Raccoon River Fishing Guides
The Raccoon is the big catfish and walleye river on Des Moines' doorstep, a wide prairie stream whose lower reach sees more canoes than any water in central Iowa.
Guides on the Raccoon River
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About the Raccoon River
The Raccoon is central Iowa’s river. It gathers the North, Middle and South Raccoon out of the western prairie, runs east through Dallas County past Booneville and Van Meter, and joins the Des Moines River in the middle of the capital city. That proximity cuts both ways: it means the river carries the agricultural nitrate load that makes Des Moines water treatment a recurring news story, and it also means several hundred thousand people live within half an hour of a genuinely good catfish and walleye float. The lower Raccoon sees more paddlers than any other stream in this part of the state.
Channel catfish are the backbone of the fishery and are abundant through the whole lower river, with flathead catfish in the deeper holes and against the log jams. Walleye run better here than most Iowa anglers expect, concentrating below the riffles and around rock structure, particularly in spring and again in late fall. Smallmouth bass hold on the gravel and rock in the middle reaches, drum and carp are everywhere, and shovelnose sturgeon turn up near the Des Moines River confluence. Northern pike occupy the slower backwaters and tributary mouths.
The gauge at Van Meter drains a very large tiled agricultural basin, and the river behaves accordingly: it is flashy, it carries sediment, and the discharge record swings widely across a season. The practical consequence is that the Raccoon is best read on the falling limb after a rise, when the water drops clear enough to see structure but still has some push to it. Late summer flows can get genuinely low, which concentrates fish into the deeper bends and makes the float easier to plan. The whole lower river is canoe and kayak water at moderate levels.
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Access
Van Meter - the gauge town, with a bridge, parking and the most-used access on the lower river.
Booneville - an upstream access point and a common put-in for the Van Meter float.
Walnut Woods State Park - state land on the lower river closer to Des Moines, with bank access and a ramp.
Raccoon River Park - a West Des Moines park with lake and river frontage and easy urban access.
Adelphi Calendar Park - a Dallas County access area on the middle river.
Des Moines River confluence - the downstream end in the capital, where the Raccoon joins the larger river.
Redfield - an upstream community on the South Raccoon, useful for reaching the smaller water.
Seasons
Spring: high and turbid with snowmelt and prairie rain, and the strongest walleye window of the year below the riffles.
Summer: the core catfish season, warm and low, with night fishing to the holes and log jams the most productive method.
Fall: the clearest water of the year, good for floating, with walleye returning and smallmouth active on the gravel.
Winter: cold and low, with catfish stacked in the deepest bends and bank fishing the practical approach.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Raccoon River?
As of Nov 2, 7:00 am, the USGS gauge Raccoon River at Van Meter, IA reads 3,060 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Raccoon River?
Anglers target Black Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Flathead Catfish, Freshwater Drum, Northern Pike, Shovelnose Sturgeon, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye on the Raccoon River in Iowa.
Where can you access the Raccoon River?
Van Meter - the gauge town, with a bridge, parking and the most-used access on the lower river. Booneville - an upstream access point and a common put-in for the Van Meter float. Walnut Woods State Park - state land on the lower river closer to Des Moines, with bank access and a ramp. Raccoon River Park - a West Des Moines park with lake and river frontage and easy urban access. Adelphi Calendar Park - a Dallas County access area on the middle river. Des Moines River confluence - the downstream end in the capital, where the Raccoon joins the larger river. Redfield - an upstream community on th...
When is the best time to fish the Raccoon River?
Spring: high and turbid with snowmelt and prairie rain, and the strongest walleye window of the year below the riffles. Summer: the core catfish season, warm and low, with night fishing to the holes and log jams the most productive method. Fall: the clearest water of the year, good for floating, with walleye returning and smallmouth active on the gravel. Winter: cold and low, with catfish stacked in the deepest bends and bank fishing the practical approach.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Raccoon River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Iowa agency site: https://www.iowadnr.gov/things-do/fishing/regulations-laws