Turkey River
river in Iowa
The Turkey River around Elkader and Guttenberg is a reliable warmwater river for fly anglers targeting smallmouth and occasional walleye, with many town access points.
Conditions right now
No USGS gauge is linked to this water yet, so we can't chart flows.
What's working on Turkey River
- 01The Turkey River's stocked Rainbow Trout will be actively feeding in the cooler fall waters.
- 02Blue-Winged Olives (BWOs) and Pale Morning Duns (PMDs) offer dry fly opportunities, especially on warmer, overcast afternoons.
- 03Larger October Caddis are a significant fall hatch that can entice aggressive strikes.
- 04Subsurface, crayfish, hellgrammites, and midges are key food sources for Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, and trout.
- 05Focus on deeper pools, current seams, and rocky structures where fish will be holding.
Past reports week by week
6 weeksWhat to tie on
Picked from reports, hatches and the season. Tap a fly for the recipe and where else it works.
Hellgrammite Fly
Hellgrammites are a primary food source for Smallmouth Bass in rocky rivers, making this a consistent subsurface pattern for bass and opportunistic walleye.
Egg Sucking Leech
A fall staple, highly effective for Rainbow Trout as they key into egg patterns, and also appealing to opportunistic Walleye.
Buy at AmazonCrayfish (Fly) (Olive/Rust)
Crayfish are a vital food source for Smallmouth Bass and Walleye in rocky areas, making this a crucial subsurface pattern in the fall.
Woolly Bugger (Olive)
A highly versatile streamer, the olive Woolly Bugger imitates leeches and baitfish, which are consistent food sources for all predatory species in the river.
October Caddis (Dry)
The largest caddis hatch of the year, bringing aggressive strikes from various species including trout and smallmouth bass.
Buy at AmazonPMD (Pale Morning Duns)
Pale Morning Duns are actively hatching in fall, providing crucial dry fly opportunities for opportunistic feeders.
Blue-Winged Olive Comparadun (BWO)
Fall BWO hatches are a key event, making this low-profile dry fly excellent for selective trout and smallmouth bass feeding on emergers and adults.
Zebra Midge
Midges are a consistent, year-round food source, and this weighted nymph will effectively reach feeding trout and walleye in deeper water.
Buy at AmazonWhere to fish and who to ask
Canton Access
Smaller public access popular with waders working riffles and runs.
Elkader River Access
Town access and common launch used by floaters targeting pocket water and rock structure for smallmouth.
Fly shops within 40 miles
Fly Tying Furs
Root River Rod Co
Driftless on the Fly
Northeast Iowa Fly Fishing
Get Turkey River reports by email
Save this water and we'll email you a weekly summary of conditions, hatches and what's working.
Iowa season by season
What changes on the water through the year, with the flies for each season.
Quick answers
Common questions about Turkey River.
What flies work best on Turkey River?
Our top scored fly patterns for Turkey River right now are Scud (Pink/Orange) (80% confidence), Flashback Hare's Ear (80% confidence), Clouser Minnow (Trout) (80% confidence). These picks are scored from recent fishing reports, hatch data, and seasonal patterns.
What fish species are in Turkey River?
Turkey River holds Walleye. See the species links on this page for fly recommendations and seasonal behavior for each.
What are current flow conditions on Turkey River?
Live USGS streamflow readings for Turkey River are charted in the sidebar of this page and updated automatically from the nearest gauge.
Is Turkey River fishing well right now?
We publish a fresh bite report for Turkey River each week based on recent on-the-water intel. The current report — with conditions, hatches, and what's producing — is on this page.