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Hard Water Channel Cats
Hard Water Channel Cats By Eric Katzenmeyer For many anglers, the word catfish conjures up thoughts of heavy line, circle hooks and bait so smelly you don’t dare touch it with bare hands. Fishing for catfish is a popular summertime activity. Rods can be propped up with a stick and one can pull up a […]
READ MOREIowa Gators Through the Ice
Iowa Gators Through the Ice By Nick Johnson I remember the first time I actually targeted pike through the ice using standard ice fishing gear. I had caught pike before but it was always a “bonus” while jigging for walleyes or the occasional take on a crappie minnow. It was about this time of year […]
READ MOREHardwater Trout
Hardwater Trout By Rod Woten I LOVE to catch trout. Pound for pound, trout are one of the strongest fighting species that swims. Anyone that’s tried to subdue a trout to remove a hook, know that they are one solid muscle mass with unbelievable strength. Being a coldwater species, they also remain very aggressive at […]
READ MOREWhere to Start? Successful Ice Fishing Tactics for a New Body of Water
Where to Start? Successful Ice Fishing Tactics for a New Body of Water By Rod Woten 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 […]
READ MOREFeatured Story
Introducing Youth to Shooting Sports
I can still remember the day my mom told me we had to watch the next episode of “Buckmasters TV.” Being an oblivious five-year-old, you can only imagine how excited I was to see my picture pop up as their weekly winner of a FREE Buckmasters Daisy Model 840 BB gun. Bubba and Shotgun Red announced my name, and I was the proud new owner of my very first firearm.
I ran to meet the mail carrier every day to check for that long cardboard box. Watching “Buckmasters” with my parents fed my enthusiasm for the outdoors, but I was already obsessed with all things related to shooting at an early age. That BB gun gave me so much more than a tool to shoot targets with. It gave my parents an opportunity to teach me about gun safety. It gave me my first memories of being in the woods, tagging along with my dad and his .22 chasing squirrels and rabbits. It gave me another way to spend time with my younger sisters when they began to learn about gun safety. Most importantly, it sparked a lifelong love for hunting and target shooting.
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.