Check Out Our Current Issue!
In the April 2026 Issue of the Iowa Sportsman
- Best Places for Early Season Open Water
- Building a Foundation for the Field
- Range Safety Tips
- Building a Farm Pond to Hold More Wildlife
- Shed Antlers: Do they really tell us anything?
- What Makes a Great Food Plot
- Keeping Kids Engaged in Turkey Hunting
- Pre-Spawn Bass
- Springtime Panfish-Perch, Crappie, and Bluegill
Click Here To View This Issue Now!
Midwest Show Season
Midwest Show Season As the late winter chill keeps us mostly indoors, sportsmen across the Midwest begin planning for the warmth of the upcoming spring and summer seasons. This transitional period is the perfect time to get out of the house and visit local shows and expos. These events are essential for getting new ideas, […]
READ MORECatfish on Ice
Catfish on Ice By Nick Johnson I’ve been fortunate enough to catch channel catfish through the ice on numerous occasions throughout the years. Most of these came from farm ponds or city ponds, although a few have come from public lakes. If you can find them, they really aren’t that difficult to entice into biting. […]
READ MOREPlenty to do in the Iowa Great Lakes
Plenty to do in the Iowa Great Lakes By Steve Weisman Hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing and hiking…how is that for winter activities to do all in the same area? That’s right! The Iowa Great Lakes is truly the destination for the outdoors enthusiast. As a resident of the Iowa Great Lakes area for […]
READ MOREFirst Ice
First Ice By Ben Leal Ahhhh…nothing like your first trip out to the ice. Days prior to your first trip you go through the list, Vexilar battery…check; auger…check; load new line on your ice rods…check; ice jigs and bait…check; ice shack…check; lantern and heater tested…check; everything seems to be in order and ready to go. […]
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Featured Story
Springtime Panfish-Perch, Crappie, and Bluegill
Spring is in full swing here in Iowa, and what can be more pleasant a reminder than the sound of birds, the sight of flowers blooming, and the feel of a warm afternoon? I can think of at least one more thing…Panfish!
I can remember it like yesterday, our family would all meet up at the lake house. There was work to do. The yard was to be picked up, the cabin cleaned, and the dock had to be put in. But then, after the work was finished, it was time for all of us cousins to fish! We would all go out to the garage to pick out a few old rods and tie on a hook and sinker as best we could.
The next order of business was to hunt for worms. Flipping anything that we could find stuck in the ground in hopes of just finding a few crawlers. Once the bait was secured, we were ready to fish. We would go out on the dock and cast, vertical jig, and even troll along the side of the dock. We usually did pretty well use those tactics, but my all-time favorite was walking along the rocks on shore and dropping the bait down every little crevice, not knowing what was going to come up next.
Created By Iowans, For Iowans
The Iowa Sportsman website and magazine are Iowa’s only privately owned media sources catering to hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts here in Iowa. Simply put, we are unlike other Iowa outdoor media sources: All our staff is from Iowa, from our publisher to our writers. We actually follow through on what we advertise; we provide knowledgeable content from people who know the industry or sport discussed.
