ice fishing
Prepping for Ice Fishing
Prepping for Ice Fishing When you ice fish and live north of HWY 20 in northern Iowa and the month of November arrives, it’s time to think “pre ice fishing”. You never know what might happen. Here on the Iowa Great Lakes, there have been times when I have been ice fishing on Thanksgiving. Ok, […]
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Hardwater To Open Water
Hardwater To Open Water By Ben Leal As March approaches there are quite a few anglers that start looking at their boats, rods and reels, thinking about the open water season. February is the time of year when in Iowa, most of the outdoor sports and recreation shows are taking place giving reason for thoughts […]
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Plan A, B and C when the Fish Disappear
Plan A, B and C when the Fish Disappear By Todd Reed The ice fishing season is well underway and anglers are having success all around the state of Iowa. The fish have had ample time to get in their winter patterns and can become pretty predictable this time of year. Typically that is a […]
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Iowa Ice Hotspots for Crappie
Iowa Ice Hotspots for Crappie By Ben Leal November of 2019 will be remembered by the sudden blast of cold that blew into the State early in the month…Anglers across Iowa, especially those in the central portions of the state were talking about being on the ice by Thanksgiving. As I sit and hammer out […]
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Ready for The Mid-Winter Ice Fishing Blues?
Ready for The Mid-Winter Ice Fishing Blues? As the crisp and frigid air chills your body, snow covers the landscape as far as you can see, the sight is somewhat magical on this early February day. However, as you drive to your ice fishing destination that beautiful sight reminds you that you are smack-dab in […]
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First Ice Checklist
First Ice Checklist By Todd Reed The ice around the state of Iowa has locked up nicely this year and has provided anglers an escape to nature during these cold months. I have loved ice fishing for about three decades and with each winter a new excitement comes over me. It isn’t really about the […]
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Breaking It Down Under The Ice
Breaking It Down Under The Ice By Rod Woten Fishing a new lake through the ice for the very first time can be intimidating. While the layer of ice covering the lake gives us unrestricted access, it also makes it much more difficult to effectively eliminate unproductive water. Gone are the sunny summer days where […]
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Tight Lipped Ice Tactics
Tight Lipped Ice Tactics By Ben Leal We’ve all experienced it… a day we load up and head out full of anticipation of a great day out on the ice. You’ve dreamt of that ice rod bending as you set the hook on yet another slab crappie or 10-inch plus bluegill…Vexilar screens lighting up with […]
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Taking on the Midwinter Fishing Doldrums
Taking on the Midwinter Fishing Doldrums Midwinter ice fishing is often completely different than early and late ice. Instead of the aggressive fish that come with both early and late ice, midwinter fish are often more neutral and have seen several months of lures. That’s why here on the Iowa Great Lakes the most successful […]
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Top 5 Lakes for Ice Fishing, Other than Igle’s
Top 5 Lakes for Ice Fishing, Other than Igle’s Iowa is full of fishing destinations throughout the winter months. When ice fishing is mentioned, most people around the Midwest think of Okoboji Lake as the top place to try their luck. The glacier lakes of northern Iowa probably deserve the credit for the best place […]
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