Springtime Panfish-Perch, Crappie, and Bluegill

Springtime Panfish

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!

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! 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.

Springtime Panfish

Pre-Spawn Bass

Pre-Spawn Bass

One of my all-time seasons for bass fishing is when the water temperatures begin to climb and bass start making their move from deeper winter homes to shallow water where spawning will take place. The transition really begins as water temperatures rise to around 48-58 degrees. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass will start looking for transition zones.

One of my all-time seasons for bass fishing is when the water temperatures begin to climb and bass start making their move from deeper winter homes to shallow water where spawning will take place. The transition really begins as water temperatures rise to around 48-58 degrees. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass will start looking for transition zones. Creek channels giving way to shallow water will be target areas.

One of my all-time seasons for bass fishing is when the water temperatures begin to climb and bass start making their move from deeper winter homes to shallow water where spawning will take place. The transition really begins as water temperatures rise to around 48-58 degrees. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass will start looking for transition zones. Creek channels giving way to shallow water will be target areas. If you can find the baitfish hanging up in the shallow waters at the edge of these channels, you’ll find bass waiting in ambush.

Fishing for Pre-Spawn Bass

Shed Antlers: Do they really tell us anything?

Shed Antlers: Do they really tell us anything?

My whole childhood and formative years were spent growing up in the timbered thickets of southern Mississippi. There was not much need for or success to be had when it came to shed hunting outside of occasionally stumbling across one in a food plot while turkey hunting.

My whole childhood and formative years were spent growing up in the timbered thickets of southern Mississippi. There was not much need for or success to be had when it came to shed hunting outside of occasionally stumbling across one in a food plot while turkey hunting. In my eyes it was a fruitless endeavor. It was not until I moved to southern Iowa in 2016 that I realized not only was shed hunting possible but it was fun and informative.

Shed Antler Hunting Insights

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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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