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!
Importance of Using A Quality Fillet Knife
Importance of Using a Quality Fillet Knife When I was younger, around eight years old, I wanted my Dad to show me how to fillet a fish. We had been fishing at our pond and had caught some bass. My Dad showed me the basics: how to clean a bass, don’t leave the ribcage on […]
READ MORESummer Pan Fishing
Summer Pan Fishing When the weather is hot, the panfishing can be hot too, if you know where to locate fish in your nearby lake. Hot summer days with a mild breeze are great days to get outside and enjoy some panfishing. This can easily be done with a boat or small craft like a […]
READ MOREBowfishing in Iowa
Bowfishing in Iowa Over the years fishing has morphed from being necessary for survival to a leisurely activity enjoyed by all ages. With the shift in the fishing objectives came rules and regulations making the sport of fishing one of conservation. Catch limits and length limits are enforced to allow fishermen to keep some fish, […]
READ MOREFishing West Okoboji
Fishing West Okoboji One of the reasons for my moving to Estherville back in 1978 was its location to the Iowa Great Lakes. I was intrigued by the diversity that these lakes offer. No matter the time of year, there always seems to be something biting, especially this summer season where it seems that multiple […]
READ MORE
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.
