Dutton Cave Spring

Type
Freestone river, Iowa (Midwest)
Designation
Wild Trout Water
USGS gauges
None listed
Guides
None listed
Shops
None listed

Today on Dutton Cave Spring

No live reading for this water
Why there is no reading

Nothing live is published for this water, so there is no reading or verdict today. The readings section below says what we checked.

Regulations & access Guides & shops

Dutton Cave Spring is a freestone river in Iowa, listed as Wild Trout Water by Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

More about Dutton Cave Spring

Iowa Department of Natural Resources lists 1 species.

Updated · Sources: Wild Trout Streams Open to Public Fishing, Wild Trout Streams Open to Public Fishing

Representative photograph of similar water; not a photograph of this place.
Representative photograph, not this water.
Where it is

Dutton Cave Spring is a freestone river in Iowa.

No real-time gauge

No real-time gauge on this water. We found no active USGS gauge on Dutton Cave Spring or on its stream system within about 25 miles, and no dam operator publishes data for it. A missing gauge says nothing about the water itself. Find the gauges nearest Dutton Cave Spring

About these readings

Nothing live is published for this water; the note below says what we checked.

Where to fish

About this

Start from the agency's public access map. Nothing on this page grants or implies access: check the agency map, posted signs and landowner permission before you fish.

Nothing on this page grants or implies access.

Restrooms near Dutton Cave Spring

Restrooms near Dutton Cave Spring

Restrooms within 2 miles of Dutton Cave Spring in a straight line, nearest first, with what anglers found when they went. The map says a restroom is there, not whether it is clean or open today.

No restroom mapped within 2 mi yet — add one you know.

Campgrounds, fishing access sites and boat ramps often have one that isn't on the map yet.

Restroom locations and map details: © OpenStreetMap contributors, Open Database License, read Oct 24, 2026. Ratings, answers and photos are members' own; who shared them is never shown, and every photo is reviewed before it appears. Visits older than 18 months no longer count. Distances are straight-line miles, not driving. Nothing here grants access to private land. Community guidelines.

More water near Dutton Cave Spring

  • Sepia-toned view of Timber Coulee Creek flowing past tall grass below an old wooden barnWild Trout WaterRepresentative photo · not Glovers Creek
    Photo credit

    Timber Coulee Creek in southwest Wisconsin (sepia-toned film photograph). Photo: Tom Hart, CC BY 2.0, cropped, via Flickr Not Glovers Creek.

    Glovers Creek

    Iowa · about 3 mi

    Brown trout

  • Aerial view of the Kickapoo River curving past a grassy landing lined with canoes and kayaksWild Trout WaterRepresentative photo · not Otter Creek
    Photo credit

    The Kickapoo River in Wisconsin's Driftless Area, from the air. Photo: Wikideas1, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Otter Creek.

    Otter Creek

    Iowa · about 3 mi

    Brown trout

  • The Whitewater River curving past a gravel bar and green summer growth in Whitewater State ParkWild Trout WaterRepresentative photo · not Mink Creek
    Photo credit

    The Whitewater River in Whitewater State Park, Minnesota. Photo: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Mink Creek.

    Mink Creek

    Iowa · about 11 mi

    Brown trout

  • The Bois Brule River at Winneboujou in winter, dark water between snowy banks and evergreensWild Trout WaterRepresentative photo · not Grannis Creek
    Photo credit

    The Bois Brule River at the County Highway B landing (Winneboujou), Wisconsin. Photo: Kriz420 (Wikimedia Commons user), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Not Grannis Creek.

    Grannis Creek

    Iowa · about 12 mi

    Brown trout

  • Canoeists on the Pere Marquette River in autumn, between colourful woodsWild Trout WaterRepresentative photo · not Bear Creek
    Photo credit

    The Pere Marquette River in autumn, Manistee National Forest. Photo: Yetiwriter, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Bear Creek.

    Bear Creek

    Iowa · about 13 mi

    Brown trout

  • The broad Muskegon River near Newaygo between banks of red and orange autumn treesWild Trout WaterRepresentative photo · not Brush Creek
    Photo credit

    The Muskegon River near Newaygo, Michigan. Photo: Marc Steensma, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Brush Creek.

    Brush Creek

    Iowa · about 16 mi

    Brown trout

Regulations

About this

Seasons, limits, special regulations and closures for each reach are on the agency pages below. Read them before you go.

Official designation: Wild Trout Water

Each comes from the agency's own published list; where the list names a reach it is quoted. A designation applies to the listed reach, not necessarily the whole water. Listed in the finder under trout.

Guides and shops near Dutton Cave Spring

About this

Listings marked Unclaimed are built from open map records and the business's own website: confirm licensing, rates, dates and hours directly.

Guides

No guide within 40 miles yet.

Shops nearby

No shop nearby yet.

How these are chosen

Guides whose own website names this water come first, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Shops: fly shops first. A distance is shown when the shop’s website gives its location (within 60 miles); otherwise the shop is in one of the towns within 25 miles of the water.

Guide and shop listings come from the Legendary directories.

Species and hatches

About this

The species the agency lists here; presence varies by reach and season.

Listed by the state agency

When the bugs come off

Regional hatch months: Driftless
About this chart

12 hatches charted for the region, not measured on this water. From Minnesota Trout Unlimited (secondary sources: an angling organisation or magazine, not an agency).

  1. January: no charted hatch
  2. February: no charted hatch
  3. March: no charted hatch
  4. April: 3 charted hatches
  5. May: 9 charted hatches
  6. June: 8 charted hatches
  7. July: 7 charted hatches
  8. August: 3 charted hatches
  9. September: 1 charted hatch
  10. October: no charted hatch
  11. November: no charted hatch
  12. December: no charted hatch

Giant stone (salmonfly) (April to May) · Hendrickson (April to June) · Little black caddis (April to May) · American grannom (Mother's Day caddis) (May to July) · Brown drake (May to June) · Light Hendrickson or pale evening dun (May to June) · and 6 more on the chart

Plan a trip here

About this

None of our destination hubs is within 40 miles in a straight line. The trip planner builds a trip around the water itself: the guides and shops listed within 40 miles of it, its gauges and its nearest towns and airports.

No hub within 40 miles

Fish these abroad

About this

Matched on the fish the agencies list for both waters first, then the same water type, an official designation or flagship listing on both, and a similar mapped size where USGS hydrography covers both.

At most two waters per country. A shared fish is a listing, not a promise: presence varies by reach and season.

Like the Dutton Cave Spring? Same fish, overseas.

  • Daybreak light over the calm, dark Nipigon River between wooded banksFlagship water
    Photo credit

    Daybreak on the Nipigon River. Photo: Sharon Mollerus, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Nipigon River

    Ontario, Canada

    Same fish: brook trout · also a freestone river

  • The Sava Dolinka braiding over pale gravel between willows and spruce below the Julian AlpsFreestone river
    Photo credit

    The Sava Dolinka below the confluence with Beli potok. Photo: Savinjc, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Sava Dolinka

    Gorenjska, Slovenia

    Same fish: brook trout · also a freestone river

  • The Credit River running over a shallow bed under a leaning tree at StreetsvilleFreestone river
    Photo credit

    The Credit River at Streetsville. Photo: Mustang Joe, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Credit River

    Ontario, Canada

    Same fish: brook trout · also a freestone river

  • Penstock Lagoon's open water below a shoreline of tall eucalyptsLake or reservoirRepresentative photo · not Clarence Lagoon
    Photo credit

    Penstock Lagoon, Central Highlands, Tasmania. Photo: Mike Cline, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Clarence Lagoon.

    Clarence Lagoon

    Tasmania, Australia

    Same fish: brook trout

  • The Río Simpson running past the edge of Coyhaique under cliffs and hills in AysénLake or reservoirRepresentative photo · not Laguna Parrillar
    Photo credit

    The Río Simpson passing Coyhaique, Aysén. Photo: Manxuc, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Laguna Parrillar.

    Laguna Parrillar

    Magallanes, Chile

    Same fish: brook trout

  • Late-afternoon light breaking through cloud over Lake Burbury and the West Coast RangeLake or reservoirRepresentative photo · not Lake Plimsoll
    Photo credit

    Lake Burbury in the late afternoon, from the Lyell Highway. Photo: WikiWookie, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Lake Plimsoll.

    Lake Plimsoll

    Tasmania, Australia

    Same fish: brook trout

Fish it when it's winter here

Southern seasons open while ours close.

  • Lake Taupō's blue water framed by yellow kōwhai and bush, hills across the lakeFlagship water
    Photo credit

    Lake Taupō. Photo: Ériugena, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Lake Taupō

    Waikato, New Zealand

    Season open all year · DOC

  • Arthurs Lake's blue water and low islands beyond a dead tree and highland scrubFlagship waterRepresentative photo · not Penstock Lagoon
    Photo credit

    Arthurs Lake, Tasmania. Photo: Lcham67, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Penstock Lagoon.

    Penstock Lagoon

    Tasmania, Australia

    Season open Aug–May · Inland Fisheries Service

  • The clear turquoise Río Limay flowing past green willows and rock outcropsTailwater
    Photo credit

    The Río Limay, Argentina. Photo: P. Hughes, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Río Limay

    Río Negro, Argentina

    Season open Nov–May · Patagonian fishing regulation

  • The broad blue-green Río Puelo between forested banks, mountains beyondFreestone riverRepresentative photo · not Río Petrohué
    Photo credit

    The Río Puelo at Las Gualas, Cochamó. Photo: Nicolás from seno de reloncaví, Chile, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Río Petrohué.

    Río Petrohué

    Los Lagos, Chile

    Season open Nov–May · SERNAPESCA

  • The Río Petrohué rushing green between black volcanic rock and forestLake or reservoirRepresentative photo · not Lago Llanquihue
    Photo credit

    The Río Petrohué near Puerto Varas, Los Lagos. Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Lago Llanquihue.

    Lago Llanquihue

    Los Lagos, Chile

    Season open Nov–May · SERNAPESCA

  • Lago Nahuel Huapi's blue water and wooded islands below snow-capped Andes, framed by conifersLake or reservoir
    Photo credit

    Lago Nahuel Huapi from Llao Llao. Photo: David, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Lago Nahuel Huapi

    Río Negro, Argentina

    Season open Oct–May · Patagonian fishing regulation

  • The braided Oreti River across green farmland, mountains on the horizonFlagship waterRepresentative photo · not Mataura River
    Photo credit

    The Oreti River near Lumsden, Southland. Photo: Krzysztof Golik, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped, via Wikimedia Commons Not Mataura River.

    Mataura River

    Southland, New Zealand

    Season open Oct–Apr · Fish & Game NZ

  • Old timber pilings reflected in the still water of Great Lake, a low wooded shore beyondFlagship water
    Photo credit

    Great Lake, Tasmania. Photo: Peripitus, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Yingina / Great Lake

    Tasmania, Australia

    Season open all year · Inland Fisheries Service

Gear checklist

About this

A practical checklist for fly fishing small mountain trout streams: a short 3–4 weight rod, light line, a few buoyant dries and simple wet-wading gear, with estimated prices and where to buy.

An angler stands on a boulder at the edge of a fast forest stream and fishes the run

Small mountain streams

7′6″–8′6″ rod, 3–4 weight, floating line · Brook, cutthroat, rainbow and brown trout

Open the checklist
Videos for this water (5)

Watch: reading a trout stream

About this

Seams, shelves and soft water, shown on real rivers.

Public YouTube videos from established channels, chosen by us to support this page. Not sponsored; the creators are not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear.

  • How I Learned to Read Water (Fly Fishing)Embedded from YouTube · Mad River Outfitters · not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear. Watch on YouTube
  • How To Read The Water with Tom RosenbauerEmbedded from YouTube · The New Fly Fisher · not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear. Watch on YouTube
  • Reading the Water to Successfully Locate TroutEmbedded from YouTube · Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing · not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear. Watch on YouTube

Not sponsored All videos on reading water

Watch: nymphing basics

About this

Indicator rigs, depth and detecting the take.

Public YouTube videos from established channels, chosen by us to support this page. Not sponsored; the creators are not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear.

  • 90° Nymph RigEmbedded from YouTube · Huge Fly Fisherman · not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear. Watch on YouTube
  • Casting with an Indicator & Better Nymphing TechniquesEmbedded from YouTube · The New Fly Fisher · not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear. Watch on YouTube

Not sponsored All videos on nymphing

Fish Tales

About this

Trip stories anglers chose to share publicly and tagged with Dutton Cave Spring.

No stories from here yet.

Sources for this page

Not a statement of access, fish presence or conditions.

Something wrong?

All 4 sources and dates

A water page organises discovery. It does not assert public access, legal access, current fish presence, guide availability or fishing conditions.

Flows, gauge statistics and flood stages come from USGS and the National Weather Service when the page is shown. Regulations, stocking, species and season statements link to the agency that publishes them; this page copies only the species names and the quoted sentences. Guide and shop listings come from the Legendary directories. Position: the Wild Trout Streams Open to Public Fishing published by Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Water type is our own classification.