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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New Bows for 2021
New Bows for 2021 The archery industry has witnessed a plethora of improvements, especially in the last 30 years. These changes have caught the attention of more and more archers and has aided to the popularity of archery and bow hunting. 2021 is still welcoming innovations to the archery world. Some of the technology we […]
READ MOREHenry’s First Turkey Hunt Part 1
Henry’s First Turkey Hunt Part 1 “Shoot him when you’re ready” I said to my son Henry on that warm spring evening. The gobbler stopped 10 yards from our blind and froze. It seemed like hours before Henry pulled the trigger, leaving me time to recall all the preparations and practice that lead to this […]
READ MOREA Guide to Trophy Harvest Photography
Oh Snap! A Guide to Trophy Harvest Photography On the coffee table of the deer camp back home in Mississippi lies one of the books that I cherish the most. The contents of that book are completely original and are likely only valued by those who are company of that camp. Documentation of years dating […]
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Whitetails 365: Buying Recreational Land, Part 2
Whitetails 365: Buying Recreational Land, Part 2 In last month’s issue, I was purposefully vague in beginning to break down what it takes to be successful in buying recreational land. I hope as you read the article, you were starting to pull together a plan of your own if you are starting the process of […]
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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.
