by Capt. Chad Loreth
With the arrival of fall hunting seasons, each passing cold front causes all of us to stir in anticipation of being able to chase waterfowl, upland birds and deer in Northwest Iowa. Many of us also enjoy the outdoor recreation opportunities in the Iowa Great Lakes every fall, and some days it can be hard to decide what to do with your weekends. That’s a tough problem to have, “Should we hunt or fish today?”
If you are looking for opportunities to hunt and fish in the same weekend and have success doing both then the Iowa Great Lakes is the perfect place for a fall cast and blast adventure! Fishing West Okoboji, East Okoboji or Big Spirit Lake as well as hunting all of the public land that is available in this part of Iowa can make for a great fall weekend!
The Plan
As the early part of our hunting seasons open up in September the weather greets us each day with cool mornings and warm afternoons. This weather is ideal for doing some hunting in the morning and fishing in the afternoon. As water temps cool in the Iowa Great Lakes, a switch is turned on and the fishing heats up! Fall fishing typically is better in the afternoons versus the mornings unlike the summer months, giving people seeking hunting and fishing opportunities the chance to chase game at the crack of dawn and hook up with walleyes before the sun dips below the horizon.
September is the start of the fall walleye bite and as the fall months progress the bite typically gets better into October until ice up. In addition, perch, crappies, bluegills and yellow bass also provide great opportunities to boat lots of fish for a fish fry. In the fall, your chance to catch trophy fish also increases as all fish put on the feedbag in preparation for winter and go on the chew- especially walleyes!
Keys to success
The key to a successful and enjoyable cast and blast weekend is to have a good plan for what you want to hunt and fish for each day given the shorter days of fall. An example would be to hunt upland birds until noon and chase fish in the afternoon or hunt one day and fish the next. Regardless of what you decide fits your schedule, good planning will make the trip more enjoyable. If you are planning an overnight trip, there are a number of lodging options in the Iowa Great Lakes and finding the lodging option that fits what you need and what you’ll be doing for your cast and blast weekend is important. The things that I inquire about when looking for lodging options include the following: are pets allowed? Do they have freezers available where I can store fish and game for my stay? What local restaurants are nearby? Do they have electrical hook ups for charging my boat batteries? Asking these questions when booking lodging will help you in having an enjoyable weekend.
Another option is camping at some of the state county parks on your trip. This may be a good option if you are looking for even more of an outdoor experience. Many of the campgrounds in the Iowa Great Lakes have great facilities to include electrical hook ups, modern bathrooms and shower facilities. Campgrounds remain open year round but electrical and water hook ups may not be available based on booking dates the closer we get to colder weather. There are a number of great lodging options in the Iowa Great Lakes and you will definitely find something that fits your needs and budget.
The Cast
If you want to keep things simple for the fishing portion of your weekend, a pair of chest waders, a rod and reel and a few jigs and plastics or crankbaits can definitely get the job done for you fishing from shore. Your chances for success are just as good fishing from shore at this time of year especially after dark for fall walleyes. If you decide to pull your fishing boat with you, then the sky is the limit for where you can go to fish. The hardest decision you’ll make with pulling your boat up here is which lake you’ll fish between West Okoboji, East Okoboji and Big Spirit Lake. All three of these lakes have exceptional fisheries!
Hiring a fishing guide may be a good option to help you accomplish a successful weekend as well. The advantage of hiring a fishing guide is not having to pull a boat with you on the trip and bringing along all of your fishing equipment. The guide provides all the equipment and boat in addition to knowing where to go for the best bite given the time of year. There are a number of excellent guides in the Iowa Great Lakes that remain open through the fall season and can help you have a successful day of fishing for the cast portion of your trip. If you are worried about getting fish cleaned on your trip, there are a number of bait shops in the area that will clean fish which include Oh’ Shucks, Stan’s Bait and Tackle and Kabele’s Trading Post.
The Blast
The four counties that make up the Iowa Great Lakes include Dickinson, Clay, Emmet and Palo Alto, which are located in some of the best prairie pothole habitat in all of Iowa. These counties vary from flat to gently rolling topography with scattered uplands and wetlands in large continuous blocks of land that give one a sense that they are actually hunting in the Dakotas. You can find numerous opportunities to hunt doves, pheasants, partridge, ducks, geese and deer by simply opening up the Sportsman’s Atlas and taking a drive. The Iowa Great Lakes truly is a DIY (Do It Yourself) hunting destination if you are willing to do some research and are willing to hunt large grassland and wetland complexes.
Any time that I’ve taken a trip that involved fishing and hunting in the same weekend when away from home I’ve found that having a plan is key to having a successful weekend. I usually will have a good idea from previous scouting where I’m going to hunt ducks or chase pheasants. In addition, I will stop into a local bait shop and get a fishing report as well as checking on line to determine what is biting for the body of water I plan to fish. Packing and traveling with what you need for your fishing and hunting adventures is important and I try to keep it simple with just the necessities-guns and ammo, waders, decoys, hunting clothes, fishing rod and lures, cooler, cleaning knife and zip loc bags for fish or game I plan to take home. You’re roughing it, so there’s no need to bring your entire wardrobe with you! I also bring along a box of snacks and couple cases of water for myself.
When it comes to your four legged companion, I pack a first aid kit, dog food, water, towels for drying off the dog, porta crate, leash, whistle, dog vest and training collar. Just as important as all of the items for caring for the dog on the road, is a contact number for a local veterinarian in the area in case of an emergency. Housing your dog for the weekend may involve lots of crate time, so it is important to air the dog frequently so they can do their business, stay hydrated and stretch their legs when you are not in the field hunting. If you are staying at a hotel or motel where they allow pets, make sure to clean up after your dog so those businesses continue to allow pets in their establishments for other sportsman.
Your dog may also encounter what I call the “Unfriendly Critter” a.ka. Mr. Skunk, so come prepared in the event of an unfriendly encounter. I speak first hand regarding this on a 7 day waterfowl hunting trip to North Dakota several years ago where on day 2, my old “Susie” girl got into it with a skunk. Let’s say she lost the argument and the rest of the trip was one I won’t forget with the fragrance that definitely was not Chanel Number 9. If you own a dog, I’d highly recommend bringing them to increase your chances for success in locating and recovering birds that you may harvest, but come prepared to care for them just as you would yourself.
Getting Youth Out
Fall fishing and hunting in the same weekend can be one of the best outdoor experiences you’ll ever have with kids. Be mindful of the weather and have realistic expectations for a weekend in the outdoors with them and rest assured you will have a weekend filled with fun! It’s an opportunity to get kids out for those first experiences in the marsh or field and top it off with some rod bending action at the lake! It also is a great time to pass on family traditions that began with you as a youngster shooting your first duck or pheasant or catching that first fish. It’s your opportunity to teach and mentor the future of our outdoor heritage and pass on the traditions of hunting and fishing for sustenance and management of natural resources.
Within the four counties that make up the Iowa Great Lakes, there are 56,436+ acres of State Wildlife Management Areas that not only provide critical wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities but also play a critical role in improving and maintaining water quality for large and shallow lakes in the area. These areas provide some of the best recreational and hunting opportunities in NW Iowa. To put it simply- deciding to hunt or fish in the same weekend is easy. Come and do both in the Iowa Great Lakes!
