By Steve Weisman

Labor Day weekend already? Wow, did that sneak up on me! For me, Labor Day has always been a sign that our fall season of the year is commencing. As a teacher/coach for 33 years, it was the beginning of school and the fall high school sports season. It was always the time of great anticipation for what the season would bring. I hope that our teachers/coaches and students have a great year and that we all get out to enjoy or listen to the games/competitions in our various communities.

Of course, this Saturday brings the ESPN Game Day to Ames to set the stage for the football clash between the Cyclones and the Hawkeyes!

Early fall hunting seasons

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we are now into our dove and teal seasons. The recent rains put some much-needed water into our sloughs that still had water in them, and it also put a little bit into the shallower ones. That certainly gives us hope that we will have huntable marshes. Now we need to rely on the weather to give us the fall push of waterfowl from the north. Early word from the teal and dove season shows some good success.

Cottontail rabbit and squirrel seasons open

Saturday, September 4 marked two more hunting seasons: cottontail rabbit and squirrel. These were much anticipated seasons when I was a youngster growing up. However, the number of hunters has diminished considerably since the early 1960s. As many as 200,000 hunters targeted cottontail in 1973, while squirrel hunters numbered over 150,000 hunters. It’s been a gradual decline since that time.

DNR data shows that last year, an estimated 16,000 hunters harvested more than 76,000 cottontail rabbits. The most popular way to hunt is with a shotgun walking brushy areas with grass next to crop fields in the morning or evening. It can be done individually or with a group of friends.

“It should be another good year for rabbit hunting not only for experienced hunters, but for young or novice hunters who can learn necessary skills with little competition,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife research biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Cottontail rabbit season is Sept. 4 to Feb. 28, 2022. The daily limit is 10 rabbits with a possession limit of 20. Jackrabbit season is closed. While wearing blaze orange clothing is not required to hunt rabbits, it is recommended. Shooting hours for rabbits is sunrise to sunset.

Last year, nearly 13,000 squirrel hunters harvested approximately 76,000 squirrels.

Squirrel season is Sept. 4 to Jan. 31, 2022, with a daily bag limit of six total or combination of red fox squirrels or eastern grey squirrels and a possession limit of 12.  Fox squirrels are generally found in more open pasture timber and woodlots whereas grey squirrels tend to be in more mature timber. There is no restriction on shooting hours.

Local squirrel populations are variable depending upon acorn production.  In areas of lower annual acorn production look for patches of hickory trees as an excellent alternative.

“One beauty of squirrel hunting is if you mess up and spook a squirrel there is usually another one just down the ridge, this provides lots of opportunities for success,” said Jim Coffey, forest wildlife biologist for the Iowa DNR. “Experienced hunters often say that they haven’t hunted squirrels since they were a kid. Well, this is the year to be a kid again. Get yourself outside chasing squirrels and bring someone new to hunting along. Squirrels are definitely an underutilized resource.”

Fall fishing

A nice crappie taken slow trolling a 1/32-ounce jig with plastic.

As the temperatures move into fall temperatures, the water temperature on our area lakes will begin to fall, which should lead to the fish putting on their “fall feed bag.” Sporadic reports of perch action have come from Big Spirit with most of the action coming on the west and north side of the lake in 10-14’ feet of water. if you can get them to go, they are definitely nice fish. A lot of the action is taking place right in the weeds, working the open pockets. It seems like the weeds on the east side of the lake have more slime, causing it to get on lures and baits. I think by mid to late September, anglers will also be working the basin in search of roaming schools of perch.

Right now, the walleye bite seems to be hit and miss. This is typically the time of year that pulling crankbaits in the basin works best. The annual Pocahontas Iowa Great Lakes Fishing Tournament (PIGLIFT) is September 11-12. There are usually around 30 teams or so, and most of them will be pulling crankbaits. They usually do well and catch a lot of walleyes.

I do wonder what will happen as we get into October. Will the wader fishermen be able to work the shallows for walleyes? Big Spirit is pretty much weed-choked in the shallows. Will the vegetation begin dying off and allow anglers to target the walleyes?

Have seen some posts on Facebook of nice muskies coming from Big Spirit. They are tight in the weeds right now, so the key is to get the baits close…they will chase it if you can get the bait where they can see it.

West Okoboji continues to be a bass angler’s dream. Huge fish continue to be taken.

Crappie fishing has been good most of the year on West Okoboji. Lots of 10-12” and over fish have been taken like the one I posted with this story. One of the best strategies this summer has been slow trolling plastics over the weeds in 10-15’ of water.

Big bluegills have also been good. Working the deep weeds and rock humps have both been productive. However, there are times you have to work through lots of 5-7” fish. Plus, there are lots of days when the schools just won’t sit. You will mark the fish, catch a couple and then the school moves. So, you must bump the boat, maybe just a short distance, and the school is there again. This is where your locator is critical to keep on the fish. We’ve also found the gills in 40’ of water suspended off the bottom.

Of course, these are just a couple of lakes. As the fall gets going, you can hit East Okoboji, Lake Minnewashta, Silver Lake (Lake Park), Lost Island and Storm Lake. You might also take a road trip east to Clear Lake. Then, of course, there are the Minnesota lakes, and the northeast lakes and the Missouri River in South Dakota. I have a feeling it’s going to be a great fall…just not enough time to do it all!