Iowa’s First Gold-level Master Angler
OutdoorHub 07.31.12
Steve Cunningham, Sr., probably goes through more night crawlers in one year than most people go through in a lifetime.
Cunningham, 67, of Harpers Ferry, went through 104 dozen night crawlers last year on his way to becoming Iowa’s first gold level master angler.
The master angler program celebrates angler success at catching a quality sized fish by awarding a vehicle or boat decal, and certificate for each fish species caught that meet certain size criteria. If an angler submits qualifying fish of five different species, they earn a silver master angler award that includes a commemorative silver medallion. If they submit qualifying fish from 10 different species, they earn gold master angler and a commemorative gold medallion.
Cunningham caught his 10 qualifying fish all from the Mississippi River at Harpers Ferry, mostly using his two hooks per line, with three night crawlers per hook method.
“Big bait catches big fish,” he said. “I catch a lot of fish, a lot of big fish.”
No argument there.
Cunningham’s gold master angler fish include a 15.38-inch crappie, 26.5-inch bowfin, 7-inch warmouth (sunfish), 26.5-inch shovelnose sturgeon, 37-inch (30 pound) common carp, 16-inch bullhead, 18-inch wiper, 13-inch yellow perch, 38-inch (32 pound) flathead catfish and 31-inch (17 pound, 8 ounce) freshwater drum. He caught all of his qualifying fish between Aug. 15, 2011 and May 5.
Cunningham moved to Harpers Ferry eight years ago and has spent much of that time fishing the area where the Yellow River joins the Mighty Mississippi.
He credits his success partially to his location to quality fishing water and partially to what he learned from studying how to fish from “Iowa Fish and Fishing,” a book written by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to help Iowans enjoy fishing by teaching how to catch the most popular sport fish in the state.
“Fish have places where they live and if you go there, you’re going to catch them,” he said.
Information on the master angler program is available in the Iowa Fishing Regulations or online at www.iowadnr.gov/fishing
