Side channels are departures from the main channel and may be as wide and deep as the main channel, or so shallow that they are close to slough habitat. All side channels have current during normal water stages. Fish commonly taken here are channel catfish, white bass, crappie and drum. Main channel border habitat is the area between the edge of the navigation channel and the closest land, or shallow water over submerged land. The emergent or submergent wing dams along the main channel are in this habitat, and these often provide excellent fishing for white bass, catfish, drum, sauger and walleye.
Main channel is the remaining type of habitat.
A poor place to fish for safety reasons. Fishing on the Rock Never improved for navigation, the Rock is one of the freest-flowing rivers in the region, running broad and flat between open fields for much of its course. Upriver from the Quad-Cities, White Pines and Lowden state parks offer great fishing. The river hosts channel catfish, walleye, northern pike, crappie, largemouth and smallmouth bass, sauger, white bass, bluegill, flathead catfish, drum and bullhead. There are 21 major access areas to the river.