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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Wolves in Iowa: Then and Now
Wolves in Iowa: Then and Now Minnesota and Wisconsin wolf populations have grown to numbers not seen in over a century when they were nearly hunted and trapped out of existence in the lower 48 states. Each of our neighbors to the north had their first controversial wolf hunting seasons in 2012 since the delisting […]
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Trolling for Walleyes over the Weeds
Trolling for Walleyes over the Weeds Last August, I had the chance to listen to Jon Thelen, walleye guide and host of Lindy’s Fish Ed Television Series, give a fishing seminar at the Okoboji Blue Water Festival. His topic was “Walleyes in the Weeds,” and I was excited to hear what his thoughts were on […]
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Improving Walleye and Musky Fishing in Iowa Project Update
Improving Walleye and Musky Fishing in Iowa Walleye always seem to be at the top of our favorite fish to chase here in Iowa. March begins the Walleye spawning run in many rivers and lakes, tempting fishermen and women out of hibernation to chase after them just after ice-out. Musky…the elusive yet hard fighting predatory […]
READ MORETips For Impactful Trail Camera Scouting
Tips For Impactful Trail Camera Scouting During summer, deer hunters begin to get excited for the upcoming bow season. Lots of scouting and treestand work begins now in preparation for opening day. Over the last 20 years we have seen hunters completely change hunting strategies to incorporate trail cameras. We have seen the technology advance […]
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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.
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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.
