Sports

Winter bird feeding adventures

Even with the crazy winter weather, one thing has remained constant: our backyard bird feeding. No matter the weather, our birds are always checking out the feeding stations. Whether it’s cold and windy, blustery and snowy or even during a “winter rain,” it’s fun for my wife and me to sit and see just what is going to come to our feeders...
Winter community trout stockings start Jan. 11

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will release trout in seven locations across Iowa this winter in areas that would not support them in warmer months. Winter trout stockings are a great place to take kids to catch their first fish. A family-friendly event is paired with most stockings to help anglers have success and fun while fishing...
Handling chronic wasting disease issues

Deer hunting is extremely popular in Iowa with nearly 200,000 hunters taking to the field each year. Unfortunately, there is a disease that keeps making its way closer and closer to northwest Iowa: chronic wasting disease. In looking at several recent Iowa Department of Natural Resources news releases, this is what I have found...
Factors in fishing success

Across much of the Midwest, it’s ice fishing season. However, across much of the Midwest, we’ve experienced inconsistent weather in the past few weeks, which has led to inconsistent success on the ice. When it comes to ice fishing or open water fishing, as different as they may seem, weather is a consistent factor in either situation...
Crappies on the ceiling

Never say never and never say always with fishing but when it comes to catching big crappies through the ice, there are a few lessons that seem repeating. Doesn’t matter if you find crappies suspended over basins or classic wintering holes. Could be shallow weeds or pencil reeds. Maybe sharp breaking basin or channel edges. Perhaps you are fishing flooded brush piles, cribs or submerged timber...
Export Okoboji clean water, recreation model to greater Iowa

As a Midwestern boy, it seems strange to say that I’ve always been drawn to water, but ultimately this interest changed my life forever. I was fortunate to grow up in a time where playing and exploring the outdoors was the natural thing for a child to do. My days were spent exploring the woods, rivers and lakes of northern Iowa. It was during these great experiences of my youth that the dream to further explore the world became very real...
Go small for big catches

At some times of the year, especially in the fall, big baits are the ticket to big fish. But in the winter, much of the time, smaller baits will lead to more catching. Remember, under the ice, fish can get a very close look at the lure you’re using. Small, even tiny lures attached to line that’s almost invisible, will usually put more fish on top of the ice than large lures...
Reflections on 2019 Okoboji Blue Water Festival

This is the time of year that many of us reflect on what happened in the past year and at the same time make plans for the next year. The outdoors and our natural resources are extremely important to me. A major undertaking this past year in the Iowa Great Lakes area was the fourth annual Okoboji Blue Water Festival held Saturday, Aug. 10...