Check Out Our Current Issue!
In the June 2026 Issue of the Iowa Sportsman
- Waterfowl Hunting Tips for Beginners: 5 Ways to Start
- Deer Hunting Preparation in June: Set Up for Success
- 5 Ways to Cook Fresh Fish in Summer
- A Guide to Summer Catfishing
- Are Allergies More Common Today in Dogs?
- June Food Plot Planting in Iowa: What to Grow Now
- Why Suppressors Are Gaining Popularity Today
Click Here To View This Issue Now!
Killer Bobcat Calling Techniques
Killer Bobcat Calling Techniques From our parking spot we could see the magical place where we wanted to be, high on a hill overlooking the most beautiful predator habitat you’ve ever seen. It would be a half-mile hike to get there but we knew the long walk was worth it. There was never a shortage […]
READ MOREButchering: It’s In Your Blood
Butchering: It’s In Your Blood One of my favorite conversation starters is to tell the tragic story of my name. My first name “Kent” is the same as my dad’s middle name. What’s so bad about that? Well nothing, except that he got the name from his grandmother’s preferred brand of smokes. As for my […]
READ MOREBait and Lures for Ice Fishing
Bait and Lures for Ice Fishing Ice Fishing opportunities are increasing across the state of Iowa right now, and there is no better time to go out and give it a try. What was once a simple sport of drilling a hole in the ice and sitting on a five-gallon bucket has turned into a […]
READ MOREPlaying Percentages Pays Off Calling Coyotes
Playing Percentages Pays Off Calling Coyotes The sea of blue-green sagebrush seemingly went on forever until it met the steep butte off in the distance and turned into a wall of rocky red earth mixed with grey and white lines of mineral deposits exposed by centuries of erosion. As I sat overlooking the huge landscape […]
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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.
