Iowa ice-out channel catfish are biting
Channel catfish move close to shore and are eager to bite in many lakes and the large reservoirs across Iowa just after the ice is gone. The bite starts sooner in southern Iowa impoundments since they lose ice a week or two before northeast Iowa natural lakes.
After eating light during the winter, channel catfish put the feed bag on in early spring cleaning up small fish that died over the winter. Search for actively feeding fish on windblown shorelines and points where dead fish are piled up and the shallow water warms quickly. Keep the wind in your face and move often until you find actively feeding fish.
Walter Scott is an outdoors enthusiast and freelance writer from Drakesville, Iowa. Written By: Walter Scott | ×
If a person looks around them and observes nature, one can predict the weather at least as accurately as the professional weather reporters. Yesterday, I could predict a storm would be hitting us in the next few days by looking at the wildlife activity in the area.
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Yesterday, pulling into the driveway in the middle of the day, 11 deer in one group were grazing like a bunch of sheep in the field. As we neared the house, another group of seven were down in the horse pasture.