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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Preventing the Mistakes That Spook Coyotes
When It All Goes Wrong: Preventing the Mistakes That Spook Coyotes It was all going perfectly to the plan. My friend and fellow Iowa Sportsman Magazine writer Nick Johnson had traveled down to film me calling coyotes for an episode of Iowa Sportsman Television a few years ago and his camera was rolling on the […]
READ MOREWhy Grain Food Plots: Whitetails 365
Why Grain Food Plots: Whitetails 365 Each winter, I go over what worked and what didn’t during last year’s deer season. The self-assessment is really taking place during the entire season. Did my access points to the properties I hunt offer me concealment? Were my setups close enough for archery hunting? Do I need more […]
READ MORECrow Calling March Madness
Crow Calling March Madness As the upland and deer seasons fade in the rear view mirror hunters are left with the question of, “What are we going to hunt now?” Coyotes are always on the radar this time of year but if you prefer wing shooting, there is one wise and crafty adversary flying around […]
READ MOREBasics of Shed Antler Hunting: An art of logic, luck and long walks
Basics of Shed Antler Hunting: An art of logic, luck and long walks Christmas gifts are excellent indicators of what makes a person tick. Allow me to explain. Most people would probably identify themselves as fitting into one of these three categories: havers, experiencers, and those who fall into both categories. If you were tasked […]
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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.
