The Natural Resource Commission of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources approved 22 Resource Enhancement and Protection grants during its October meeting. The grants totaled more than $3 million.

Established in 1989, the Resource Enhancement and Protection program has funded nearly $389 million for city, county and state park projects that have included water quality improvements, habitat protection, roadside prairies, historical development and conservation education.

Eighteen lakes across Iowa are gearing up to receive trout this fall. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will release between 1,000 to 2,000 rainbow trout at each location as part of its cool weather trout program that brings trout to areas that cannot support them during the summer months.

How can an outdoor person get bored here in northwest Iowa? I mean right now we have hunting seasons going like crazy, the fall fishing is only getting better as the lake water temperatures fall. Oh, but that’s not all. Nope. Because the “pre-ice fishing craze” is just around the corner.

It’s probably happened to most anglers while fishing in mid to late autumn. Walleyes, crappies, perch and smallmouth are in deeper water than usual. Every now and then we see on the sonar what we think is a fish. Then it bites. It is a fish. It’s then that we realize: Fishing in mid to late fall and early winter can be a bit like ice fishing. Here’s how you can take advantage of that realization.

I moved my family here in 1978, and my wife and I both had our parents end up moving from the Redfield area in north-central South Dakota to live near to their grandkids. It was wonderful for us to have the family together, and we did go back to the Redfield area for several years to pheasant hunt land owned by relatives. At the same time, I became a pheasant hunting fanatic here in northwest Iowa.

Peyton Morey’s third place effort among an 86-girl field earned the Spencer Tiger a third straight trip to the Iowa High School State Cross Country Meet; where she will be joined by fellow Tiger Nolan McCusker, who earned the final boys individual slot with a 15th place finish. Both runners will compete on the afternoon of Saturday, Oct. 28.

SIOUX CENTER — “The girls played extremely hard against a very tough Sioux Center team,” said Tara Hauschen, Spencer volleyball coach, following a season ending loss to the Warriors on the road Tuesday night.

The Tiger struggled to handle the host team, falling 25-13, 25-16, 25-12, in Sioux County to conclude the 2023 season.

ALTA — The Sioux Central Rebels faced Alta-Aurelia in the Class 2A Regional Quarterfinal Wednesday, ending the season with a mark of 5-15 following a three game sweep on the road, 25-15, 25-15, 26-24. After dropping the first two games convincingly, the Rebels would battle to keep their seas­ on alive, taking the third frame to extra points before succumbing by two. A-A moves onto the semifinals with a 20-2 mark.

Sioux Central — 15, 12, 24

Lily Gross set a new school mark, breaking the Spencer girls swim team 100 breaststroke record Tuesday at its home meet against Sioux City Metro. Gross’ finish of 1:07.72 — a state qualifying time — would earn her a first place finish in the event, but the Tigers would fall 97-72 on Senior Night.

“We had a great meet and races in the pool,” said Aimee Lawrence, Spencer girls swim coach. “We were able to recognize our seniors and are proud of their swims.”

BOONE — The Iowa Lakes Laker volleyball team traveled to Boone to take on No. 12 12 DMACC. The Bears dominated the match, controlling serve pass with very aggressive serves, and attacking extremely efficiently and eventually winning 25-11, 25-11, 25-7.

The Iowa Lakes sports shooting team shot 453x500 to 364x400 against Southwestern Community College. The rain finally stopped but it was cloudy and cold when the shooting started at the Palo Alto Gun Club at Sportsman's Park north of Cylinder on Saturday, Oct. 14. The top five shooters for the Lakers were: Taylor Shiflett 93, Kendall Umscheid 93, Cameron Fick 92, Wyatt Schwenker 88, and Boden Paullin 87.

Iowa Lakes men's soccer hosted Western Iowa Tech on Wednesday, winning 6-1. The Lakers honored the team’s graduating sophomores on what was their last regular season match of the season.

The Lakers started the scoring in the eighth minute when Emilio Cazares found the back of the net when he broke through on goal on a pass by Gabriel Miranda. The Lakers created many more quality chances in the first half but failed to convert them.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reminds lake property owners to check their boat and trailers, and docks and lifts, for aquatic invasive species before storing them for the winter.

There is something special about living here in the Iowa Great Lakes area. Living in the area for the past 45 years, my wife and I have taken in everything that is good about the Iowa Great Lakes. It’s to the point where we, our children and our grandchildren all live right here. We work here, and we recreate here.

Fishing has been a very important part of my life for most of my life. I’ve learned a few things about catching fish, but I’ve also learned a few things about fishing or going fishing that can be very significant. Some of those follow.