Hunting and Fishing in Iowa
The guys over at the Iowa Premier Bass series are ramping up for what promises to be another great year of tournament bass fishing in the state of Iowa.
They kicked off 2012 with a new web site. This site has all of the info you need for the 2012 season. Make sure to check it out!
The second week of December, in Iowa, marks the end of duck season, the start of 2nd shotgun season, and the start of late goose season. As December progresses, thousands of geese will hold up in Iowa while there is abundant food, and open water. For many, this is the time of the year they have been waiting for. While I still prefer to shoot greenheads, shooting a limit of honkers as almost as appealing.
Dave Fehrer displays a nice Southern Iowa 11 pointer taken during the Iowa Rut.
For the past couple of weeks Iowa bow hunters have seen increased rut activity. According to many reports, the past few days have been the best. Bucks in Iowa are either with a doe or searching for a doe. Active bucks in search of a mate will aggressively respond to a doe bleat. Many expect this intense activity to continue for the next several days. Spending time in your tree stand in Iowa during this peak rutting activity will likely give you a chance and a true monster Iowa buck!
When Fall rolls around, many of Iowa’s Outdoorsmen get geared up for hunting. We have a number of great hunting opportunities in our state. The die-hard fishermen, on the other hand, are enjoying some of the best bass fishing of the year.
Lance Baker shows off a nice Iowa Fall Smallmouth.
There are several reasons why bass fishing is good in the Fall. For starters, water temperatures begin cooling. This results in better oxygen levels. Big fish will move in from their deep structure and suspended summer holding areas.
Another reason is because bass prepare for cold Winters. Bass will school and aggressively feed in the Fall.
Fall bass can be caught with numerous lures and techniques. Crankbaits, jigs, spinnerbaits, and soft plastics can all be good choices. On the right day, a good Fall top water bite can be Phenomenal.
This fat Largemouth is one of many that Jeremy Thayer has found this Fall.
If I were to go bass fishing tomorrow, my top 3 rigs would be a crankbait, a jig, and a spinnerbait. I would start shallow and fish quickly to determine if bass were shallow and active. If that didn’t work, I would find the closest contour break leading to deep water. During the Fall, bass are typically in one of these 2 areas eating whatever lures you are confident in offering.
Yesterday, October 11, marked the first full moon of the Fall for 2011. This is an important piece of information for many of Iowa’s bow hunters who follow the moon phases of the Fall.
Over the next few weeks, as the harvest continues and the temperatures drop, Iowans will see an increase in deer activity. Many believe that the moon phases play a big part in this annual occurrence.
Researches and hunters agree that the 2nd full moon of the Fall has historically marked peak rutting activity for Whitetail Deer. The days before, and the days prior, are the best times for bow hunters to be in their stands. The monster Whitetails of Iowa will be seeking, chasing, and breed does. During this time, common sense is thrown to the wind, and that once in a lifetime buck might just slip up and put himself in your sights.
The 2nd full moon of the Fall of 2011 is scheduled to be November 10. Mark your calendars.
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