Must Have’s For Ice Anglers
Must Have’s For Ice Anglers The ice fishing season is nearing and another exciting year is ahead for anglers in Iowa. As each ice season approaches anglers all over Iowa eagerly anticipate the first time they will hit the ice in search of their favorite wintertime species. Ice fishing is a simple way to fish […]
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Yellow Bass: Iowans Hate to love Panfish
Yellow Bass: Iowans Hate to love Panfish Iowa has a love-hate relationship with the yellow bass. On one hand they’re plentiful, fun to catch and make delicious table fare. On the other hand, in many instances, they’re an invasive species and out-compete other panfish like crappies and bluegills…even largemouth bass. They are prolific breeders so […]
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The Cost of Getting into Ice Fishing
The Cost of Getting into Ice Fishing Last year’s pandemic was a boon for people heading to the outdoors. It was the one place that was safe. Fishing numbers and licenses in the state of Iowa were up by over 50 percent. Some were anglers getting back into the sport of fishing, while others were […]
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Fishing New Water Under The Ice
Fishing New Water Under The Ice One of the challenges we all face, whether you’re fishing from a boat or standing on the ice on a new body of water, the question becomes, “where do we fish?” With the advent of modern technology, and much of it portable now, we can make some very educated […]
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Things That Ruin Ice Fishing Success
Things That Ruin Ice Fishing Success Ice fishing has been a passion of mine since 1990, it doesn’t seem possible, but the allure of cutting a hole in the ice to catch fish gets my blood pumping every winter. Growing up during my school days I eagerly awaited Sundays when we would trek out to […]
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Chasing Late Season Bluegills In Clear Water
Chasing Late Season Bluegills In Clear Water For years and years ice fishermen from across the Midwest have headed to northwest Iowa’s West Lake Okoboji to sight fish the finicky bluegills which West Okoboji is famous for. Late ice toward the end of February and into March can be incredible. Once in a while, for […]
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Targeting Northern Pike on the Iowa Great Lakes
Targeting Northern Pikes on the Iowa Great Lakes The Iowa Great Lakes is an ice fishing destination for both Iowa anglers and out-of-staters. After all, there is great walleye fishing and panfishing (perch, bluegill and crappie). If an angler is interested, there are also shallows teeming with largemouth bass that will readily attack smaller panfish […]
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Ice Fishing Fundamentals
Ice Fishing Fundamentals Every year I give lots of ice fishing seminars over the course of the winter. LOTS of seminars. So many in fact, that I used to find myself wanting to up the ante with each seminar I presented, tackling increasingly more complex subject matter with each new presentation. A few years ago, […]
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Yellow Bass Iowa’s Overlooked Panfish
Yellow Bass Iowa’s Overlooked Panfish Iowa has a love-hate relationship with the yellow bass. On one hand they’re plentiful, fun to catch and make delicious table fare. On the other hand, in many instances, they’re an invasive species and out-compete other panfish like crappies and bluegills…even largemouth bass. They are prolific breeders so they can […]
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Early Tactics for Full Buckets
Early Tactics for Full Buckets Once the calendar turns to November, anglers in the Ice Belt begin praying for several sub-freezing days and nights to get that first sold ice on fishable waters. Here on the Iowa Great Lakes that can be early as Thanksgiving but most usually around the middle of December. Now that […]
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