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Steve Weisman

Iowa’s Okoboji Blue Water Festival receives Sustainability Initiative Award

Featured, Iowa, National News, Nature Page & Night Sky, News /

The Okoboji Blue Water Festival, which is held annually at Preservation Plaza on the shores of West Lake Okoboji on the second Saturday of August, recently received the Sustainability Initiative Award for a small market from the Iowa Travel Industry Partners (ITIP).
This award recognizes efforts that reduce the impact of human activity on the environment while promoting tourism in Iowa.

Iowa’s Okoboji Blue Water Festival receives Sustainability Initiative Award Read More »

Narrows Preserve maintains habitat, provides low-impact public use on the shores of Iowa’s East Lake Okoboji

Featured, Iowa, National News, Nature Page & Night Sky, News /

In the fall of 2020, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) learned of the possible sale of 50 acres of land directly north of Elinor Bedell State Park on the shores of East Lake Okoboji.
This was 2,020 feet of shoreline that was prime development property. Now known as the Narrows Preserve, this 50-acre parcel benefits water quality, wildlife and the public – both residents and visitors alike.

Narrows Preserve maintains habitat, provides low-impact public use on the shores of Iowa’s East Lake Okoboji Read More »

Public invited to learn about the future of lake management at Iowa’s Prairie Lakes Conference

Featured, Iowa, National News, Nature Page & Night Sky, News /

Registration is now underway for the 2023 Prairie Lakes Conference (PLC) set for Aug. 9-11 at Okoboji, Iowa.

The PLC, which originated in 2016, is put together annually by conservation professionals and is an invitation for fellow professionals, students and interested members of the public to join together to learn about soil health, water quality and the connections between the two.

Public invited to learn about the future of lake management at Iowa’s Prairie Lakes Conference Read More »

Scuba diving offers incredible underwater view of Iowa’s West Lake Okoboji

Featured, Fishing, Iowa, Nature Page & Night Sky /

The Iowa Great Lakes region has several well-known and popular lakes, but it is West Lake Okoboji that brings water enthusiasts to this area.
Like the other lakes in the chain, it is a glacial lake. But instead of being a shallow glacial lake, its maximum depth of 136 feet, and extraordinary water clarity makes it a dichotomy of sorts. For Tim Hilbert, who has fished the Iowa Great Lakes for 50 years, it is that love of West Okoboji’s clear, deep water that has drawn him to see the lake from beneath.

Scuba diving offers incredible underwater view of Iowa’s West Lake Okoboji Read More »

The time is now to fund Iowa’s Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund

Featured, Iowa, Opinion /

State legislators in Minnesota finalized an environmental and natural resources bill during the 2023 Legislative session, which wrapped up last month, totaling $98.1 million in funding.
Looking to our neighboring state, I think we Iowans should commend them and also be jealous of what they have accomplished. Here in Iowa, we have had the same chance, and Iowans have been left high and dry. Our legislators have turned a deaf ear.

The time is now to fund Iowa’s Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund Read More »

Catching shallow-weed walleyes in the summer on Iowa’s Great Lakes

Featured, Features, Fishing, Iowa, National Fishing /

For the past 45 years, I’ve enjoyed fishing walleyes on the Iowa Great Lakes: Big Spirit Lake, East Lake Okoboji and West Lake Okoboji. For many years, however, I missed a real opportunity during the summer months.
After fishing the weed edges in mid-June into July, I would then move to deep water, trolling bottom bouncers or pulling crankbaits. That was good fishing, but I was missing a walleye gold mine: summer walleyes in the weeds. Since doing that, I’ve found a population of walleyes that spend the summer enjoying life in the shallow weeds.

Catching shallow-weed walleyes in the summer on Iowa’s Great Lakes Read More »

Herding a hen and her ducklings safely to water

Featured, Iowa, Nature Page & Night Sky, Opinion /

I’ve always encouraged my readers and listeners to follow the advice of our wildlife biologists. April through early June are the times that wildlife babies begin to show up. Each year I re-preach what the DNR says: “Leave wildlife babies where they belong – in the wild.”
In one rare case recently, I changed my tune just a bit and gave a hen mallard and her 11 ducklings a guided trip to the water on East Okoboji.

Herding a hen and her ducklings safely to water Read More »

Five nonprofit organizations receive grants for conservation efforts in Iowa Great Lakes

Featured, Fishing, Iowa, National Fishing, National News, News /

The 41st Walleye Weekend held on the Iowa Great Lakes May 6-7 had nearly 2,000 anglers enter the contest. In addition to the excitement of the contest, following each year’s Walleye Weekend, the Iowa Great Lakes Chamber of Commerce, through an application process, gives back a portion of the Iowa Great Lakes Walleye Weekend proceeds to nonprofit organizations with ideas that will benefit angling in the Iowa Great Lakes.

Five nonprofit organizations receive grants for conservation efforts in Iowa Great Lakes Read More »

Fish cleaning station planned for HWY 9 Boat Ramp on Iowa’s East Lake Okoboji

Featured, Fishing, Iowa, National Fishing, National News, News /

Even though it has heavy fishing pressure, East Lake Okoboji has had no fish cleaning station, but that’s about to change. Plans are under way for a fish cleaning station to be placed at the HWY 9 boat ramp. According to the Iowa DNR, the plan has been approved with hopes that construction could begin this coming fall, depending upon the engineering process.

Fish cleaning station planned for HWY 9 Boat Ramp on Iowa’s East Lake Okoboji Read More »

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