Musky/Pike

When the bite is on

When the bite is on By Ben Leal September…ahhhhhh…cooling temps, well at least we hope they start cooling off. We’ve just wandered through the heat of July and August and it was in a word, hot! Fishing, for the most part, was an early morning or late afternoon evening event. Two reasons really; you want […]

Fishing Myth Busters

Fishing Myth Busters By Todd Reed No matter how often you fish, or don’t fish there are many people that have certain beliefs about fishing.  What makes fishing better…what you can’t do when you fish.  There are many myths about fishing that the common public say and truly believe in.  Perhaps Grandpa said these things […]

Tackle Talk: Go-To Lures for Multi-Species Angling

Tackle Talk: Go-To Lures for Multi-Species Angling By Nick Johnson How many lures does one angler need? I would venture to guess than many of you reading this have a stockpile of options to choose from and yet each season make repeated pilgrimages to the tackle store to increase personal inventory with new and improved […]

Pontoon’s As Fishing Boats?

Pontoon’s As Fishing Boats? By Steve Weisman Ever since I purchased my first boat over 40 years ago, nothing has been more exciting, time consuming and, yes, even exasperating as it has been to narrow down the list to my final choice. Back in 1972, I began with a 14-year-old 14-foot Crestliner and a 10 […]

Avoiding Boating Mistakes

Avoiding Boating Mistakes By Steve Weisman I’ve been a boat owner for over 40 years and for the most part have enjoyed my boating experiences. At the same time, along the way I have witnessed and been part of mistakes that have certainly affected those experiences. Some have been laughable, some what I would call […]

Iowa’s State Record Fish: Part II

Iowa’s State Record Fish: Part II By Ben Leal Last month we took a look at the current State records for perch, walleye, northern pike and muskellunge or musky as they are known. We also noted some areas where an angler might have a chance at landing that next record. With warming waters we’ll start […]

Summer Fishing Strategy – Podcast

Iowa Great Lakes Grand Slam: Part 1

Iowa Great Lakes Grand Slam: Part 1 By Steve Weisman In baseball terms, a grand slam is the greatest hit of all, and a second grand slam in a two-day period is even more incredible. Many hitters never hit one in their career, let alone two in a two-day period. Now let’s take the grand […]

Iowa Sportsman Fishing Trip: Lake Rathbun

Iowa Sportsman Fishing Trip: Lake Rathbun By Clayton Will However you say it; Rathbun Lake or Lake Rathbun, it’s a must see Iowa Family Fishing Trip Destination. At 11,000 acres Lake Rathbun is easily Iowa’s largest body of water not called a river or stream. Nestled in Appanoose County Lake Rathbun is a popular spot […]

Chasing Early Season Northern Pike

Chasing Early Season Northern Pike By Steve Weisman When the ice begins to leave our northern Iowa lakes, anglers head out looking for ice-out smallmouth bass, pre-spawn walleyes and panfish. However, there is one prolific game fish that is often overlooked: the northern pike. In many cases, they are totally ignored. As a result, a […]