ice fishing

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Ice Fishing Scenarios

Ice Fishing Scenarios By Nick Johnson It’s easy to think of life below the ice as a cold, stoic environment, unchanged by the outside world. Creatures living life at a slower pace, biding their time until the spring thaw comes. While some of this is true, and maybe even more true for certain species, the […]

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 […]

Yellow Bass: Iowans Hate to love Panfish

Yellow Bass: Iowans Hate to love Panfish By Rod Woten 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 […]

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 […]

Ice Fishing Resorts for Sale