Check Out Our Current Issue!
In the May 2026 Issue of the Iowa Sportsman
- Chase the Bite: Early Season
- Calming A Hyper Gun Dog
- Perfecting Your Turkey Setup
- Summer Work That Pays Off in Bow Season
- Artifact Hunting in Iowa
- Wild Edible Foraging
- Tactics for Late-Season Toms
- Iowa’s Venom, Oil and Toxic Sap
Click Here To View This Issue Now!
Keeping Older Dogs in the Field
Keeping Older Dogs in the Field “Every good thing has an end”. No matter how much we try to ignore this reality, it’s just that, a reality. Think about it, vacations, hunting excursions, championship seasons, this article (just checking to see if you’re still with me) every good thing has an end. The truth is, […]
READ MOREShould you Plant a Spring Food Plot: Whitetails 365
Should you Plant a Spring Food Plot: Whitetails 365 Planting spring food plots can be a key factor in setting deer hunters up for success in the fall and winter. A lot of times, hunters focus solely on fall food plots. If you’ve lived in Iowa long, you know our August and Septembers can be […]
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Essential Spring Turkey Gear
Essential Spring Turkey Gear Whether you are just getting into turkey hunting or you have been at it for a long time, you will find that the sky is the limit for as how deep do you want to dive into purchasing gear for the hunt. Although all the bells and whistles are not completely […]
READ MORECooking with Cast Iron
Cooking with Cast Iron Professionally, I am a director at a church camp. To be honest, this career was never on my radar when I was younger. What I thought I wanted (desk job making lots of money) ended up being something I just couldn’t stand to do. Yes, I tried a desk for a […]
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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.
