1970 Iowa’s First Full Muskie Season
I know that some of you will say “but Vance they had an open season on Muskies back in 1969.” But, and I know I’m splitting hairs here, that season didn’t start until July...
Newsletter
Iowa Fish and Fishing
Back in April of 1951 when you received your copy of the Iowa Conservationist, you would have seen the headline: (for those that have lost their copy, “I know it’s around here somewhere!” I’ve...
Glass Hatching Jars
By Vance Polton Although by now a good percentage of the hatchery staff are sick of looking at hatching jars full of fish eggs, I decided we ought to spend some time looking at...
The Backbone Trout Hatchery
By Vance Polton Today I thought we would visit the Backbone Trout hatchery but instead of going straight back to the past as we usually do, we would first spend a little time in the present...
Outdoor Talk
By Vance Polton After just getting back from the Walleye spawning operations at Rathbun I like to kick back and relax and watch a little TV. Now here at Wayback Wednesday, we aren’t in the age of streaming services and...
Report on the Iowa Twenty-Five Year Conservation Plan
By Vance Polton This Report was always going to be part of Wayback Wednesday. You really couldn’t do our history justice without it. People in our bureau know what you are talking about when you say...
Fay Fronk
By Vance Polton As it’s getting close to the start of the walleye spawning operations I thought we should spend some time this morning with Fay Fronk who worked at the Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery...
The Tombstone
By Vance Polton You’ve all probably seen a photo of it or at least heard about Carl’s headstone. The “Death: Overwork at Fish Hatchery” tombstone. But what do you know about the man whose...
Wayback Wednesday Goes to the Movies
By Vance Polton Since the Oscars were just last weekend I thought it was appropriate to talk about “Iowa Fisheries on Film”. As early as 1915 and probably even a little earlier than that...
Statewide Edition
By Vance Polton Today’s Jaunt back through time really isn’t that far back. Heck, it’s just back around the corner. Of course it was back in the last century if you want to look at it that way. But let’s not. We’re headed back to...