What special fishing regulations apply at Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22?

Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22 carries 7 special-regulation overlays that override Iowa's statewide 2026 rules, covering Walleye, Smallmouth bass, Channel catfish, Crappie, and 2 more. One of them reads: "Upper Mississippi River Joint Compact (anglers fishing main stem may use IA, WI, IL, MN, or MO Fishing Licence — see lib/data/reciprocity.ts); walleye + sauger combined 6 / day (12 possession) + 15 in min walleye (release all 20–27 in, no more than one over 27 in per day); smallmouth + largemouth bass 14 in min + 5 / day combined (10 possession) boundary-river limit; channel + blue + flathead catfish combined NO daily limit on the Mississippi River (Iowa sets no separate flathead limit); crappie combined 25 / day (50 possession); recurring BASS Opens Central + MLF Toyota Series venues at multiple pools." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.

Do I need a fishing license to fish Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22?

Yes. Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22 is in Iowa, so a valid Iowa fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Miss. Pools 9-22; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Iowa rules.

Do Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22's special rules replace Iowa's statewide limits?

Only where they conflict. Iowa's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Miss. Pools 9-22 by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.

Which species have special rules on Miss. Pools 9-22?

Walleye, Smallmouth bass, Channel catfish, Crappie, Yellow perch, and Northern pike have a water-body-specific rule on Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22, each linking to its full Iowa regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Iowa limits.

2026 regulation year

Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22 2026 — Iowa Fishing Regulations

Iowa statewide rules apply unless overridden below.

Last updated June 9, 2026

Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22 carries 7 special-regulation overlays on top of Iowa's 2026 fishing rules — covering Walleye, Smallmouth bass, Channel catfish, Crappie, and 2 more species. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.

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Watch Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22 (IA) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.

State-level special regulation

Upper Mississippi River Joint Compact (anglers fishing main stem may use IA, WI, IL, MN, or MO Fishing Licence — see lib/data/reciprocity.ts); walleye + sauger combined 6 / day (12 possession) + 15 in min walleye (release all 20–27 in, no more than one over 27 in per day); smallmouth + largemouth bass 14 in min + 5 / day combined (10 possession) boundary-river limit; channel + blue + flathead catfish combined NO daily limit on the Mississippi River (Iowa sets no separate flathead limit); crappie combined 25 / day (50 possession); recurring BASS Opens Central + MLF Toyota Series venues at multiple pools
Source: Iowa special-water list

Per-species rules on Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22

Walleye regulations →
15 in min, 6 / day combined (12 possession); release all 20–27 in walleye, no more than one over 27 in per day; Upper Mississippi River Joint Compact (IA + WI + IL + MN + MO Fishing Licences honored on main stem)
Smallmouth bass regulations →
14 in min, 5 / day combined (10 possession) boundary-river limit; Upper Mississippi River Joint Compact
Channel catfish regulations →
No minimum, NO daily limit on the Mississippi River; Upper Mississippi River Joint Compact; trophy channel catfish on wing-dam + lock-and-dam structure
Crappie regulations →
No minimum, 25 / day combined; Upper Mississippi River Joint Compact; backwater slough trophy crappie tier
Yellow perch regulations →
25 / day (50 possession), no minimum; backwater-slough perch; Upper Mississippi River Joint Compact
Northern pike regulations →
5 / day (10 possession), no minimum; Upper Mississippi River Joint Compact

Official source

Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR) publishes the authoritative 2026 Iowa fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.

Visit official Iowa fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Iowa Department of Natural Resources's emergency-order feed — check it before any Iowa trip during the active season.

Other special-regulation waters in Iowa

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Frequently asked questions

What special fishing regulations apply at Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22?: Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22 carries 7 special-regulation overlays that override Iowa's statewide 2026 rules, covering Walleye, Smallmouth bass, Channel catfish, Crappie, and 2 more. One of them reads: "Upper Mississippi River Joint Compact (anglers fishing main stem may use IA, WI, IL, MN, or MO Fishing Licence — see lib/data/reciprocity.ts); walleye + sauger combined 6 / day (12 possession) + 15 in min walleye (release all 20–27 in, no more than one over 27 in per day); smallmouth + largemouth bass 14 in min + 5 / day combined (10 possession) boundary-river limit; channel + blue + flathead catfish combined NO daily limit on the Mississippi River (Iowa sets no separate flathead limit); crappie combined 25 / day (50 possession); recurring BASS Opens Central + MLF Toyota Series venues at multiple pools." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
Do I need a fishing license to fish Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22?: Yes. Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22 is in Iowa, so a valid Iowa fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Miss. Pools 9-22; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Iowa rules.
Do Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22's special rules replace Iowa's statewide limits?: Only where they conflict. Iowa's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Miss. Pools 9-22 by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
Which species have special rules on Miss. Pools 9-22?: Walleye, Smallmouth bass, Channel catfish, Crappie, Yellow perch, and Northern pike have a water-body-specific rule on Mississippi River main stem Pools 9-22, each linking to its full Iowa regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Iowa limits.

← Back to Iowa regulations overview