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Listen Now! To the Iowa Hunting and Fishing Report

The episode features an in-depth fishing and outdoor report for early May across key destinations in Iowa, delivered from the perspective of an active angler who has been on the water. The conversation begins with a recap of the Iowa Walleye Opener on the Iowa Great Lakes, with particular focus on Spirit Lake.

Iowa Hunting and Fishing Report

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Lures for multi-species angling

Go-To Lures for Multiple Species while Fishing in Iowa

Tackle Talk: Go-To Lures for Multi-Species Angling How many lures does one angler need? I would venture to guess than many of you reading this have a stockpile of lures for multiple species to choose from and yet each season make repeated pilgrimages to the tackle store to increase personal inventory with new and improved […]

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Top Walleye Spots in Iowa

Top Walleye Spots in Iowa Ask any number of freshwater anglers what one of the most sought after fish for table fare is and you’ll get a resounding response, “walleye”. Sure, crappie and bluegill will come up in that conversation as well, but walleye by far will always be in that list. The common name, […]

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Digital Maps for Hunting

Using Digital Maps to Improve Your Odds

Using Digital Maps to Improve Your Odds It’s nine o’clock on a Tuesday night and the entire family is already in bed. I turn on the television in the living room to give off the impression that I’m watching TV. After I check all the bedrooms to make 100% sure that everyone is really sleeping. […]

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The Treestand Dilemma

The Treestand Dilemma

The Treestand Dilemma It’s the ever troubling question that all hunters ask themselves as fall approaches and opening dates draw close. “Where should I hang my stand?” I know for me, as I go through the timber I tend to “see” my hunts play out. “If a buck comes down this trail, I should hang […]

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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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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.