Sportsmen's Empire - Fishing

On this episode of the Iowa Sportsman, Dan interviews kirk Hansen from the Iowa DNR about his job as the Mississippi River Habitat Coordinator. Kirk talks about his role and the habitat projects that he and his team oversee throughout the year. Not only do the projects help several fish species, but they also help waterfowl populations and other woodland animals. Along with the Corps of Engineers,...

Lake Erie is a destination fishery for many throughout the world.  On this episode Lee is joined by Fred Wickenheiser to talk about just how to get started with the basics and how to get your boat set up to be successful.  Developing a successful program to net more fish can be a lot of trial and error.  It also can be very costly.  Fredy shares with us what worked for him and where he went wrong...

On this episode of the Iowa Sportsman, Dan talks with Biologist Dillan Laaker of the Army Corps of Engineers about the Mississippi River and its industrial and sporting uses. Dillan talks about his role with the Corps of Engineers managing the water flow through the lock and dam systems throughout the rive as well as the various habitats and ecosystems. Topics discussed include river navigation, w...

On this episode of the Freshwater Bite Podcast Lee is joined by Layne Maier of MTN MAN OUTDOORS.  Layne is an accomplished tournament angler from Saskatchewan, Canada who recently started his own guiding business.  He has been fishing since he can remember and is entrenched in the lifestyle of catching big fish all year round.  From learning how to chase big walleye to manufacturing high end produ...

On this episode of the Freshwater Bite Podcast Lee is joined by Joe Test of Freshwater Therapy.  Joe and Lee discover they have a lot of common frustration, success and favorite techniques to catch fish on one of their favorite bodies of waters in Northern Michigan.  Joe is unique in the fact that he guides on bodies of water in both the state of Michigan and New York.  This is a great episode to...

On this weeks episode we discuss the H2Ohio water quality initiative that was recently unveiled by Ohio Governor Mike Dewine.  The intent of this initiative is to reduce harmful algal blooms, improve wastewater infrastructure, and reduce lead contamination.  We go into detail on a few of the changes that could directly impact the agriculture in Northwest Ohio and in turn lead to a significant decr...

It's that time of year again to dust off the ice shelters, get out the augers, and start thinking about ice fishing. On this episode of the Iowa Sportsman, Dan talks with Rod Woten a bout the details of ice fishing. They kick off the show by discussing the ice itself, when it's safe to get on and what to look for when it's time to get off.  Then the conversation turns to strategy and the two talk...

The best way to learn about your local body of waters, what tackle to use and how to learn more about fishing in general can be as simple as logging onto your favorite social media account.  Building a community of anglers is not only good for the sport of fishing but more importantly, the FUTURE of the sport of fishing.  Angler recruitment is always an important topic and folks like Juan Gomez an...

On this episode of the Iowa Sportsman, Dan talks with fishing fanatic and tournament angler Todd Reed. Todd shares some insight about what it takes to become success in the would of tournament fishing. Todd talks about the time that is needed out side of the boat as well as routine practice with your boat and gear to maintain success.  If you have ever thought about becoming a tournament angler or...

My guest this week is the youngest angler to ever win a National Walleye Tour At the ripe old age of 20 years old!! Dylan Nussbaum joins the Podcast to share his story of how surreal it was to take home the number one podium spot at such a young age and how he broke into making a name for himself as a professional walleye angler. We are approaching fall weather and water conditions soon so I ask D...

The salmon are running right now around The Great Lakes region but the water levels are high!  What do you do?  Lee checks in with Dan Stewart of Chrome Seekers Sport Fishing to see how he attacks the high waters and how he is getting the salmon to still bite in these conditions.  Lee just returned from a somewhat unsuccessful trip up north and the boys talk about what you can do to make sure you...

You may have heard of tackle company brands like Berkley, Abu Garcia, Shakespear and more. Dan Spengler of Pure Fishing gets to go to work everyday developing and perfecting some of the most well known baits and products on the market today that help us all catch more fish. Dan joins Lee to talk about how making baits growing up as a kid landed him a full time job working for one of the largest mo...

Our hosts got a chance to catch up with some local flavor recently in the fishing scene. Scottsburg High School Bass Fishing Team head coach Bill Buckner joined the show. Bill was gracious in being razzed about his name, and most importantly shared how SHS got it's inaugural season underway, and how important community support is to the survival of the program. Support local, and check out what th...

On this episode Jim Ludden joins Lee on the podcast to discuss the short and long term effects to a fishery when stressing, moving or taking bass off of their nests. Obviously by now all bass are off of their nest but the findings in the study that Jim conducted are a MUST listen as it is up to US as anglers to know our impact on a fishery even when our practices appear to be harmless while on the...

On this episode Lee asks Matt Bain to join him one more time to review some of the products from ICAST 2019 that stuck out the most to them. ICAST had too many great products to go over and picking out just a few to talk about doesn’t do the whole show justice. Lee and Matt give you a brief overview and encourage the listeners of the show to go check out the products discussed. Technology in all a...

On this episode of the Iowa Sportsman, Dan talks with fishing expert Todd Reed about strategy and tactics you can use to catch smallmouth bass in warm weather. Todd starts off the podcast by explaining what the fish are doing this time of year and where to find them. He tells us that smallmouth love living in heavy current and due to the warm temperatures are more likely to bite. Todd also breaks...

On this episode of the Iowa Sportsman podcast, Dan is joined by returning guest Dan Turner to discuss how to choose the right reel for your fishing needs. Dan talks about the different types of reels that are avaiable on the market and provides different examples and scenarios on when to use them based on budget and what species you are fishing for. Dan also shares the details on different lines t...

On this episode Lee takes the opportunity to update you on a few things happening in his life and how it will tie into the podcast. Also, this episode is very important to sportfishing anglers and conservationists who care about our Great Lakes fishery. Lee updates you on two sets of bills that are making their way through the house in Michigan that could significantly impact the species you love...

There's something about fishing that makes the best memories, especially when you those memories are made with the once you love. On this episode, Dan catches up returning guest Steve Weisman to talk about all thing fishing. Steve talks about how his father taught him how to fish, how he taught his son how to fish, and how he has seen his grandchildren share the same passion for the sport as well....

A new podcast is up this week featuring Jon Lee of Kalamazoo River Guide. If you have ever wondered what its like to chase smallies, carp or northern pike on a fly rod, this episode is for you. Lee talks with Jon on how to ease yourself into fly fishing by chasing after some of these species and how to relate it to a river system or body of water near you. The boys also get into the importance of...

On this episode, Dan talks with Dan Rosauer, a Biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, to discuss the Manchester Fish Hatchery. Dan talks about the history of the fish hatchery, shares insight about how the hatchery works as well as where the fish get distributed once it's time for them to leave their hatchery. If you are interested in the inner workings of the Iowa DNR, this will...

Lee has been a huge fan of the hit fishing TV show, The Next Bite for a long time. On this episode he is joined by Jake Flaa who is the field producer for the popular show the past five years. Jake shares how he first picked up a camera and started his journey to pursue his passion for photography and film in the outdoors industry. You will be surprised and inspired to find out the obstacles Jake...

On this episode of the Iowa Sportsman podcast, Dan is joined by kayak fishing enthusiast Spencer Bauer to discuss the ins and outs of fishing from a kayak. Spencer share the story of how he was introduced to the sport and how he instantly fell in love with it. He shares with us the the different varieties of kayaks that are available the types that might be sufficient for use on the rivers and lak...

On this episode Lee is joined by Bob Hinds of Central Coast Angling after a successful time out on the water chasing lake trout. These are becoming one of Lee’s favorite fish to pursue. The boys talk about lake trout behavior this time of year, where to find them and how you can boat some for yourself. As a native species to the Great Lakes, these fish seem to have an endless appetite but are ofte...

On this episode of the Iowa Sportsman podcast, Dan talks with Ben Leal about fishing for walleye in the lakes and rivers of Iowa, specifically in windy conditions. Ben talks about the details as to where the fish will be located and what they will be doing on days where the wind is prevalent. He also discusses what baits to use and how to present that bait for the optimal bite. If you have ever st...