Fishing

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Ice-Out Channel Catfish

Ice-Out Channel Catfish It might come as a surprise to many anglers to learn that channel catfish go on a feeding rampage almost as soon as the ice starts to melt in many of the reservoirs or lakes containing shad and other baitfish. These water bodies experience routine winter die-offs like this every year that […]

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Ready for The Mid-Winter Ice Fishing Blues?

Ready for The Mid-Winter Ice Fishing Blues? As the crisp and frigid air chills your body, snow covers the landscape as far as you can see, the sight is somewhat magical on this early February day. However, as you drive to your ice fishing destination that beautiful sight reminds you that you are smack-dab in […]

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First Ice Checklist

First Ice Checklist By Todd Reed The ice around the state of Iowa has locked up nicely this year and has provided anglers an escape to nature during these cold months.  I have loved ice fishing for about three decades and with each winter a new excitement comes over me. It isn’t really about the […]

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Ice Trolling

Ice Trolling By Rod Woten By now, any hardwater angler that is serious about catching fish knows that mobility is the key. Rather than sitting and waiting for fish to come to them, smart hardwater anglers know that they have to hunt the fish, much like a deer hunter might spot and stalk a trophy […]

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Breaking It Down Under The Ice

Breaking It Down Under The Ice By Rod Woten Fishing a new lake through the ice for the very first time can be intimidating. While the layer of ice covering the lake gives us unrestricted access, it also makes it much more difficult to effectively eliminate unproductive water. Gone are the sunny summer days where […]

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Tight Lipped Ice Tactics

Tight Lipped Ice Tactics By Ben Leal We’ve all experienced it… a day we load up and head out full of anticipation of a great day out on the ice. You’ve dreamt of that ice rod bending as you set the hook on yet another slab crappie or 10-inch plus bluegill…Vexilar screens lighting up with […]

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Taking on the Midwinter Fishing Doldrums

Taking on the Midwinter Fishing Doldrums Midwinter ice fishing is often completely different than early and late ice. Instead of the aggressive fish that come with both early and late ice, midwinter fish are often more neutral and have seen several months of lures. That’s why here on the Iowa Great Lakes the most successful […]

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Try Something New for Hardwater

Try Something New for Hardwater It’s hard to believe we’re on the cusp of another ice fishing season. I’m not complaining, mind you. I actually prefer short summers. In fact, if I had my way, we’d have 4 months of spring, 4 months of fall and 4 months of winter. The last I’d heard, we’re […]

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Top 5 Lakes for Ice Fishing, Other than Igle’s

Top 5 Lakes for Ice Fishing, Other than Igle’s Iowa is full of fishing destinations throughout the winter months. When ice fishing is mentioned, most people around the Midwest think of Okoboji Lake as the top place to try their luck. The glacier lakes of northern Iowa probably deserve the credit for the best place […]

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Ice Fishing Scenarios

Ice Fishing Scenarios By Nick Johnson It’s easy to think of life below the ice as a cold, stoic environment, unchanged by the outside world. Creatures living life at a slower pace, biding their time until the spring thaw comes. While some of this is true, and maybe even more true for certain species, the […]

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