Early Spring Trout Fishing
Early Spring Trout Fishing

Early Spring Trout Fishing Spring in Northeast Iowa’s Driftless Region marks the beginning of one of the most rewarding trout fishing seasons in the Midwest. This is one of the prettiest areas in Northern Iowa marked with limestone bluffs, spring-fed creeks, and rolling pastures. The Driftless Region contains a several cold, clear streams that flow steadily year-round. This creates perfect trout habitat, and spring offers fishermen peaceful days on the water. With stable water temperatures, increasing insect activity, and hungry post-winter trout, there’s no better time to explore these legendary streams. Why The Driftless Region? This region is a trout […]

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38 Tips For 38 Days of Iowa Turkey Hunting!

38 Tips For 38 Days of Iowa Turkey Hunting! The doldrums of winter are behind us, friends! Warm, sunny days are ahead and with that comes a favorite pastime of many: Spring Turkey Hunting! Iowa offers a unique style of turkey hunting date options that incorporate four different seasons plus a youth season. A hunter […]

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Early Spring Fishing: BASS

Early Spring Fishing: BASS By Todd Reed April cold water bass fishing can be one of the most challenging times of the year to follow and catch these fish.  However, if you study the weather, choose the correct baits, and know where to begin looking for bass you will be one up on the average […]

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Ice Fishing New Lakes

Successful Ice Fishing Tactics for a New Body of Water

Where to Start? Successful Ice Fishing Tactics for a New Body of Water Ice fishing a brand new lake can be a daunting task. Apparently, it torments a lot of ice anglers because one of the questions I get asked probably more than any others when I present seminars is “how do I approach fishing […]

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50 Ways to Utilize the Offseason

50 Ways to Utilize the Offseason

50 Ways to Utilize the Offseason If you are like me your favorite hunting season is when you feel most alive. Calling upon skills you haven’t used for a year, clearing your schedule of nearly all other responsibilities and breaking the gaze into the digital abyss are just a few of the rare indulgences we […]

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Featured Story

Big Buck Profile: The 2025 Gandy Buck

Ok, this first big buck profile is a little self-serving in that it is of a buck that I personally took this past deer season. While it is likely not the “biggest” big buck that we will profile this year it is definitely one of my most special deer ever.

Turning a Dream into Reality

As has been noted in several articles since 2023, my family and I finally put together the means to purchase our very own piece of Iowa ground. “The 32,” as we call it, has become a passion project to see if we could take an unassuming piece of real estate and harvest a mature deer from there by giving him all he needs in the way of habitat. This year was the first year that the farm would be huntable in the state in which we intended due to construction projects over the past couple of seasons.

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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.