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!
Dutch Oven Campfire Cooking
Dutch Oven Campfire Cooking Camping season is upon us and it’s time to think of what you’re going to eat. Sure, you could do the easy stuff like cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and roast a hotdog over the fire for dinner. But why not try something a little better? Who wouldn’t like a […]
READ MOREKayak Bass Fishing in Iowa
Kayak Bass Fishing in Iowa If you are like me, you grew up watching bass boat tournaments on TV. Most people thought that looked like fun, but bass boat tournaments are a significant investment when you get the bass boat, truck, trailer, gas, and upkeep. Kayak tournaments are just as fun and more affordable in […]
READ MOREPlanning Your June Catfish Destination
Planning Your Next June Catfish Destination June is here, and with it comes cooling summer evenings; the time when bank lines are set and fishermen across Iowa seek out channel catfish. The summer feeding patterns can be some of the most exciting and rewarding times to catch those cats. Many catfish anglers will go down […]
READ MOREHow To Take A Kid Fishing
How To Take a Kid Fishing Fishing is in full swing, and there is nothing better than a special fishing trip with a child. It doesn’t matter if the child is five years old or 15 years old, that child has dreams of catching fish and having a good time with a special person. I […]
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.
