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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

Check Out Our Current Issue!

Finding Coyotes Before Breeding Season

Finding Coyotes before Breeding Season

Finding Coyotes before Breeding Season There’s an old myth that implies coyotes are almost impossible to kill during the months of December and January because of the constant intrusion and disruption from the orange army of deer hunters, which invade their territory during that time. The theory suggests that coyotes become strictly nocturnal and have […]

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Three Tips for a Successful Muzzleloader Season

Three Tips for a Successful Muzzleloader Season One of the most exciting times to harvest a deer is in the snow, during the late muzzleloader season. It’s during this time that I eagerly retrieve my trusty muzzleloader and go on a mission to harvest does. These does, will be transformed into a batch of mouthwatering […]

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Infared or Thermal for Coyote Hunting

Infared or Thermal for Coyote Hunting: Scoping out Success

Scoping out Success: Infared or Thermal for Coyote Hunting In Iowa, we see a lot of rules and regulation changes every year. One of the more recent rules has changed the way we can coyote hunt. According to Iowa’s regulations as outlined in the 2023 DNR rules and regulations: “A person may use an infrared […]

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The Basics of Waterfowl Spreads

The Basics of Waterfowl Spreads

The Basics of Waterfowl Spreads As the temps cool and the last of the leaves finish turning from brilliant yellows, reds, and oranges into a dull brown, the energy builds for the waterfowl hunters in Iowa. Iowa falls into the Central Mississippi Flyway and Iowa hunters are lucky enough to have access to nearly 50% […]

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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.