Iowa’s Fishing Season has Begun! Kinda…

The ponds, lakes, rivers, and trout streams are almost fully liquid again! The water's still a bit cold yet though. It hasn't been a rough or long winter, but when you're jonesing to get out on the water and start catching fish, it feels like years!

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Over the last few years, I've really taken to fishing like a fish in the water and am always looking forward to wide open water again. I've been learning a lot about how to fish better and with what equipment and why I should use it from these guys on YouTube! I follow probably more than a baker's dozen of fishing channels and I have learned more from them than in all the previous years.

Who all likes to fish? I'm looking for more options on places to fish. Heck, I'll even go with you! I've been eyeing trout streams in the North East as I've not done that yet. I have never had any trout that I know of and have heard it's one of the best fresh fish. I bought a full fishing license this year with the trout stamp and now, I WANT SOME TROUT! Back to YouTube again, there are a few guys who do solely trout fishing and will do catch and cooks right at the bank. This interests me greatly! How much fresher can it get coming out of the cool water, cleaned, rinsed in the clean stream, and then cooked right there within minutes of the catch! I am very looking forward to that!

After having COVID in the late spring of 2020, my body has not been the same. The time in my bed alone and in the hospital was scary. I'm trying to not take anything for granted as I am a lucky one. I have physical issues that may never go away, but I'm still here with my family and friends. So many were not that lucky. It was literally, my last day of quarantine when my daughter and boyfriend came up to see me (masks all around) and I said I wanted to get outside. I needed fresh, clean, early June air. I asked to go fishing. It wasn't long before I landed my personal best bass, weighing 2.5 pounds. Not a monster, but it was my PB. I needed that. It was kind of an award to me for making it through COVID. That only strengthened my resolve to get past being sick and be outside more. Do more fishing.

In 2021, I decided that I was tired of bank fishing. I wanted to be on the water and go places I can't get to by being grounded on the bank. I found 2 great deals that I couldn't pass up and jumped on them. One guy was selling two, 12 ft. fishing kayaks with several paddles, anchors, and brand new hoists that he never opened. All for one price. I made that deal. Within a week of that, I found someone with an 11 ft. aluminum Jon boat, with a front trolling motor and pedal and a back manual trolling motor. I needed that so I could get on the water in different ways to fish than you can in a kayak.

Long story, short (too late, right?) I sold that Jon boat but kept both trolling motors as one of my sons had gotten a 15 ft. bass boat with a 75hp outboard motor. That was more power and I could spend time fishing a river! I asked to buy it from him since he was about to sell it, realizing he wouldn't have the time to use it much with his work schedule. He agreed and I now have my bass boat!

I'm up to 15 or 16 rods and reels, split pretty evenly between baitcasters and open spinning reels. Both can be used for pretty much anything but they do work better for certain types of fishing as well. I've become a fishing addict.

I'm looking forward to getting out there again in any and all the ways possible I have in my options. Sure hope to see you out there too! Feel free to reach out to me anytime with suggestions! shawn.foxx@townsquaremedia.com