Fishing

Jugging for Catfish
Jugging for Catfish “FISH ON! FISH ON!” That phrase struck an adrenaline rush that only two things could ignite, a first kiss and “juggin” for catfish. At that moment every head in every boat turned like a top trying to find that one Gatorade bottle creating a wake across the waters of the Des Moines […]
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A Place For Family and Friends: The Outdoors
A Place for Family and Friends: The Outdoors As a young man growing up in the Loess Hills of western Iowa, I was too busy pursuing teenage interests to realize the beauty the hills had to offer. It wasn’t until I was older and a college student at Mankato State University that I found myself […]
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Paddling Iowa’s Water Trails
Paddling Iowa’s Water Trails By Aaron Stonehocker Growing up, my little brother and I spent a lot of time exploring random creeks. We used to day dream about how cool it would be to load up a tent and some camping gear, and travel along these winding waterways to see what adventure might unfold. Today, […]
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Trolling for Walleyes over the Weeds
Trolling for Walleyes over the Weeds By Steve Weisman Last August, I had the chance to listen to Jon Thelen, walleye guide and host of Lindy’s Fish Ed Television Series, give a fishing seminar at the Okoboji Blue Water Festival. His topic was “Walleyes in the Weeds,” and I was excited to hear what his […]
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Identifying Catfish Locations From Shore
Identifying Catfish Locations From Shore By Brad Durick These days, as catfishing gets more and more press, and more and more technical, it seems that some of the conversation has shifted from the traditional way of doing things. We read about drifting vast lake flats for giant blue cats or using high end side imaging […]
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Time for Big Gills
Time for Big Gills By Steve Weisman If you are a kid at heart like I am, now is the time to get after those big bluegills on Iowa’s lakes. It starts a little earlier in the south because the water warms sooner, but it always happens this time of year. About the last week […]
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Muskie Study to look at Yearling Muskie Survival on Big Spirit Lake
Muskie Study to look at Yearling Muskie Survival on Big Spirit Lake By Steve Weisman The local chapter of Upper Great Plains Muskie Inc. Chapter 29 (Iowa Great Lakes), along with a donation from the national chapter’s Hugh Becker Foundation and the Heartland Muskies Inc. chapter from Clear Lake, have donated a combined total of […]
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Keys to Trophy River Cats
Keys to Trophy River Cats By Brad Durick Trophy catfish are an amazing animal. This APEX predator is the key to survival and keeping the species going and like big bucks sometimes they are elusive. Everybody loves to catch a monster fish and catfish provide the best opportunity to do just that. Some bodies of […]
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Improving Walleye and Musky Fishing in Iowa Project Update
Improving Walleye and Musky Fishing in Iowa Walleye always seem to be at the top of our favorite fish to chase here in Iowa. March begins the Walleye spawning run in many rivers and lakes, tempting fishermen and women out of hibernation to chase after them just after ice-out. Musky…the elusive yet hard fighting predatory […]
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A Family Campout to Remember
A Family Campout to Remember Camping is a common ground outdoor experience for most American families at some point in the formative years. Inevitably, some of these campouts will unravel into miserable one and done experiences that will later tell the hilarious tale of six-inch rainfall, relentless mosquitoes, unfathomably filthy pit toilets, and collapsed tents. […]
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