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
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Guns Out
Guns Out I believe that there are two types of gun owners. First, there is the ones that owns guns simply because they love them. These folks spend weekend afternoons firing off several boxes of shells at steel targets, followed by a complete teardown and deep cleaning, and end the day by researching custom components […]
READ MORESummertime Shad and Square Bills
Summertime Shad and Square Bills I decided to fish my way through 2020, the year of social isolation, and experienced the most epic day of largemouth bass fishing of my life. I have no idea how many bass I caught the morning of August 7th, but I fished one spot for an hour and a […]
READ MOREWhat to Look for When Purchasing a Stationary Deer Blind
What to Look for When Purchasing a Stationary Deer Blind By Jessica Graham Hunting blinds are quickly becoming a staple in Iowa’s landscape. Take a drive through rural Iowa and you will see box blinds on the edges of fields and timbers. Before buying a blind, there are some questions you should consider such as: […]
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History of the Iowa State Fair
History of the Iowa State Fair How Do You Fair? In 2021, the question begs an answer for many Iowa State Fairgoers – what do they want to eat, see and watch at the internationally-acclaimed event? After postponing in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Iowa State Fair is planning a comeback summer event […]
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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.
