Podcasts
Stay up to date with the latest Iowa Hunting and Fishing Report, featuring a rotating video packed with timely outdoor insights. From current bass fishing patterns and whitetail movement to trapping tips and seasonal wildlife activity, this page delivers a well-rounded look at what’s happening across Iowa’s outdoors—helping you make the most of every trip afield or on the water.
June 5th Iowa Hunting & Fishing Report
The June 5 edition of the Iowa Hunting and Fish Report opens with an announcement that it is free fishing weekend in Iowa, running June 5–7. The host encourages listeners to take advantage of the opportunity to fish without a license, emphasizing time with family and friends, outdoor recreation, and the social aspect of fishing, even when the bite is slow.
The report begins in southern Iowa with an update from Brownies Bait Breakfast and Beer near Rathbun. Walleye are reported to be biting well, and the crappie spawn is nearing its end, with roughly a third of the spawn still to go. Rathbun is highlighted as a destination for large crappie and strong fishing overall. Wipers are also active, described as exceptionally hard-fighting fish and a top choice for anglers seeking a powerful battle. They are currently taking minnows and green night crawlers, and the bait shop is positioned as a resource for gear, bait, and local guidance.
Shifting east, the report features Max in Dubuque, where catfish are biting along the rocks on the big river and are recommended as both a fun and forgiving target for novice anglers. Walleye are reported to be biting near the dam, with a boat preferred but not strictly necessary for success, as shore fishing remains an option.
Further north, Stan’s Bait Shop in Milford provides an Iowa Great Lakes update, with crappie and bluegill biting and a solid evening walleye bite. Anglers are reminded to observe walleye slot limits. The Little Sioux Bait Shop in Lynn Grove reports good action on northern pike, walleye, and catfish, with specific bait recommendations including minnows, leeches, chubs, and worms.
The host stresses the importance of supporting local bait shops for their expertise and community value. The episode also announces apron and ThunderCap giveaway winners and outlines the next apron giveaway, inviting listeners to comment with their favorite fishing knot. The report closes with plans for upcoming video content, guest appearances, and on-the-water segments, along with an invitation for viewers to suggest locations and continue engaging with the report online.
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Hunting & Fishing Report May 29th | The Iowa Sportsman Podcast
May 29th – Iowa Hunting & Fishing Report
The report provides an overview of late May fishing conditions across several key Iowa lakes and interior rivers, emphasizing strong multi-species action and early summer transitions. Warmer weather is beginning to push some species deeper, particularly walleye, but overall fishing remains productive statewide.
The host highlights information gathered from four bait shops representing different regions. At Dad’s Bait Shop in Afton, near Twelve Mile and Three Mile lakes in the Afton–Creston area, anglers are finding perch, walleye, bluegill, and crappie on minnows, leeches, and jigs at Twelve Mile. Three Mile Lake is producing walleye, crappie, wiper, bass, and notably blue catfish on medium minnows. The presence of blue cats is attributed to targeted DNR stocking in select interior lakes, with some fish approaching 30 inches and offering aggressive strikes and strong fights, making them a standout opportunity away from the big border rivers.
Woods Sporting Goods in Council Bluffs reports solid bass activity on minnows and lures at Lake Manawa. Catfish are biting both in the nearby big river and within Manawa itself, where nightcrawlers are effective. Bing’s Bait in Boone notes that catfish, panfish, perch, crappie, and sunfish are all biting well, while walleye activity has slowed somewhat with the warming trend, potentially shifting to deeper structure or more pronounced night bites. Snapper City Bait in Adel (referred to as Adolissa) reports good crappie action on area lakes and strong catfish activity in the rivers.
Interior rivers such as the Des Moines, Cedar, Boone, and Iowa are stabilizing and clearing with a break from heavy rains, improving the catfish bite. Recommended tactics include live bait such as green sunfish and bullheads for flatheads, with pectoral fins trimmed, and a wide range of baits for channel cats. Blue catfish respond well to cut bait and live bait in lakes where they are stocked.
Throughout the report, local bait shops are credited as knowledgeable resources that track real-time conditions and patterns across Iowa’s lakes and rivers.
Iowa Hunting & Fishing Report May 29th
Listen to the Previous Hunting and Fishing Reports below!
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Hunting & Fishing Report May 29th | The Iowa Sportsman Podcast
May 22nd – Iowa Hunting & Fishing Report
Iowa Hunting and Fishing Report – May 8th
The episode features an in-depth Iowa Hunting and Fishing 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.
Listeners hear how nighttime proved most productive, with solid numbers of walleye and smallmouth bass coming on jigs and shad-imitating crankbaits. While not described as an all-out frenzy, the bite is characterized as consistently good, especially after dark.
Insights into Fishing Iowa Lakes in May
The report then shifts to Black Hawk Lake near Lake View, where conditions were more challenging due to a strong north wind. The episode notes an abundance of smaller walleyes in the 10- to 12-inch range, with a few keepers mixed in. Tactics there centered on jigs tipped with leeches or crawlers and some crankbait trolling. Brushy Creek Lake, between Fort Dodge and Webster City, is a highlight for trophy walleye opportunity, with recent catches including fish in the mid-20-inch range and larger. The host emphasizes that Brushy can be a tough lake to pattern but rewards persistence.
Looking ahead, the episode outlines plans to head south to the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers, including a nostalgic stop at the Redfield dam, a longtime personal favorite fishing spot. Additional destinations mentioned include 12 Mile and 3 Mile lakes in Union County, as well as Clear Lake and stretches of the Des Moines River further east, where multi-species action on walleye, sturgeon, catfish, smallmouth bass, and other gamefish is reportedly picking up as river levels stabilize. Safety on moving water is important, along with alternative access options such as river barges for those without boats.
The episode closes with a short preview of upcoming food plot work in Madison and Adair Counties and a timely reminder about getting youth and families involved in turkey hunting to help sustain the tradition for future generations.
Listen to the Previous Hunting and Fishing Reports below!
Below is the link for the episode on Podbean, Give us a Follow!