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Go-To May Lures

Go-To May Lures May marks the peak of bass and crappie activity in Iowa as they enter their spawning season. Crappie are a favorite for Iowans, and they are one of the best tasting fish you can catch in our lakes. Targeting these fish requires specific tactics and lures. Put in some time on the […]

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Catching Pre-Spawning & Spawning Fish

Catching Pre-Spawning & Spawning Fish May in Iowa… winter has all but lost its grip, and we’re beginning to enjoy some incredible weather. It also brings with it the spring spawning period for a variety of fish. Temperatures in May will range from highs in the upper 60s to the mid-70s, with lows ranging from […]

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Open Water Preparations: Rods, Reels and Line

Open Water Preparations: Rods, Reels and Line By Nick Johnson It is with great sadness each Spring that I put away the ice fishing gear for the season. Then, when I begin to dig out my open water gear that sadness fades away slowly and the anticipation for warmer weather fishing takes over. One of […]

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Spring Ritual: Spawning Crappies

Spring Ritual: Spawning Crappies By Rod Woten Spring is finally in the air! Ice has finally decided to release its grip on our lakes, the sun is starting to feel warmer, and the days are getting longer. Surely gobbling turkeys and popping morels can’t be too far behind? Ever since becoming a fly fishing guide, […]

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Time to Chase Some Slabs

Time to Chase Some Slabs By Steve Weisman As winter draws to a close and ice fishing ends, anglers begin looking toward open water. This is especially true for those searching for big slab crappies. Water temperature and timing are huge keys, and both can happen at different times throughout the Hawkeye state. Obviously, ice-out […]

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Catching Early Crappies

Catching Early Crappies

Catching Early Crappies The ice is long gone, the grass is turning green, and the birds are singing, all of these are signs for anglers to get out and go fishing. Walleyes, bass, catfish, and pike are fish that really come alive in early spring, but as we flip the calendars to April, panfish, especially […]

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Iowa Ice Hot Spots for Crappie

Iowa Ice Hot Spots for Crappie By Ben Leal At the time of this writing Iowa was experiencing one of the warmest winters that I’ve seen in the sixteen plus years of living here. Southern and Central Iowa ponds, lakes, and reservoirs are all ice free. Northern Iowa is starting to see some skim ice, […]

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Looking at Early Season Open Water

Looking at Early Season Open Water By Steve Weisman Living in Iowa anglers get the chance to experience four seasons for fishing. Right now as we head into the month of March, we have the potential for great ice fishing in northern Iowa (depending on the spring warm-up, of course), yet we also have opportunities […]

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Guide to Late Ice

Guide to Late Ice By Rod Woten There are two phrases that will cause any ice angler to perk up their ears. “Early ice” and “late ice” are the two periods during the winter that ice anglers live for. Probably the biggest reason these periods are so popular with ice anglers is because the fishing […]

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Fish Wintering Habits

Fish Wintering Habits By Ben Leal By the time February rolls in we are well versed in angling experience. We think we have the fish figured out and locked in. Then, for some unknown reason, the fish move off our spot and seem harder to find. Weather can play a role in how fish react, […]

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