For this angler, the 2023 open water campaign is nearly over. Gas prices were challenging again this year, requiring a little extra prioritization. However, the quality of my outings this spring and summer were exceptional!  

In early May, I put my Whisker Seeker Catfish and Carp spinning rods to good use catching the best size and numbers of crappies I’ve ever seen in Western Iowa. The quality of these fish was only rivaled by the linebackers my crew has caught from Red Rock during rare road trips and long weekends. The action of the catfish and carp rod, combined with light line, provided all the sensitivity needed for bites and backbone in spades for limits of scrappy slabs.

During mid-May, we were back on the same body of water fishing for post-spawn walleyes. The action didn’t disappoint, and my wife and I caught our personal best Iowa 5 fish stringer. Moreover, during the same outing, we released over 50 short walleyes that may make it to keeper size by next spring. To have a walleye fishing destination an hour from the house in Iowa is truly a privilege, and I can’t wait to get back on the water next May. Pro tip: the Whisker Seeker Catfish and Carp spinning rods serve admirably as crankbait trolling rods in a pinch. We had great success running #5 and #7 Flicker Shads and Shad Raps for walleyes during both spring and summer using these versatile fishing rods.

During the dog days of summer, I enjoyed the best striper fishing of my life, surpassing an already memorable 2022. Although we didn’t crack the code on the topwater bite this summer, shad-patterned spinners and chrome/blue spoons consistently delivered across 9 different outings from early July through September. Most remarkably, on August 1st, I finally caught a Saylorville giant after 5 years of trying. The 28” tank smashed a slab spoon on a steep shoreline dropoff and gave me the fight of my life on a Whisker Seeker Catfish and Carp casting rod. When the smoke cleared, my son was able to quickly dip and land the trophy wiper with a Whisker Seeker Xtn landing net. After capturing a quick length on the fish, we were blown away with a live weight over 8 pounds! Afterwards, I eased the monster back into the water, and after a brief rest period, he torpedoed straight down into the murky depths. While this fish crushed my personal best, there are fish nearly double its size in that lake, and I cannot wait to hunt one again next summer.        

This summer, hot temperatures and several days of consistent winds, no matter the direction, reinforced how weather can drive shad against corresponding drop offs and onto flats, creating perfect hunting conditions for predators. With steep gas prices and otherwise busy schedules, understanding this pattern, and how it concentrates fish, absolutely increased the efficiency and success of our trips. We also learned that stripers aren’t the only fish to cash in on this shad smorgasbord. In fact, during every outing this summer, we consistently caught keeper channel cats, aggressive drum, and even short walleyes in the same areas. If you’ve never caught a 2-3 pound catfish on a small artificial lure, it's definitely worth the price of admission!

The one sore spot from the 2023 open water season was the continuation of 4 years of drought. This phenomenon has literally “dried up” the creek and river channel catfishing in Western Iowa and other areas. Water levels have been so low throughout the season that this is the first year I can ever remember not putting in my jon boat, wading, or slip floating for channel cats. There simply wasn’t enough water to efficiently fish any traditional stretch of river in this part of the state, and it may be years until some of the best spots recover. One thing is for certain though, in my experience Mother Nature has a way of returning all things to “average”, and if this holds true, this spring or next we are due for some epic high water levels.

At the end of every season, I complete a list of postseason chores. The number one priority is always the boat, and although some folks have their vessels professionally winterized, I’ve had good luck by simply keeping the boat covered in my machine shed with the motor upright to encourage draining. I also make sure the onboard battery charger is plugged in to recharge, condition, and maintain the cranking and trolling motor batteries. I don’t do anything special with the fuel system, other than pouring in some stabilizer in the winter or “Heet” in the spring. Following this simple routine, after 8 years of ownership, the 60 horsepower Mercury four-stroke has never failed to start in the spring. When I have a moment in the fall or winter, I’ll also change the crankcase and lower unit oil and grease the steering linkage, etc…, per the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule.  

After a few windy days this summer and giving some rocks a close shave, I plan to inspect my prop, skeg, and general lower unit condition for dents, cracks, and leaks. In the past, for minor prop damage, I’ve used a Work Sharp mini belt grinder to smooth out burs and chips and to restore pitch. This isn’t a perfect science, but it's a simple and easy way to return props to near-peak performance. While I’m handling props, I also remove both outboard and trolling motor props and remove any wound up foreign material or fishing line.

Once the boat is put to bed, I walk around the trailer to ensure all major components are in good working order. The tires keep the boat and trailer connected to the pavement, and it's important to check tire pressure, measure tread depth, and inspect side walls for dry rot or cracking. Now is also a good time to check lug nut torque and wheel condition. Next, make sure trailer wiring hasn’t come loose and nothing is damaged or dangling underneath. While hooked up to your truck, test all of the turn signals and brake lights, and make sure to replace them before next season. Finally, inspect the trailer frame, rollers, bunks, fenders, tongue, and wiring harness for corrosion and damage. After our last trip on the water, I noticed I have a broken bunk that needs to be replaced at some point this winter. I’m not exactly sure how to do this with the boat loaded, but I’m sure there’s a YouTube video out there for guidance. Wish me luck!

 Rods, reels, and tackle are the last items I inspect at the end of the season. I start by pulling all the boxes out of my tackle bag and opening them up to release any trapped humidity. Inspecting the contents of each, I remove dirt, debris, and cut off old knots and bits of fishing line. Rusted hooks and jig heads are thrown out, and I make a list of terminal tackle to replace before next season. I also take note of hooks on lures that need to be replaced. It's important the tackle bag is completely dry before reloading the boxes, and hanging it up with good air circulation overnight is a good idea. Once the bag is dry and the boxes re-loaded, I store it in the bottom of my boat for the winter.  

I covered rod and reel maintenance in a previous article, and it’s pretty straightforward. Depending on the age and condition of the fishing line, I typically strip it off at the end of the season, replacing it before the first spring outing. Rods and reels should be closely inspected, cleaned, and lubricated. Pay particular attention to rod guides and cork handles to avoid cracking and dry rot. As the old saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, and this is especially true with gear worth hundreds of dollars. To maximize the safety of rods and reels, I store them in my boat’s rod lockers over the winter.

The 2023 open water season is coming to an abrupt end in Iowa. At the time of this writing we’re enjoying above normal temperatures for a few days, but a sharp cool down is in the forecast for the last week of October, dropping daytime temps into the 30s. In most areas, fish have started fall patterns, and if the current weather pattern persists, it may be an early ice fishing season. I know I’m looking forward to drilling some holes and catching fish this winter, and if you haven’t already, go to whiskerseeker.com and pick up a Whisker Stick or two for your next ice fishing adventure.