fishing

Early Ice Crappies

Ahhhh…nothing like your first trip out to the ice. Days prior to your first trip you go through the list, Vexilar battery…check; auger…check; load new line on your ice rods…check; ice jigs and bait…check; ice shack…check; lantern and heater tested…check; everything seems to be in order and ready to go. Reports are coming in that […]

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Late Fall Strategies for Cold Water

The bite of cold has overcome Iowa by now, whitetail bucks are in rut and waterfowl hunting is picking up. With so many outdoor related distractions the thought of fishing takes a back burner to many. Even I find myself trading the rods for a shotgun at this point and celebrate the excitement of ice […]

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Iowa River Monsters: The Quest for Flatheads

It’s not too often that I get to write an article about an actual fishing story. I’m not talking about the tale of Catfish Hunter or a story that grows with age, but rather a story of adventure, taking place right in the heart of Iowa. An annual adventure that started a few years back […]

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Night Eyes: Fall Techniques for Catching Walleye at Night

Fall is a transition time for many species of fish, especially predators like walleye. This is the time of year when feeding becomes heavy and big fish are a realistic goal. Presentations change as the season progresses and the water temps cool but that is one of the beauties of Fall fishing! Night time is […]

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Float Fishing A Must Do Iowa Experience

When I first moved to northwest Iowa over 30 years ago and I wanted to go fishing, I headed to one of the Iowa Great Lakes or some of the smaller lakes around. I never gave interior stream/river fishing much thought. About 20 years ago a friend of mind introduced me to float fishing by […]

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fall Walleyes; Go Big or Go Home

The onset of fall is a time when walleye anglers get that twinkle in their eye once again after a long, hot summer. Some of the best fishing of the year can happen in the fall and the chances of catching a big fish are very realistic. Even through September, walleyes tend to stay deeper, […]

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Don’t Be….That Guy

Throughout my life, I have stumbled across individuals who cause the rolling of my eyes. I’m sure, with a few reflective moments, you have experienced the same. This being brought to surface, we are going to take a look at the cause of such eye juggling, as it applies to hunting or fishing camps. For […]

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Iowa’s Trinity of Trout Part 3

With mixed emotions, I sit down to write this third and final installment in the Trinity of Trout trilogy. On the one hand, I’m excited because I finally get to share some of my favorite streams in the entire state with you. But on the other hand, it’s a bit sad to realize that we’ve […]

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The September Transition: Targeting Largemouth in the Early Fall

No more shorts, no more fishing at the break of dawn, and no more blaming Mother Nature for making it too hot, welcome to Fall Bass Fishing! September and October are fantastic months to head out to your favorite lake or river in search of the largemouth bass. Iowa is known as a true state […]

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Keeping Your Youngster Entertained

Creating a great experience when taking a child turkey hunting, involves more than just a successful hunt with a dead bird. We all want the hunt to be successful whenever we have a child along, but the ultimate goal is simply creating a positive experience that will instill in them the desire to want to […]

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