend Lake follows federal refuge rules, and state parks and city/county lakes may add their own limits - the most restrictive rule always wins, so check local signage before you get in the water.

Where it's legal

Saltwater & freshwater

Saltwater

Not permitted

Iowa is a landlocked Midwestern state with no ocean coastline and no marine (saltwater) waters, so there is no saltwater spearfishing. All Iowa spearfishing occurs in fresh water (lakes, reservoirs, and rivers, including the boundary rivers - Mississippi, Missouri, and Big Sioux) and is governed by the Iowa DNR / Natural Resource Commission.

Freshwater

Legal

Freshwater spearing and bow-and-arrow fishing are legal but limited to rough/nongame fish. Iowa Admin. Code 571-81.2(11) ('Method of take') lists the ONLY species that may be taken by snagging, spearing, and bow and arrow: common carp, bighead carp, grass carp, silver carp, black carp, bigmouth buffalo, smallmouth buffalo, black buffalo, quillback carpsucker, highfin carpsucker, river carpsucker, spotted sucker, white sucker, shorthead redhorse, golden redhorse, silver redhorse, sheepshead (freshwater drum), shortnose gar, longnose gar, dogfish (bowfin), gizzard shad, and goldfish. All other species (i.e., game fish) not hooked in the mouth - except paddlefish legally taken by snagging - must be returned to the water immediately with as little injury as possible. Artificial light may be used, so spearing and bowfishing these rough fish is allowed day or night. On the border lakes (Little Spirit, Iowa, Tuttle/Okamanpedan, Burt/Swag, and Iowa Lake) rule 81.2(6) similarly allows spears and bow and arrow only for carp, buffalo, bowfin, gar, sheepshead, and quillback carpsucker. 12

Gear

What you can carry

Speargun
Iowa's rule simply authorizes taking the listed rough fish by 'spear' - it does not name or separately regulate spearguns versus other spear types, and Chapter 81 sets no tine-count or spear-size limits. A speargun may be used to take the listed rough-fish species; it may not be used to take any game fish. 2
Pole spear
Covered by the generic 'spear' method in rule 81.2(11) - permitted for the listed rough-fish species only, with no separate pole-spear provision in the code. 2
Hawaiian sling
Not named anywhere in Chapter 81. A Hawaiian sling is a spear-launching device and would fall under the generic 'spear' method (rough-fish species only); it is not separately authorized or prohibited, so confirm intended gear with Iowa DNR before use. 2
Spearfishing on SCUBA
Chapter 81 does not address SCUBA, free diving, or any diver-flag requirement, and neither authorizes nor prohibits underwater spearfishing gear. Iowa spearing is written around rough-fish species and methods rather than the manner of diving; treat SCUBA use for spearfishing as not addressed by the fishing code (see unverified). 2

Gear restrictions

  • Spear and bow-and-arrow take is limited to the rough/nongame species listed in rule 81.2(11); any game fish struck must be released immediately with as little injury as possible 2
  • Snagging (a separate hook method) is capped at no hook larger than a 5/0 treble or more than 1 1/4 inches, and snagged fish other than the listed species / legally snagged paddlefish must be released immediately 2
  • You must be able to identify your catch: at least 1 square inch of skin (with scales) must remain on any fish or fillet transported or possessed (rule 81.2(10)) 2

Do not spear

Prohibited species

  • Any species not on the rule 81.2(11) list may NOT be taken by spearing or bow and arrow - this covers all game fish, including largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted (black) bass; walleye, sauger, and saugeye; northern pike and muskellunge; channel, flathead, and blue catfish; crappie, bluegill and other sunfish/panfish; yellow perch; white and yellow bass; and trout 2
  • Paddlefish may NOT be speared or taken by bow and arrow - paddlefish may only be legally taken by snagging under the special paddlefish rules, not by spear (rule 81.2(11)) 2
  • Sturgeon (rock/lake sturgeon is closed season/no harvest; shovelnose sturgeon) are game fish and may not be speared 2
  • Trout may not be speared, and a trout fee is required even to possess trout taken by legal methods 12

Where you can't

Area restrictions

  • No snagging, bow-and-arrow fishing, or spearing is permitted at Clear Lake and Ventura Marsh from the Ventura Grade, Jetties, and Bridge (rule 81.2(11)(b)) 2
  • No snagging, bow, or spearing within 300 feet of the Lost Island Lake inlet concrete culvert/metal fish barrier, or within 300 feet of the Lost Island Lake outlet structure/metal fish barrier (rule 81.2(11)(b)) 2
  • No snagging, bow, or spearing within 300 feet of the Barringer Slough outlet and metal fish barrier (rule 81.2(11)(b)) 2
  • No snagging, bow, or spearing in the Lower Gar Lake outlet area, from 230th Avenue downstream to the signed Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District property line (rule 81.2(11)(b)) 2
  • DeSoto Bend Lake follows federal refuge regulations as posted (rule 81.2(7)); state parks, federal refuges, and city/county-controlled lakes may impose additional bowfishing/spearing restrictions - the most restrictive applicable rule governs (rule 81.2(8)) 12
  • Additional named dam/tailwater areas restrict snagging (e.g., below Saylorville, Coralville, Rathbun, Ottumwa, Fort Dodge, and Cedar Rapids dams) - these apply to the snagging method (rule 81.2(11)(a)) 2

Worth knowing

Notable rules, seasons & limits

  • Iowa follows the standard inland pattern: rough/nongame fish may be speared or bowfished, game fish are strictly rod-and-reel and must be released if struck (rule 81.2(11)) 2
  • Artificial light may be used, so spearing/bowfishing the listed rough fish is legal at night as well as by day (rule 81.2(11)) 2
  • 'Dogfish' in the legal species list means bowfin, and 'sheepshead' means freshwater drum - both are legal to spear; catfish, despite being common, is a GAME fish in Iowa and may not be speared 2
  • Chapter 81 has no diver-flag requirement and sets no spear tine/size limits - the constraint is the species list, not the gear 2
  • Snagging is a distinct method with its own hook-size limits and named prohibited waters; the same rough-fish-only species list applies (rule 81.2(11)) 2

What divers here typically use

Gear up for Iowa spearfishing

Where spearfishing is allowed in Iowa, this is the core kit divers assemble before their first day in the water. Our honest guide to the Beginner Spearfishing Gear List walks through what to look for — curated from published specs and community consensus, not paid placement.

If you break them

Penalties

Spearing or bowfishing a game fish, or fishing without a required license, violates Iowa's fishing rules (Iowa Admin. Code 571 Ch. 81) adopted under Iowa Code chapter 481A. Fish and game violations in Iowa are generally simple misdemeanors, which carry a scheduled fine plus court costs and can include jail; the state may also assess civil restitution/liquidated damages for illegally taken fish and suspend fishing privileges for repeat or serious violations. Exact fine schedules were not read from a primary statute in this pass (see unverified). 12

Not yet independently confirmed — verify directly

  • Exact criminal fine amounts and civil restitution/liquidated-damage schedules for spearing a game fish or fishing without a license were not read from the primary Iowa Code (chapter 481A / 805 scheduled fines) in this pass; the penalty summary is stated in general terms.
  • Whether open-circuit SCUBA is affirmatively permitted for spearfishing: Chapter 81 does not address SCUBA, free diving, or diver-down flags at all, so this is neither authorized nor prohibited by the fishing code; no primary provision speaks to it.
  • Legality distinctions among speargun, pole spear, and Hawaiian sling: Chapter 81 uses only the generic term 'spear' with no gear-type or tine/size limits, so any distinction among devices is inferred from the absence of a rule rather than an affirmative provision.
  • Iowa DNR does not list license-free 'free fishing days' on its primary licenses page; whether a standing free-fishing window exists could not be confirmed from a primary source in this pass and is not treated as a license exemption here.

Confirm these points directly with Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR) before you rely on them.

Primary sources

Sources

Every fact above is drawn from these official sources. Each was retrieved on the date shown; regulations can change after that date.

  1. Source 1: Iowa DNR - Fishing Regulations & Laws (methods of take, rough-fish species, prohibited methods and areas)

    Retrieved July 5, 2026https://www.iowadnr.gov/things-do/fishing/regulations-laws

  3. Source 3: Iowa DNR - Fishing Licenses & Permit Fees

    Retrieved July 5, 2026https://www.iowadnr.gov/things-do/fishing/fishing-licenses

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

Is spearfishing legal in Iowa?
Saltwater spearfishing is restricted in Iowa, and it is permitted in fresh water, subject to license, gear, species, and area rules. Iowa is a landlocked Midwestern state with no ocean coastline and no marine (saltwater) waters, so there is no saltwater spearfishing. All Iowa spearfishing occurs in fresh water…
Do you need a license to spearfish in Iowa?
Yes. Iowa requires the Iowa fishing license (resident or nonresident). Resident cost: Resident annual fishing license $22.00. Short-term resident options: 1-day $10.50, 7-day $15.50. A resident trout fee ($14.50) is required in addition to the base license to fish for or possess trout. Non-resident cost: Nonresident annual fishing license $48.00. Short-term nonresident options: 1-day $12.00, 3-day $20.50, 7-day $37.50. A nonresident trout fee ($17.50) is required in addition to the base license to fish for or possess trout.
Can you spearfish on scuba in Iowa?
Chapter 81 does not address SCUBA, free diving, or any diver-flag requirement, and neither authorizes nor prohibits underwater spearfishing gear. Iowa spearing is written around rough-fish species and methods rather than the manner of diving; treat SCUBA use for spearfishing as…
What can't you spear in Iowa?
Protected or no-take species you may not spear in Iowa include: Any species not on the rule 81.2(11) list may NOT be taken by spearing or bow and arrow, Paddlefish may NOT be speared or taken by bow and arrow, Sturgeon, Trout may not be speared, and a trout fee is required even to possess trout taken by legal methods. Always check the full prohibited-species list and current seasons before diving, and confirm with Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR).

Stay current

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Regulations shift between seasons. We re-check Iowa's rules against the primary source and send a short note when the limits, seasons, or licensing move — nothing else.

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Last verified July 5, 2026. Regulations change — always confirm the current rules with Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR) before you dive.

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