fishing
Summertime Shad and Square Bills
Summertime Shad and Square Bills I decided to fish my way through 2020, the year of social isolation, and experienced the most epic day of largemouth bass fishing of my life. I have no idea how many bass I caught the morning of August 7th, but I fished one spot for an hour and a […]
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Targeting Shallow Weed Walleyes
Targeting Shallow Weed Walleyes Over the 40 plus years that I have lived in northwest Iowa, I’ve enjoyed fishing walleyes on the Iowa Great Lakes. My target lakes have included Big Spirit, East and West Okoboji. For many years, however, I missed a real opportunity during the summer months. After fishing the weed edges in […]
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Jugging for Catfish
Jugging for Catfish “FISH ON! FISH ON!” That phrase struck an adrenaline rush that only two things could ignite, a first kiss and “juggin” for catfish. At that moment every head in every boat turned like a top trying to find that one Gatorade bottle creating a wake across the waters of the Des Moines […]
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A Place For Family and Friends: The Outdoors
A Place for Family and Friends: The Outdoors As a young man growing up in the Loess Hills of western Iowa, I was too busy pursuing teenage interests to realize the beauty the hills had to offer. It wasn’t until I was older and a college student at Mankato State University that I found myself […]
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Trolling for Walleyes over the Weeds
Trolling for Walleyes over the Weeds Last August, I had the chance to listen to Jon Thelen, walleye guide and host of Lindy’s Fish Ed Television Series, give a fishing seminar at the Okoboji Blue Water Festival. His topic was “Walleyes in the Weeds,” and I was excited to hear what his thoughts were on […]
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Time for Big Bluegills
Time for Big Bluegills If you are a kid at heart like I am, now is the time to get after those big bluegills on Iowa’s lakes. It starts a little earlier in the south because the water warms sooner, but it always happens this time of year. About the last week in May through […]
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Improving Walleye and Musky Fishing in Iowa Project Update
Improving Walleye and Musky Fishing in Iowa Walleye always seem to be at the top of our favorite fish to chase here in Iowa. March begins the Walleye spawning run in many rivers and lakes, tempting fishermen and women out of hibernation to chase after them just after ice-out. Musky…the elusive yet hard fighting predatory […]
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Iowa’s Bass Fishing
Iowa’s Bass Fishing That thump on the end of the line can be ferocious at times and the jumps in the air so acrobatically. Only one fish in Iowa has those characteristics, the bass. Bass fishing in Iowa can be had in all corners of the state. Ponds, lakes, rivers and large reservoirs all provide […]
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Fishermen’s New Favorite DIY Project
Kayaks: Fishermen’s New Favorite DIY Project Kayaking has become increasingly popular in the past few years in the state of Iowa. Kayaks have become much more affordable, and much more accessible with them being available at major box stores as well as your local outdoors store. With their increasing popularity, many folks have turned their […]
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5 Favorite Campgrounds Across Iowa
5 Favorite Campgrounds Across Iowa When summer rolls around, campers emerge and begin looking for new camping destinations. Some stunning campgrounds are hidden across Iowa and closer to home than some may realize. Camping is an activity that will fit you, regardless of you interests and current chapter in life. And since the Covid pandemic, […]
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