fishing

Unlocking Secrets to Trolling for Walleyes

Unlocking Secrets to Trolling for Walleyes By Steve Weisman As a fishing guide on the Iowa Great Lakes, M. Doug Burns is often asked by anglers, “What should I do when I troll for walleyes?” Burns, who has been a professional guide since 1986, begins to answer this question by saying, “There is not one […]

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5 Life Lessons Learned from the Field

5 Life Lessons Learned from the Field By Bailey Dodd Imagine this, you take your five year old daughter on a turkey hunt. You forget hearing protection so you tell her that she will need to plug her ears if you take a shot so it won’t be as loud. A big gobbler steps out […]

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Summertime Slabs

Summertime Slabs By Ben Leal Ah, summertime… that time of year when we’re all looking for a place to cool down. The average day in August typically reaches highs in the mid-’80s, and lows will dip down to the mid-’60s. We have had, as you all know, days and even weeks that will reach up […]

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Cane Pole Crappies

Cane Pole Crappies By Steve Weisman One of the sought-after fish on our Iowa lakes are slab crappies. When the month of May comes and the temperatures move into the upper 50s, crappies begin to move shallow into their spawning areas. Optimum spawning temperatures are between 68-72 degrees. Kevan Paul, who owns Kevan Pauls Guide […]

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Fishing Iowa

Fishing Iowa By Ben Leal When it comes to fishing here in Iowa, we have one of the most diverse opportunities than many other states. We’re bookended by two major rivers, the Mississippi and Missouri, and in between lies a variety of opportunities for anglers to chase after their favorite quarry. Whether you’re fishing for […]

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Catching Musky and Pike in Iowa

Catching Musky and Pike in Iowa By Billy Pryor Muskies (aka the musky or muskellunge, plus many other spellings and titles) are the largest of the pike family. They prefer clear water lakes and rivers and are most actively feeding in water temperatures 55° to 70° Fahrenheit. They will eat any fish they can catch […]

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September Walleye

September Walleye By Ben Leal What’s the most popular freshwater fish for the table? That will vary according to where you live. In the South, crappie and catfish vie for the honors. But throughout the Midwest and Great Plains, the walleye reigns supreme. Chasing after these fish can be a challenge. In the spring, they […]

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Bluegills for Young and Old

Bluegills for Young and Old By Steve Weisman Let’s face it, I am a bluegill fishing fanatic. And why not? They are plentiful, they put up a great fight and they are great table fare. Oh, and one more thing, they are great fish to get a youngster hooked on fishing. I will also say […]

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My 5 Best Largemouth Tips

My 5 Best Largemouth Tips By Todd Reed The largemouth bass, the most familiar fish in the country lives all around us.  No matter if you fish a farm pond, a local river, county park, one of the 100’s of man-made lakes around Iowa, or the Mighty Mississippi River, the largemouth bass is waiting for […]

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Learning to Fly Fish Iowa

Learning to Fly Fish Iowa By Nathan Graham When you think fly fishing, I’ll bet you picture mountains, streams and waders – at least I do. However, some excellent opportunities exist right here in Iowa. All Iowans have access to either public or private ponds or lakes. When ponds or lakes are calm and the […]

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